RIGHT-HAND OPEN STRING EXERCISES

This lesson is designed to help you concentrate on your picking hand by playing the open strings. One of the most challenging parts of learning the guitar is to learn where the open strings are located and become comfortable locating the strings with the right hand. As always, it is extremely important to use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. Try not to look at your hand as you play these exercises, as you will not be able to look at both of your hands and the music at the same time. Here are the open strings of the guitar written in tablature. 

Play each of the open strings with your pick. Try to get used to finding the strings without looking at your right hand.  Each of these exercises will be played using downstrokes. This means that we will play each string with the pick in a downward motion towards the ground.  

Downstrokes are indicated in tablature by this symbol:

Practice the following exercises with open strings. Try not to look at your right hand as you play the open strings, allowing your hand and between each string. Count along as you play each note, the beats are indicated by the numbers “1,2,3,4” and are written about the tablature staff.