Drills

Short practice loops that wake the hands and name the neck. These are not songs. Evenness beats speed. Use the metronome — start near 60. The style-specific drills now live on their own pages, linked below.

Technique path: Drills · Exercises · style pages (Folk · Classical · Rock · Metal · Solo) · full picking lessons on Alternate · Economy · Sweep

Where a drill is a shape or a picking pattern, TAB sits next to the explanation (high e on top). How to read it: Foundations · TAB.

Hands Notes Folk Classical Rock Metal Solo

Ten-minute path: pick a track. One new motion a day is enough.

Beginner

2 min chromatic · 2 min open-string names · 4 min Folk boom-chick or downs · 2 min stretch. Stay near 60.

Intermediate

2 min chromatic reverse · 2 min find-every-natural · 4 min Rock power-chords or Classical i–m · 2 min hammer-ons. Click at 80 when even.

Advanced

2 min 16th alternate pick · 2 min first-position notes at tempo · 4 min Metal start/stop or Solo bend control · 2 min independence. Silence between notes counts.

Play becomes Stop on the same button. Click it again to silence.

Sources (two-check): Hal Leonard Guitar Method Book 1 (chromatic, downstrokes, first-position notes) · Berklee guitar-lab practice of locking the right hand to a click · classical left-hand primers / Carcassi–Sor (one finger per fret, i–m alternation) · conventional rock power-chord and minor-pentatonic box-1 shapes (not a CAGED course, not a copied riff). Jazz and high-skill lead stay out. Full pima lives on Classical drills.

Hands — wake the fingers

One fret per finger: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky. Keep unused fingers hovering over their fret. Use Play to hear the model. Under each TAB: LH finger, RH D/U, then the note name. A moving bar follows the sounding note.

Chromatic 1-2-3-4

On each string: frets 1-2-3-4, low E up to high e. Reverse is 4-3-2-1, high e down to low E. Standard Hal Leonard / Berklee warmup.

Low E → high e · 1-2-3-4 on every string

e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------1---2---3---4
B|-------------------------------------------------------------------1---2---3---4----------------
G|---------------------------------------------------1---2---3---4--------------------------------
D|-----------------------------------1---2---3---4------------------------------------------------
A|-------------------1---2---3---4----------------------------------------------------------------
E|---1---2---3---4--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LH   1   2   3   4   1   2   3   4   1   2   3   4   1   2   3   4   1   2   3   4   1   2   3   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     F  F#   G  G#  A#   B   C  C#  D#   E   F  F#  G#   A  A#   B   C  C#   D  D#   F  F#   G  G#

High e → low E · 4-3-2-1 on every string

e|---4---3---2---1--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|-------------------4---3---2---1----------------------------------------------------------------
G|-----------------------------------4---3---2---1------------------------------------------------
D|---------------------------------------------------4---3---2---1--------------------------------
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------4---3---2---1----------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------4---3---2---1
LH   4   3   2   1   4   3   2   1   4   3   2   1   4   3   2   1   4   3   2   1   4   3   2   1
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
    G#   G  F#   F  D#   D  C#   C   B  A#   A  G#  F#   F   E  D#  C#   C   B  A#  G#   G  F#   F

Spider

One finger per fret on four adjacent strings, then reverse: 1-2-3-4-4-3-2-1. Walk that shape down the neck (e–B–G–D, then B–G–D–A, then G–D–A–E). Classical coordination primer.

e|---1---------------------------1----------------------------------------------------------------
B|-------2-------------------2-------1---------------------------1--------------------------------
G|-----------3-----------3---------------2-------------------2-------1---------------------------1
D|---------------4---4-----------------------3-----------3---------------2-------------------2----
A|-----------------------------------------------4---4-----------------------3-----------3--------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------4---4------------
LH   1   2   3   4   4   3   2   1   1   2   3   4   4   3   2   1   1   2   3   4   4   3   2   1
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     F  C#  A#  F#  F#  A#  C#   F   C   A   F  C#  C#   F   A   C  G#   E   C  G#  G#   C   E  G#

Stretch

Index on fret 1, pinky on fret 4 of the same string. No buzz, no collapsed wrist. Walk it low E to high e, then try 5–8 when 1–4 feels honest.

e|-------------------------------------------1---4
B|-----------------------------------1---4--------
G|---------------------------1---4----------------
D|-------------------1---4------------------------
A|-----------1---4--------------------------------
E|---1---4----------------------------------------
LH   1   4   1   4   1   4   1   4   1   4   1   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     F  G#  A#  C#  D#  F#  G#   B   C  D#   F  G#

Alternate picking

One open string, down-up-down-up locked to the click. Same pitch every time — the drill is the right hand. Then cross: low E to D to high e and back.

