Micro Study 5 – Left Hand Conditioning

Micro study 5 – Left hand conditioning – kicks off a new series – #6stringinspiration – of short and sweet studies that target very specific musical bars or techniques. These are for those who have very little time and want huge gains from tight focused practice ideas.

Micro Study 5 – Left Hand Conditioning

This is a very short work out for the left hand which incorporates, slurs, scales and barre chord technique.

KEY Strategy

Repetitions which build up stamina

It is based on a 2 stage idea, taken from Brouwer’s Danza Del Altiplano, the same notes but first open string then with a barre chord. This maintains a workout, which pushes you on the second bar thus improving the left hand conditioning and stamina. For the fingers it activates the fast twitch muscles as you slur then play staccato. And it will improve the 1st finger barre strength. Use a metronome which speeds up incrementally to really work those fibers.

Other Info

Note: This study is limited to one idea which descends the fretboard – high to low notes. It can easily be reversed. Watch the timing of the notes, rhythm is easily led astray here. And push yourself, match the open string notes, their tone and fluidity, with the barred notes.

Match tone and fluidity

Secret

Relaxed left hand fingers

The more relaxed you are, the better and faster this exercise can go. Especially with the barred notes. Only activate the fingers as required – which can only be trained at a slow pace. Once ingrained your speed and fluidity will improve and increase.