Is it possible to overcome slow fingers when learning to play the guitar?

Question

I can't make my fingers go faster no matter how hard I try

Answer 1

just keep practicing. at first my guitar teacher gave me some random tabs or you could use the pentatonic scale. you pick any fret on the low e (thickest) string, then you play off of that. for example, let's say you picked the 3rd fret. the scale would go like this:

e--------------------------------- 3--6 --
B-------------------------- 3--6 ---------
G-------------------- 3--5 ---------------
D-------------- 3--5 ---------------------
A-------- 3--5 ---------------------------
E- 3--6 ----------------------------------


or if you chose the 5th fret...

e-------------------------------- 5--8 --
B------------------------- 5--8 ---------
G------------------ 5--7 ---------------
D------------- 5--7 ---------------------
A------- 5--7 ---------------------------
E- 5--8 ---------------------------------


once again you can do thison any fret and follow the same pattern. keep practicing and if you do then some day you will be able to shred like freakin' Kirk Hammett

Answer 2

Don't get frustrated. It took me a long time to play faster and all it boils down to I'm sorry to say is practice. What worked for me is just starting at the base string "low E" on the first fret and hitting that with my index finger, then middle finger on second fret E string, do that with all of your fingers going up then drop down a string and do the same thing on the A string, etc. After you get faster at that then try this. After you get done using your pinky on the high E string go the reverse direction and scale down until you get to the first fret on the low E. Just practice that while you are watching T.V. or just sitting relaxing and I guarantee you that you'll get faster. One more thing after that becomes easy to you then try up and down strokes for each string. Alot of people refer this as flat picking. Once you get that down and learn some scales you will literally fly on that guitar. Good luck and keep jamming......

Answer 3

Depends on what the problem is. Is it just you can't get your fingers to the right notes, you don't know which fingers to use, you can't remember the notes, or are your hands actually slow?

Anyways, mine actually got a little faster cuz I'm a video game player and a computer addict, so there's that, and there's Guitar Hero 1 and 2. Start out at a slow speed, and slowly progress.

Answer 4

Yes!!! Don't give up one bit! I had maybe the slowest fingers when I started playin guitar and it takes a while but now (about 1 year later) I can solo like Jimi Hendrix. Good excercises are the blues major pentatonic scale and any other scales you can find. Also practice chord changes.

P.S. Keep up with your guitar, it is in my opinion the greatest instrument ever created.

Answer 5

Of course it is possible, it just takes a lot of dedication to make yourself practice long enough. Practice lots of scales slowly at first, then gradually speed up. Notice I said scales not scale. It is good and grand to be able to play a scale lightning fast, but you need to get your fingers used to moving all over the neck, not just a couple of positions. Practice, Practice, and Practice (maybe a prayer or two if you want, never hurts). Good luck!

Answer 6

Yes, but it takes practise. The more you practise the quicker you will be able to train yourself to move faster.. practise with scales. Nobody ever said it was easy to play guitar, and you definatly dont learn things like that overnight, or with a few days practice. Expect to play for a few years before you get good at it.

Answer 7

The only way to build up speed is to practice a riff or a scale at a slow speed (with a metronome) and gradually, over the course of days or weeks, increase the speed of the metronome.

With dedication you will eventually be able to play up to the required tempo.

Answer 8

yes, keep practicing your chord forms and modes up and down the neck, you don't need to go fast at first but do you best to keep a measured beat. Once you develop you muscle memory you'll be able to go faster and faster as you practice. It's also good once you get chords and modes down to start practicing improvisation. Soon you'll see how fast your fingers can really go.

Answer 9

no matter how hard u try, its not magically gonna go faster just coz u try hard for those few seconds
u need to exercise your fingers.
go here:
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/search.php?s=strength&w=lessons

its has lessons and songs that u hear on the radio and stuff.

do a repetative shape over and over again without stoping for about 5 minutes
must be clean, no pausing

Answer 10

don't pressure your self I do everything at a slow pace and I do well playing the guitar even though I can't play fast you'll get over it with practice