Open low E · one bar of eighths · ↓↑↓↑

e|--------------------------------
B|--------------------------------
G|--------------------------------
D|--------------------------------
A|--------------------------------
E|---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0
LH   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     E   E   E   E   E   E   E   E

String cross · low E → D → high e → D → E

e|-----------0--------
B|--------------------
G|--------------------
D|-------0-------0----
A|--------------------
E|---0---------------0
LH   0   0   0   0   0
RH   D   U   D   U   D
     E   D   E   D   E

Notes and the neck

Name what you play. Note names sit under each TAB. Then try Quest · fretboard ID as a game.

Open strings — E A D G B e

Low to high, then high to low. Say the name before the pick lands.

e|-----------------------0--------------------
B|-------------------0-------0----------------
G|---------------0---------------0------------
D|-----------0-----------------------0--------
A|-------0-------------------------------0----
E|---0---------------------------------------0
LH   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     E   A   D   G   B   E   B   G   D   A   E

Natural notes on every string

Whole steps sit two frets apart; B–C and E–F are the half steps (one fret). Each string shows frets 0–12 beside 13–24. Across the strings, the same notes sit in the ten vertical CAGED figures below.

Low E · 0–12 · E F G A B C D E

e|--------------------------------
B|--------------------------------
G|--------------------------------
D|--------------------------------
A|--------------------------------
E|---0---1---3---5---7---8--10--12
LH   0   1   3   1   3   4   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E

Low E · 13–24 · F G A B C D E

e|----------------------------
B|----------------------------
G|----------------------------
D|----------------------------
A|----------------------------
E|--13--15--17--19--20--22--24
LH   1   3   1   3   4   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     F   G   A   B   C   D   E

A · 0–12 · A B C D E F G A

e|--------------------------------
B|--------------------------------
G|--------------------------------
D|--------------------------------
A|---0---2---3---5---7---8--10--12
E|--------------------------------
LH   0   2   3   1   3   4   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A

A · 13–24 · B C D E F G A

e|----------------------------
B|----------------------------
G|----------------------------
D|----------------------------
A|--14--15--17--19--20--22--24
E|----------------------------
LH   2   3   1   3   4   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     B   C   D   E   F   G   A

D · 0–12 · D E F G A B C D

e|--------------------------------
B|--------------------------------
G|--------------------------------
D|---0---2---3---5---7---9--10--12
A|--------------------------------
E|--------------------------------
LH   0   2   3   1   3   1   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D

D · 13–24 · E F G A B C D

e|----------------------------
B|----------------------------
G|----------------------------
D|--14--15--17--19--21--22--24
A|----------------------------
E|----------------------------
LH   2   3   1   3   1   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     E   F   G   A   B   C   D

G · 0–12 · G A B C D E F G

e|--------------------------------
B|--------------------------------
G|---0---2---4---5---7---9--10--12
D|--------------------------------
A|--------------------------------
E|--------------------------------
LH   0   2   4   1   3   1   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G

G · 13–24 · A B C D E F G

e|----------------------------
B|----------------------------
G|--14--16--17--19--21--22--24
D|----------------------------
A|----------------------------
E|----------------------------
LH   2   4   1   3   1   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     A   B   C   D   E   F   G

B · 0–12 · B C D E F G A B

e|--------------------------------
B|---0---1---3---5---6---8--10--12
G|--------------------------------
D|--------------------------------
A|--------------------------------
E|--------------------------------
LH   0   1   3   1   2   4   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     B   C   D   E   F   G   A   B

B · 13–24 · C D E F G A B

e|----------------------------
B|--13--15--17--18--20--22--24
G|----------------------------
D|----------------------------
A|----------------------------
E|----------------------------
LH   1   3   1   2   4   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     C   D   E   F   G   A   B

