Beginner Guitar Exercises

Instructions for the hands

The hands have different indications when reading exercises, which you must learn to be
able to perform them correctly.

Indications for the left hand use numbers 1 to 4 while indications for the right hand use the
initials of the name of each finger, which is known as the PIMA technique; P=Thumb, I =
Index, M=Middle, A=Ring.

Coordination exercises

Fingering versus speed

Fingering and speed are not necessarily in conflict, in fact they go hand in hand, but before
wanting to play fast it is necessary to have good fingering, when good finger technique is
achieved is when we can begin to increase the speed so that what we play "Clean" is
heard. A common mistake among beginner guitarists is to believe that "Fast" is better, but
this is not the case because if you play fast and have bad fingering, your performances will
sound really bad. I have always said that Technique is the basis of everything, if you have
good technique, you have everything.

Exercise 1234

There are many exercises to achieve good fingering, one of them is 1234 , which in addition
to being a good warm-up exercise, also helps you gain independence in your fingers, as
well as movement skills. You can start playing it slowly, to ensure that the fingering is clean
in all the postures of the exercise and gradually increase the speed. Another important thing
is that for the exercise to be effective, you need to do it COMPLETE, do not skip any
fingering, since it would be of no use. It's TEDIOUS but necessary.

1234 1243 1324 1342 1423 1432 2134 2143 2314 2341 2413 2431
3124 3142 3214 3241 3412 3421 4123 4132 4213 4231 4312 4321
Theory 1
The encryption

It consists of assigning a letter of the alphabet to each of the notes.

TO Th
b Ye
c Do
d Re
AN My
F Fa
g Su

Playing the A Major chord

Place each finger carefully, according to the diagram above. Make sure each finger is
located as close to the fret as possible. First, pluck the strings one by one, taking care that
each string vibrates freely and is not clogged or buzzing.

Now that we've seen the chord diagrams, we'll continue with the strumming .

Introduction to Strum
In a strum there are two different types of movements, up and down. Throughout the
exercises these movements will be shown as follows:

2
 Upward movement

Downward movement

Quarter Note Strum

Exercise 1:

Practice strumming A Major and D Major chords with the following downward strumming
pattern. Play four strums down the A Major chord, then four strums down the D Major
chord, and then repeat. You should aim to achieve a smooth change between the two
chords so that the entire piece flows and is maintained over time. The tablature for this
exercise is the following:

Chord The Re The Re

strum VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
Account 1 2341 234 1 2341 234

, The Re The Re
JA •
2E •
(and
K•JEf

uuu 2 2 2 2 U•U• 2 2 2 2
T 2 2 2 2 3333 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3
TO 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 24
• 2
222 nnnn n
••• nn
u u uu * AAAA —x—*— ¥ —y— • UUU X A AA —x — ¥ — % —
—*— ¥ —K— —¥—¥—¥—¥— *—
Exercise 2:
Practice strumming the E Major Chord using the following strum.
Chord My

Motion V TV VV

Account 1234

3
Remember to start slowly. It's easier to spot and correct any mistakes when you play slowly.

Practice strumming A, D, and E chords with the suggested strums. Notice that there is a repeat sign
after four measures, which means that there you go back to the beginning and repeat the piece.

Strum:

Account: 12 3 4
, The re The My
H4 •
2E •
EC
K
• Hf

nnqn 7777 n ñ nn A Cl A ñ
7 7 7 7 •••• OR OR OR $
7 7 7 7 TO TO TO n
-2222 ---- 2222 uuu •
TO 2222 2 2 2 2 2222 1 1 1 1 «
TO 7177 0 either n n 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 *
either -ff V V V V n ñ nn 7777
— q__ TO TO TO TO •••• 222•
----------------x-----x-----x----X— _x-------x-----x-----x_
—X-----x-----x----X— _and- - -g-----0- - - -9------l

Exercise 4:

Tap the following:

G major chord

4
 Sun
7A
7 hours ■
( TO ■
3•
• E

J. J. J. J. J. 3 3 3
m OR OR either or 0 0 0 0
AU 0 EITHER 0 0 0 0 0e
A mm h n n n n •

1
C

7)

ce
Yo

Yo Yo Yo Yo 2222
------------------Yo-----------3--------------3--------------Yo-------- -------Yo------------3--------------3--------------3----------

Exercise 5:

Practice strumming D, A, C, and G with the rhythm below.

