Last Updated on May 15, 2019 by Klaus Crow

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!

EXERCISE #1 (A minor pentatonic) e--------------------------------------------------------| B--------------------------------------------------------| G---------------------------------------------5----------| D----------------------5--------5--7-----5--7----5--7----| A-------5--7-----5--7-----5--7--------7------------------| E-5--8--------8------------------------------------------| e----------------------------------------5---------------| B----------------5--------5--8-----5--8------------------| G-5--7-----5--7-----5--7--------7------------------------| D-------7------------------------------------------------| A--------------------------------------------------------| E--------------------------------------------------------| And back e--5-----------------------------------------------------| B-----8--5-----8--5-------5------------------------------| G-----------7--------7--5----7--5-----7--5-------5-------| D----------------------------------7--------7--5----7--5-| A--------------------------------------------------------| E--------------------------------------------------------| e--------------------------------------------------------| B--------------------------------------------------------| G--------------------------------------------------------| D-----7--5-------5---------------------------------------| A--7-------7--5----7--5----7--5--------------------------| E-----------------------8-------8--5---------------------| Relax and take a few deep breaths. EXERCISE #2 e--------------------------------------------------------| B--------------------------------------------------------| G----------------------------------------------5--7--5---| D----------------------5--7--5-----------5--7------------| A--7--5----------5--7-----------7--5--7------------------| E--------8--5--8-----------------------------------------| e-----------------------------------------5--------------| B-----------------5--8--5-----------5--8-----------------| G-----------5--7-----------7--5--7-----------------------| D--7--5--7-----------------------------------------------| 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-| A--------------------------------------------------------| E--------------------------------------------------------| e--------------------------------------------------------| B--------------------------------------------------------| G--------------------------------------------------------| D-----------5--7--5--------------------------------------| A--7--5--7-----------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--------------------------------------------------------| G--------------------------------------------5-----5--7--| D--------------------------5-----5--7--5--7-----7--------| A--------5-----5--7--5--7-----7--------------------------| E--5--8-----8--------------------------------------------| e--------------------------5-----------------------------| B--------5-----5--8--5--8--------------------------------| G--5--7-----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-----| A-----------------------------------------------------7--| E--------------------------------------------------------| e--------------------------------------------------------| B--------------------------------------------------------| G--------------------------------------------------------| D--5-----------------------------------------------------| A-----7--5--7--5-----5-----------------------------------| E-----------------8-----8--5--8--5-----------------------| Put on some coffee or tea and focus on the last exercise. EXERCISE #5 (play in triplets) e--------------------------------------------------------| B--------------------------------------------------------| G--------------------------------------5--------7--5-----| D--------------------5--------7--5--------7--5--------7--| A--5--------7--5--------7--5--------7--------------------| E-----8--5--------8--------------------------------------| e--------------------5---------8--5-----5----------------| B--5--------8--5---------8--5--------8-------------------| G-----7--5--------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--| A-----------------------------------------------7--------| E--------------------------------------------------------| e--------------------------------------------------------| B--------------------------------------------------------| G--------------------------------------------------------| D--------5-----------------------------------------------| A--5--7-------5--7--------5------------------------------| E-----------8-------5--8-----5---------------------------| Thank yourself for taking the time to improve your guitar playing. Enjoy your coffee or tea! If you want to improve your blues, rock licks and improvisation skills check out: 50 Cool Blues Licks Improvisation