Minimum Movement Exercise (Guitar Lesson TE-004) How to play

[TheIronMercenaries]

I'm so good I never thought I would suffer such a big technical error. I'm having much trouble preventing my fingers from "flying."

[clockwork90897]

ive been playing for several years and have all of my other fingers down but my pinky is stubborn and just doesnt seem to want to cooperate with me it appears i have trained it improperly any advive

[quarticom]

@clockwork90897 that has been exactly my problem 2 lol, but i havent played much lately, but i think i'll try this method by UtzChips2009 can be something, just concentrating and dont doing it fast. I think though another exercice in addition could help:) What's funny is that some exercises i've learnt is the complete opposite, moving the fingers as much as possible while ur playing exercise scales. Maybe its best to do both types of exercises? I dont know.... maybe some1 else can help:)

[UtzChips2009]

@quarticom If you listen to Justin play the scale at the 1:25 point, I find it imposible to keep count up to 12 for each note he plays. You can pull up (or at least I can) an online metronome, put it on 208 bpm, which is the highest setting & keep count. I believe having the proper string setup is extremely helpful. I recently had mine lowered to the point where all you can fit between the 6th string & 12th fret is a quarter.I have to recind my claim of doing 152 bpm, as I cannot do w/o mistakes

[beatnik8tv]

argh can't do this :(

[badaski82]

I like how when you was playing the scale slowly, you slowed your voice down to match lol Awsome! btw love the endings on your vids lol

[TeoDogueri]

thank you! all your videos are very helpful.

[DemonicTurtle66]

You know how the professional guitarists can always play a ridiculously difficult song, but they always make it look so damn easy? That is because they're relaxed and making the smallest movements possible like in this video. Another awesome video. Thanks Justin.

[YuriGee718]

thanks for the lesson, not a newbie, but I've taken a hiatus and this vid is really helping me out and giving me a some new ideas to work with thanks man

-The flying fingers

[nettocop1]

fkin aewsome guitar!

[nettocop1]

fkin awsome guitar!

[quarticom]

it's impossible!!! everytime i change position on the fretboard my fingers automatically jumps 5 cm away from the guitar!!?? wtf!?!?!

[onecutofficial]

@quarticom me too dude

[quarticom]

@onecutofficial that's marklar, not marklar marklar that marklars a marklar with marklar!!!!!

[UtzChips2009]

@quarticom This exercise gave my guitar playing a total rebirth! I'm 57 & had your problem 8 months ago. I followed Justin's advice and can now do the scale at 152bpms without any problem. After 3 weeks, I couldn't do 90 bpms and my pinky was still flying all over. I believe it's the slow exercise that is the key, concentrating on keeping those fingers close. Just 5 minutes a day & after 3 weeks I kinda gave up & just went to doing it on occassion & just recently timed myself again & was shocked

[PLATINUM3NDO]

Thank goodness a skip ad button!

[UtzChips2009]

MINIMUM MOVEMENT !! search: "wishboxacoustic freebird" & skip to 4:25 to see some awesome lead!

[Vitaum010]

Guys I need some help here! I can pick very fast scales, but everytime I change strings, my finger pulls out one string and makes it ring making a terrible sound. I don't know if this is related to the height of my strings, but even when I play slowly, the strings get pulled out. What can I do?

(Justin, what's a playa?)

[geenux29]

I have the rebel pinky syndrom too...

Thanks for giving me the courage to try and fix it...

[hanyinsharm]

my hand is not steady... how can i make my hand more steady?????

[lean99zz]

everyone, check in the related videos :

Guitar Lesson - Speed Kills - No Boundaries

he's a master in this stuff

[bogdanelrus]

im getting frustrated by only watching this...

and my day was going so well

[MrNorthernloon]

nice one

[rocky69316]

so do i think Depalla

[OliverTheBob]

thenks



[stargazer1701E]

thank you

[97teledlx]

Justin......as the fellow below mentioned, I too did not realize I have this problem. Practicing while looking into a mirror opened my eyes. My hand finger movements were all over the place. Thanks for posting this video. A 5 minute investment daily will be worth it!!

[OfficerInfusion]

I never really knew I had this problem until I watched this video. Wow... why isnt my brain capable of controlling my pinky???

[hellsSG]

You have to go to Justins website and find this lesson under "Technique". I cant link on Youtube.