Strum: ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

5
Exercise 6:
Strum the A Minor chord as indicated in the following tablature:

Exercise 7:
Tap the following:

Exercise 8:

Count: 1 2 3

6
Exercise 9:

Strum: v

Exercise 10:

F Major chord in quarter note strumming:

2% a °—# *
TA % •

--------1-----1- - - - - -1------4------------- -----------4--------------4-------------------4------------------4----

—- ------1-----1- - - - - -1------1- - - - -----------4--------------4-------------------4------4----
TO 3 3 OOd
------b--------------3-------------3------------------3----------------3-------------- -----------3-------------3------------------3------------------3------------
------4--------------4-------------4------------------4---------------- -----------4------------4------------------4- - - - - -4- - -

7
Exercise
Eighth 3: strumming
note

strum
Note
Accoun
t
strum

Account 1 +2+3+4+
yyyy

Exercise 1

Exercise 4

to •
(9Z •
AND
•

Exercise 2: q_ -> 9 gAgAg nnn TO n

uuuuu to AQ
222 2 2 JJJ J. • • • u uu
T 333 3 3 000 0 0 000 0 0 222 2 2
strumTO 222 2 2 U0• • • 111 1 1 0U0 0 0 •
• pg 7g q
OR n2 2n 2n TO n2 22 22 22 22 22 n2 2Q2nn 2 2TO *
b VVV V V 2
AAA TO TO
go AAX
v •v w QQi 2 qgq g n and and and AND
Account 1 + 2TO w + 3 + 4 + • or or AAA TO TO

Exercise
A Re75:
J4
2EVAVAVAVA strum «
«
Eff
•-

You n to n m You T T n *1 T n
•2 •g 2a •
2a •g 2 •g • • 2 Z zj z za
already 11
1 _________________________
to 1 to to
T 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1m 1 1 ll
«•
7 hours
ll T T T
to to
TO (no 2 T
£ 2 --------------------------------------------
2 2g 2 to
2 2 2 2 _a T
2 2
g 2 £ 2 4
• • ■
U 1
b •• or or or or or or or or • • OR •
XX X—X x X—x x x x x x x X- x x x X -K---
-x—x— — —X — —x— —— —x— —%— -x— -x— X- -x— —x— -x—
1 1 1 1 1 1 to the Yo 1 Yo 1 1 1
1
nn AA AA A qnnnA TO
T
4 • u • u nnnn •U nnm ññnnñññ a
or
TO 0 An • qnnnA and
qq A TO my
u•uua •uu uu • • ••• U i
B5
---------------3 222 222
—a—a—a 22222¿2 2

— -a—a—a—a- -3

8
9
Basic Chords
A chord can be defined as a combination of 3 or more notes played at the same time. To
examine this, let's look at some chord diagrams. These chord diagrams are used to
illustrate how chords are played. They are very easy to use because they look just like the
guitar neck.

C€-------------Name of the Aconde

O=Open rope
X=Do not strum

Left hand fingers to use

on each point

Major Chords

CC#DD#E F

F#GG#A

Minor Chords

cm C#m Dm D#m Em

1
0
Seventh Chords

guitar effects
Tablature - Symbology

These are the symbols commonly used by tablatures that you can find not only here, but
on the internet. If you have questions about any technique, do not hesitate to write. You
can hear the effect by moving the mouse arrow over the bullets (the first time it takes a
while).

SLIDE (drag)
PULL OFF
A finger is used to move from one note to You pluck a note and sound one or more
another by sliding it on the string. Play the notes in a downward direction by pulling the
note FA and then slide your first finger to the string down a little. Put your first finger on the
G on the third fret without reducing the first fret and your third finger on the third fret.
pressure. You play G on the third fret and lift it by
gently pulling down on the string.
« e ||----------1- s -3---------
•
• e ||-----------1/3----------- and ||-----3- p -1---------

1
1
RELEASE (pre-bend) VIBRATO
Place your finger on the LA of the 10th. fret Place finger 1 on the FA note of the 6th. fret
and pull the string up to the B position and swing it without putting too much
without plucking it. Once in this position, you pressure on the thumb, you can also move
press the note and while it is still playing you your finger up and down without stopping
let the string return to the A position, keeping pressing the string of course.
it pressed.
• B ||---------6-v------------
« B ||--------12- r -10-------

HAMMER BEND

One finger is used to move from one note to A note is made to rise in pitch by means of a
another on the same string. Play an F with pull. Play the note on the 10th fret and pull it
finger 1, and then without turning off the F up, making the note go up one tone, from A
note, place finger 3 on the G note. to B. Sometimes when it is less than one
tone it is indicated with fractions.
and ||-----1- h -3---------
• B ||---------10- b -12--------

PALM MUTE (notes muted) HARMONIC

The note is played and with the tip of a finger
The abbreviation PM means that the noted
of the left hand the sound is cut, making it
notes must be played percussively. The
palm of your right hand is gently placed on higher.
the strings to mute them and the notes are
• e ||---------6-A-----------
played, this produces a dull sound.

P.M -----------
•
G ||-----2--4--6--8------

1
2