5 Effective Pentatonic Exercises For Building Speed
Photo by JD Hancock
Building speed is not just for guitar players who want to play fast and look good (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but building speed is good for any aspect of guitar playing.
Once you’ve got a good technique and finger dexterity everything you play becomes easier from rhythm playing to soloing and everything in between. Life on the guitar gets better.
I’ve written down 5 exercises that will help you build up speed but also to get a good grip on your pentatonic scale so you can learn to play them inside out.
Go through each exercise slowly a couple of times before you try to speed up.
Set up a slow tempo on your metronome and when you feel comfortable enough gradually increase the tempo. Play as accurate as possible and keep your notes clear and clean.
Try to avoid extra sounding notes that aren’t supposed to be there by muting the strings you don’t want to hear with either your left hand or right hand.
Practice with focus and dedication and reap the benefits.
Have fun!
e-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B---------------------------------------------------------------------5---|
G---------------------------------------------5--------5--7-----5--7------|
D----------------------5--------5--7-----5--7----5--7--------7------------|
A-------5--7-----5--7-----5--7--------7-----------------------------------|
E-5--8--------8-----------------------------------------------------------|
B---------5--8-----5--8---------------------------------------------------|
G---5--7--------7---------------------------------------------------------|
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e--5----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B-----8--5-----8--5-------5-----------------------------------------------|
G-----------7--------7--5----7--5-----7--5-------5------------------------|
D----------------------------------7--------7--5----7--5----7--5----------|
A--------------------------------------------------------7-------7--5-----|
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D---5---------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-----7--5----7--5--------------------------------------------------------|
E----------8-------8--5---------------------------------------------------|
Relax and take a few deep breaths. EXERCISE #2
e-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B----------------------------------------------------------------------5--|
G----------------------------------------------5--7--5-----------5--7-----|
D----------------------5--7--5-----------5--7-----------7--5--7-----------|
A--7--5----------5--7-----------7--5--7-----------------------------------|
E--------8--5--8----------------------------------------------------------|
B--8--5-----------5--8----------------------------------------------------|
G--------7--5--7----------------------------------------------------------|
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
And back
e-5-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B----8--5-----------5--8--5-----------------------------------------------|
G----------7--5--7-----------7--5-----------5--7--5-----------------------|
D----------------------------------7--5--7-----------7--5-----------5--7--|
A----------------------------------------------------------7--5--7--------|
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D--5----------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-----7--5-----------5--7-------------------------------------------------|
E-----------8--5--8--------5----------------------------------------------|
Do some stretching exercises. EXERCISE #3
e------------------------------------------------5--8---------------------|
B-----------------------------------5--8----------------------------------|
G----------------------5--7----------------5--7---------------------------|
D---------5--7----------------5--7----------------------------------------|
A----------------5--7-----------------------------------------------------|
E--5--8-------------------------------------------------------------------|
And back
e--8--5-------------------------------------------------------------------|
B----------------8--5-----------------------------------------------------|
G---------7--5-----------------7--5---------------------------------------|
D-----------------------7--5----------------7--5--------------------------|
A------------------------------------7--5---------------------------------|
E--------------------------------------------------8--5-------------------|
Take a moment to reflect and then let it go. Be present. EXERCISE #4 (play in triplets)
e-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------------------------------5----------|
G--------------------------------------------5-----5--7--5--7-------------|
D--------------------------5-----5--7--5--7-----7-------------------------|
A--------5-----5--7--5--7-----7-------------------------------------------|
E--5--8-----8-------------------------------------------------------------|
B-----5--8--5--8----------------------------------------------------------|
G--7----------------------------------------------------------------------|
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
And back
e--5----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B-----8--5--8--5-----5----------------------------------------------------|
G-----------------7-----7--5--7--5-----5----------------------------------|
D-----------------------------------7-----7--5--7--5-----5----------------|
A-----------------------------------------------------7-----7--5----------|
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A--7--5-----5-------------------------------------------------------------|
E--------8-----8--5-------------------------------------------------------|
Put on some coffee or tea and focus on the last exercise. EXERCISE #5 (play in triplets)
e-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------------------------5----------------|
G--------------------------------------5--------7--5--------7--5----------|
D--------------------5--------7--5--------7--5--------7-------------------|
A--5--------7--5--------7--5--------7-------------------------------------|
E-----8--5--------8-------------------------------------------------------|
B--8--5---------8--5--------8---------------------------------------------|
G--------7----------------------------------------------------------------|
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
And back
e--------5----------------------------------------------------------------|
B--5--8--------5--8--------5----------------------------------------------|
G-----------7--------5--7--------5--7--------5----------------------------|
D-----------------------------7--------5--7--------5--7--------5----------|
A-----------------------------------------------7--------5--7-------------|
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A----5--7--------5--------------------------------------------------------|
E--8-------5--8-----5-----------------------------------------------------|
Thank yourself for taking the time to improve your guitar playing. Enjoy your coffee or tea!
Did you enjoy the pentatonic exercises and do you like Guitarhabits?
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If you’re into blues rock metal licks, I just made a new video lesson. Check it out:
5 Famous Repetitive Classic Blues Rock Metal Licks”
5 Famous Repetitive Classic Blues Rock Metal Licks”
Hi Klaus, great post (i’ve only done the first exercise so far).
is there a german version of this site? i’m just learning, and i figured it would be a good place to practice my reading.
Hi Ivo,
There’s no german version of this site. Not that I know of.
I think you’ll do great reading in English. Think of it as another good exercise. :)
Best regards,
Klaus
Hi Klaus,
I just want to let you know I appreciate all of these great posts. You have no idea how much your website has helped me progress as a guitar player. Everything on here is useful, keep up the great work.
Thank you,
Matt
thank you very much. Your tips are very useful for me. I wish I could only see yours sooner.
Dear Klaus,
I love your blog articles! So thoughtful and well done.
I have an active guitar learning site and mailing list.
I would love to find out if you’d be open to my reposting some of your articles on my site (with proper credit and links back to your site, of course!)
Thanks for your wonderful work,
- Lisa McCormick
Hi Lisa,
Of course, go ahead. Feel free.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
Thanks for this lesson, gave me some good ideas for practicing my scales.
thanks, great tips.
Should I be trying to barr these while I play or keep moving my first finger? Great exercises tho!
Hi! your lessons are always interesting and useful, always learning new exercises with your blog :D
One question: which tool do you use to generate the tabs?
Greetings, Eze
Klaus thanks a lot man I just came from the a minor pentatonic scales you tabbed out and well cheers man what you do is a great help cheers from ireland
Should this line be played with alternate picking? Tks!
“these lines” I mean
Hi Klaus,
Can’t wait for your 50 Licks course.
I hope you don’t over price your product like most other sites do. I’d love to purchase the product to help support your site.
Love all the free stuff you have here. You do a fantastic job with really useful information. I am a member on serval sites but the majority of them are full of fluff.
Remember you will sell far more with a reasonable price than you will with a puffed up price.
Anyway, best of luck with your 50 Licks package.
I can’t wait to buy one of the first copies. I hope it comes downlable as this usually lowers the price over a mail out version.
Thanks again,
Art
Hi Art,
The price is $29 dollars and it’s a downloadable version.
I think it’s a fair price for the amount of content and work I put into it.
Thanks for the support. I really appreciate it!
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
Hi, Klaus,
This exercise is really helpful in getting me out of the rut that I’m in. I really appreciate the fresh look at the minor pentatonic scale; and anything that builds speed is a good thing.
Cheers-
Shane