Below the video you can choose language and then it downloads.

[HELLO2YOU3]

Simpulb may be but how do you know witch fingers to use first i feel as i need to learn that as well. Any help

[TheTloz96]

This is just the problem i have. Thank you, Justin!! Every time I play i got so mad at my fingers : D So i hope this'll help : D

[ezematiasmarchi]

i don t speek inglish, don t undestar, is very complicated the movie... are easy more wicth the escale¿? porque no pones la escala de una? asi es más sencillo

[hellsSG]

@ezematiasmarchi You can download everything he says on a pdf file if you go find this lesson on his website.

[ezematiasmarchi]

@hellsSG well, then how I can download the pdf file of the web?

I am very interested to know the scale that applies in this video, I hope you get the scale written for the learning easier! thank you very much!

tell me the steps to download the file!

[WJValente]

I think you are one of the better music teachers on YouTube. Thanks!

[brianasaurus20]

i have this,and i hope in a few weeks il b saying i had this,my pinky is 1 high flyin lil fucker,gotta train him in 2 b tite like d others :) great tips justin, u da man!!

[ClassicalLind]

@brianasaurus20 Hey, so did you fix your pinky?

[brianasaurus20]

@ClassicalLind kind of,...2 sum extent i did like playin stuff i know i can control him an his urge 2 fly but as soon as i try learn sumtin new hes al over the place again,...

[RaPogi72]

I have flying fingers because the string in my guitar is so high that if I wont lift my fingers high, it will mute the string under it.

[thespecter2]

I should get one of those magic trick thumbs to put over my god damned stubborn lil pinky.

[tinman5680]

I GOT BLISTERS ON MY FINGERS

[mornar75]

@tinman5680 keep up, good job, that means you are practicing

[tmacnuke]

@mornar75 haha Im pretty sure he ment this to be a quote from the movie "Yes Man" with Jim Carrey. Jim learns to play guitar and playes a song to stop someone from jumping out of their window and killing theirself.... when he is done playing the song he shouts down at the crowd "I GOT BLISTERS ON MY FINGERS!!" with an english accent.

[mornar75]

@tmacnuke I believe you, did not see the movie i'll check it out :)))

[jerk618]

I never realized that I had this problem until watching your video...Now I know one reason why I can't seem to play fast solos and even simple pentatonic licks I can't seem to speed up to the right tempo. All because I have flying fingers and its mainly my pinkie :/

[Destro273]

full konuşuyo ag

[vortexofdarkness]

merci

[blackmagswithcats]

i see that he's doing this with the classical hand position (thumb behind the neck), and i've been practicing it that way.

but should i also practice minimum movement with my thumb over the neck?

[Alucard33592]

practice it in the way you normally play guitar.....if you dont play the guitar with the classical position dont practice it that way :p

[bap2best]

thanks again justin!

My pinky is a rebel

[TheSnickerdoodles]

thanks, i do have this problem

[advillaamil]

oh my fuck! that's it im cutting my pinkie off.

[advillaamil]

also thanks! great video.

[Zombiezreplaceteens]

my pinky has a weird tingle now....is that good or bad??

[mornar75]

that is good

[JoelCharron1991]

i got flying fingers darn hah,,, time to practice

[mornar75]

me too, pinky feels like it is not my own:)

[adrian12ka4]

Justin is My Guitar Doctor.. U rock!!

[ec476405]

I think this aspect of playing (avoiding "Flying fingers") is one of the most underrated, untaught, and underappreciated aspects of playing guitar that come in handy. Great lesson, once again

[UzumakiYodaime]

o fuck is hard fuking fininnngers stay down ;))

!!!

[TitaniumPT]

:/ doctor i have flying fingers...

[trossachs2003]

Call the Flying Fingers Doctor

[xrunepk3rzx]

This helped so much I thought I was amazing at scales until I tried this.

[rqorso]

thanks man, it really helps a lot!

[coopess]

i love you dude! thanks!

[yes4545]

its called economy of motion.....heres a fun one for you to try....keep your thumb off the guitar at all times...see how good you are....show me your economy of motion then....

[TheElectricHeat]

HEY that's good advice. It's interesting to practice without your thumb if you are suffering from strained wrist. relaxation is just as important as economy (I think even more)

[haamilt0n]

should I do it when I play legato?

[1strand1]

This is harder than it looks:)

[OvationkId1]

This is like Ritchie Blackmore's supportive fingering exercise. Excellent.

[Depalla]

to all beginners: everything will improve with practice, dont get frustrated!

[SteveSilverman]

What's with the screaming rodent?  Does he bite your fingers if you wander too far off the fingerboard ? :-)

[Eyzeday]

'twasn't a rodent - that was a Tasmanian Devil!

But yes... he'll bite your fingers right off if they are over a half a centimeter off the fingerboard :)

[raclarkus]

What an excellent exercise! After years of flying fingers, this is difficult.

Slow to fast, just like the other lessons.  I'll get it.

[Ramblingman247]

lol.. i know. My picking hand is too slow.. cause im used to my flying fingers.

[CRaul87]

I got a problem doing this exercise, keep in mind that I am a beginner. So my fingers stay too close together, I can not make them look like a spider and stay far appart enough to that each finger lands on a separate thread, will the flexibility come in time, what precise exercise do I have to do to increase the distance between my fingers?

[kirbyy]

how long have you been playing? getting flexibel fingers usually just comes with playing a lot. practice swapping between exotic chords with your fingers could help also.

[CRaul87]

Fairly new to it, 7 days now I think, been practicing every day so far. I've done martial arts in the past so now I'm trying to apply the stretching technics I learned there to my left fingers and since I've been doing them, aprox 3 days I've started to see quite a bit of improvement. When I first started playing I wasnt aware that hand flexibility had to be achieved, I thauth it would come more naturaly but I was wrong:P

[someguyoketcetc]

CRaul, another thing you may find useful is moving the scale shape up a few positions (ie further towards the body of your guitar), that way the frets are closer together. As your left hand strength and flexibility improves you can move back towards the headstock. Keep practising ;)

[cumusicprep]

Seven days? You've got time! Just be patient. Some finger stretching is good, but don't overdo it, otherwise you could injure yourself. Warm-up exercises are important, but your fingers will also gain flexibility as you practice new chords. Stay as relaxed as possible and concentrate on keeping good hand position. If you've only been playing a week or so and you're already concentrating on good fundamentals like you see in this video, you're on the right path.

[evlblue]

TNX justin...

very helpful

BTW you can apply the concept to any excercise on guitar and it actually works

[Fartan117]

this is actually the same exact scale that i used to practise using minimal movement. My friend and i watched that guy play flight of the bumblebee at 320 bpm and i pointed out how it doesn't even look like his fingers are moving at all. then my friend pointed out the obvious: the less you have to move the faster you will go. then i started using this exersize

[guit3rg0d]

omg WHENEVER i try to move my pinkey as close to the fret as possible. THEY SHAKE!! and its really annoying! sooo anyone else experiencing the same thing? help?

[evlblue]

annoying indeed...

you are not alone!

[bchapm]

I don't have that much control over my pinkey

[geetar4]

Perfect practice makes perfect. Just try it real slow and get it programmed in your muscle memory. If you do it long enough, it will become subconscious.

[downhill240]

Personally I love the Tasmanian Devil! Thaks for the tip I also have trouble placing my fingers in the proper place on the frets and a very weak little finger!

[downhill240]

Thanks for the tip!

[Muzozavr]

Do you really have to follow ALL of your technique vids with this tasmanian devil? I nearly jumped out of my skin when it first appeared. :D

This particular lesson seems like a simple and powerful idea, but I don't actually know if I DO have flying fingers... *goes off to check* No, I only have a very mild case, which should be remedied with a little practice. Thanks anyway, great lesson.

BTW, it's kinda funny to watch the normal version at full speed, your fingers just swim up and down. :)

[thetenfold]

Just go really slow and never let your fingers (especially pinky) go farther than a half inch from the fretboard.

[JayRd7]

It's always the simple things that make the difference. As in piano study, this piece of technique is key to good playing.Thanks Justin!!

[futuredoowoper]

man my fucking pinky finger just flys is there something i can do

[Justin011794]

same here haha, i have no problem with this exercise except for my pinky, i guess if you practise like 10 minutes a day for a couple weeks your pinky will get closer to the fingerboard, but don't worry, i'm sure you and I are not the only one having this problem xD! Damn pinky!

[FiddlinSue]

Every now and then I see something so simple and powerful, so obvious, that I have to smack my forehead and say "Why didn't I think of that?!?!?" This has been a great help THANK YOU

[whitebus2012]

is it normal to feel sort of sick while doing it? haha

[chubbs8915]

This has helped me quite a bit and i've gotten a lot faster because of it. The only thing I just can't seem to stop is my pinky finger flying when i do scales. Do you have any tips at how i can work on just this finger improving?

[SevSB]

all you have to do is continuously try till it doesnt do it, its conditioning.

[JacobP2008]

How many hours you you have to put in about?

[lordflanderwell]

1,000,000....thats one meeleeonn!!!!!!!!!

[graveShadow91]

thanks a lot for the tip.. i'm starting to play now and i'm practicing some of your vids... THANKS

[gregsbest]

Great Lesson Justin, So Important to master this one !!!

Also, for those who really wish to sharpen their musical skills- read the book: 'Effortless Mastery' by Kenny Werner . Follow those exercises and you will fly like Justin does. Cheers, G.

[warlord7292]

hey my thumb sticks out over fret board when i play ... what do i do(from the back)

[thetenfold]

Hold it flat in the middle against the back side of the neck.

[AERuffy]

omg thanks, i really needed this lesson

[dragon4939]

whoa, that's alot harder than it looks!

I have a feeling that this'll help my technique alot.

[N1nja32]

lemme tell you this, i am the biggest finger flying guitarist in the world which is why i love you for making this vid =]

[RagingSeraphim]

wow that was a big improvment to learn!

[DigitalNinj4]

thanks a lot, you're a great teacher!

[Umaiketsu]

OH MY GOD Why is that so difficult D8

[GoodGawd]

Dudettes XFD

[hawleyites]

thx alot man

p.s. wtf is that at the end of the video?

[1stSgtSoulStealer]

tasmanian devil

[haroldoneal]

hello!! teacher i cannot control my little 2 fingers,,,, what should i do? so that i can control it ? what exercise?,.. help me I'm playing guitar for how many months and i don't know to handle my hands.

Help me teacher coz in our country there is no school of music. how poor. so help me.. Please. tnX. God bless

[Rowdydogg]

I think you control your flying fingers with how you actually grip the guitar (thumb placement). Any truth? You are superb teacher.

[stevie179]

i think everyone has a problem with theyre little finger at first ecspecially if they started playing late on not when they were 8 or something.

[TwoTube2]

Thanks for the handy training technique, although I still have a problem with controlling my little finger. It sticks right up whenever I remove it from the fretboard. Sigh. I'll just have to practice more :)

[lazychump]

Paul Gilbert has flying fingers, and he flies on the fretboard

[gammypage]

could be faster if he didnt

[GoodGawd]

He didnt watch this lesson then!

[Dasilvarenegade]

I've seen many guitarists do it and I also think they would be faster if they worked on it. I think Paul said in one of his videos that when he started speeding up he focused on his left hand first so maybe his hand is just really in sync.

[WatcherofTrends]

This video is spot on. Great demonstration, well worth spending time to master.

10/10

[deanguitarslover]

my problem is the pinky!!!!!!!!!! or 4th finger... how bad is this thing of flying fingers???

[crespoloko]

1:14 só de, bla bla bla

[symanoy]

thank you so much

i never realised how bad a case of "flying fingers" I had till i saw this video!! thanks for this video

[dusthillguy]

This really helped me.

[luigibellumia]

6 the grande

[4061926]

you are good teacher , have a good one .

[Shonuff504]

Hey Justin, Man thanks for the video. I am trying to relearn the guitar after about 20 years, and all your videos really help. Thanks a lot, and keep them coming.

[Svenshinhan]

Thanks for the very helpful vid. I'm just starting out with the guitar and am now trying my hand at the pentatonic scale thingy and this will surely help me avoid learning the wrong things.

And I love the Tasmanian Devil at the end :D

[ultimateguitarfish]

i have done this for some days now, and i can really see an improvement...=)

good lesson! thanks, from Norway

[bewilderedbeast]

thats really helpful, thanx

[Shagmelon]

Very helpful, like the tazmanian devil thing at the end also. I just noticed my fingers fly when I type too! Great lesson thanks.

[Generalpain1989]

sound as a pound cheers man :)

[dhence2]

its nice for the people who wants to play guitar things for this lesson, god bless

[coryman44]

new disease: Flying Fingers

[ccarnes]

Good lesson, well done! Will really help.

[wellurs]

lol whoa I so do have flying fingers! more so on the 3rd and 4th. Thanks a lot I'll give this a try

[gamelover4ever]

the things at the end LOL

[PVGroove]

there is a good reason why you have on of the most big rates on you tube!

u improve the global level of music

have u ever thought about it?

thanx

[AncestralGuardian]

thanks men,im learning guitar in a jazz school and i have that problem too!now im a lil better with my fingers too!good vid men keep informating people

[GARY2288]

thanks man, but WTF was that thing at the end?

[jcavan1]

that would be a tasmanian devil of course. which will end the debate about his nationality, thereby ending the debate about his accent. then of course t.d.'s as we call them are known for their manual dexterity which answers why it was there in the first place. and as for the one complaining about other people's comments - I don't think they care, but you are correct. See they'll probably never read this.

[Danilpferd]

my ex girlfriend

[cozz]

Danilpferd... hahaha good joke man!

[tambrm1016]

Why are you morons talking about his accent? This is a really good lesson. I'm 39+ years old, I have been playing Bass in local bands since I was in my early 20s. I'm trying to broaden my abilities by learning to play guitar and I think his lesson will help me as both a Bass player and a GUITAR player.

It's a shame that we have such an incredible format for sharing information and teaching these days (the internet, you tube) and a bunch of idiots take the time to leave negative comments. Thanks

[a66448579]

Well said

[oprtun1]

did this for 2 days and it really hepled! Thanks Justin.

[WannaBeLink]

i cant stand that accent. yah i understand it but its sounds different then american stuff.

i just get lost in thinking weird accent..

[EuroGuitarist]

this is he british accent

[hussaruk]

Its not british dude its Australian.

[EuroGuitarist]

no, it's british! hes from london,UK

[Brizraen]

But was originally from Tasmania, I believe.

[hussaruk]

he lives in london, but he is australian, hence the tasmanian devil at the end of his vids! The accent does sound like cockney to people who are not british.

[EuroGuitarist]

ok i understand but it sounds a little bit like northern british

[hussaruk]

yeah hes probably been here for years.

[oprtun1]

looks like I'm a finger flapper!

[ahion7]

thank You, thank You, thank You

[s3r14Ledgain]

Great word, i can understand your english, it's a miracle ^^

thanks upload

[oodava]

Well, I never knew I was guilty of flying fingers.

[GoodGawd]

Dudes en dudettes wtf XD! Great word dude!

[elbermann09]

hey man.. i don't understand.I think is the ligth or I don't Know. Would you do it slower.. thanks

[sensoryproductions]

very cool!

[69nisab]

Great advice. Nice guitar as well!

[Rogasoukidan]

ahh ive been having this forever, ive been playing for 2 years and my pinky wont stay put

these excersizes are pissing me off >:/

[ChronospaceTrode]

dammit, my computer sucks at buffering

[pickles4all]

It's your Internet connection and/or your browser. I'm sure your computer is fine.

When you open a video, press pause and let it load before you start watching it.

[Indiejarrod]

good advice man

[Easiann]

nice onee =D

[theflyingapple]

LOL! dudes and dudettes!

[jeffrob123]

lol flying fingers, i have that 4 sure, my pinky has a mind of its own, i tried to control the flying fingers when i started( only been playing 1 month)as i knew it was bad, but when i try to control them my pinky starts to ache at the nuckle and i am sure it has started a bunion sort of thingy which is a noticeable bump on my kuckle, paml side, WTF, + justin your a top bloke, ur web site is awesome and thanks for all the great lessons ,i have learnt alot which i owe it all to you,thanx again

[afrodisiac1984]

thats not a "bunion" thats just muscle growth...means your getting stronger ;)

anyway im no medical expert so if it bothers u get it checked out i definitely never heard of people growing bunions from playing guitar

[jeffrob123]

cool, i hope ut rite

[evilchrist213]

keep it coming justin boy........idol........

[spencity25]

thanx practiced this for a couple hrs...really helped me :)

[wolfbiker1]

thanks, justin! very helpful for me, too! :)