High e · 0–12 · E F G A B C D E

e|---0---1---3---5---7---8--10--12
B|--------------------------------
G|--------------------------------
D|--------------------------------
A|--------------------------------
E|--------------------------------
LH   0   1   3   1   3   4   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E

High e · 13–24 · F G A B C D E

e|--13--15--17--19--20--22--24
B|----------------------------
G|----------------------------
D|----------------------------
A|----------------------------
E|----------------------------
LH   1   3   1   3   4   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     F   G   A   B   C   D   E

Vertical naturals · CAGED

The walks above stay on one string (horizontal). These ten figures are the same natural notes across the strings (vertical) — C, A, G, E, D, then the same five from the 12th fret up — covering frets 0–24. Figure 1 is first-position C, filled out. The tonic-to-tonic reading ladder stays on Classical drills; chord-shape depth on CAGED.

Figure 1 · C shape · first position · frets 0–3

e|-----------------------------------------------------------0---1---3
B|-----------------------------------------------0---1---3------------
G|---------------------------------------0---2------------------------
D|---------------------------0---2---3--------------------------------
A|---------------0---2---3--------------------------------------------
E|---0---1---3--------------------------------------------------------
LH   0   1   3   0   2   3   0   2   3   0   2   0   1   3   0   1   3
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G

Figure 2 · A shape · frets 2–6

e|-----------------------------------------------------------3---5
B|-----------------------------------------------3---5---6--------
G|-----------------------------------2---4---5--------------------
D|-----------------------2---3---5--------------------------------
A|-----------2---3---5--------------------------------------------
E|---3---5--------------------------------------------------------
LH   2   4   1   2   4   1   2   4   1   3   4   2   4   4   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A

Figure 3 · G shape · frets 4–8

e|-----------------------------------------------------------5---7---8
B|-----------------------------------------------5---6---8------------
G|-----------------------------------4---5---7------------------------
D|---------------------------5---7------------------------------------
A|---------------5---7---8--------------------------------------------
E|---5---7---8--------------------------------------------------------
LH   2   4   4   2   4   4   2   4   1   2   4   2   3   4   2   4   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C

Figure 4 · E shape · frets 8–12

e|---------------------------------------------------------------8--10--12
B|---------------------------------------------------8--10--12------------
G|---------------------------------------9--10--12------------------------
D|---------------------------9--10--12------------------------------------
A|---------------8--10--12------------------------------------------------
E|---8--10--12------------------------------------------------------------
LH   1   3   4   1   3   4   2   3   4   2   3   4   1   3   4   1   3   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   G   A   B   C   D   E

Figure 5 · D shape · frets 9–13

e|----------------------------------------------------------10--12--13
B|----------------------------------------------10--12--13------------
G|-----------------------------------9--10--12------------------------
D|-----------------------9--10--12------------------------------------
A|--------------10--12------------------------------------------------
E|--10--12--13--------------------------------------------------------
LH   2   4   4   2   4   1   2   4   1   2   4   2   4   4   2   4   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F

Figure 6 · C shape · octave up · frets 12–15

e|----------------------------------------------------------12--13--15
B|----------------------------------------------12--13--15------------
G|--------------------------------------12--14------------------------
D|--------------------------12--14--15--------------------------------
A|--------------12--14--15--------------------------------------------
E|--12--13--15--------------------------------------------------------
LH   1   2   4   1   3   4   1   3   4   1   3   1   2   4   1   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G

Figure 7 · A shape · octave up · frets 14–18

e|----------------------------------------------------------15--17
B|----------------------------------------------15--17--18--------
G|----------------------------------14--16--17--------------------
D|----------------------14--15--17--------------------------------
A|----------14--15--17--------------------------------------------
E|--15--17--------------------------------------------------------
LH   2   4   1   2   4   1   2   4   1   3   4   2   4   4   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A

Figure 8 · G shape · octave up · frets 16–20

e|----------------------------------------------------------17--19--20
B|----------------------------------------------17--18--20------------
G|----------------------------------16--17--19------------------------
D|--------------------------17--19------------------------------------
A|--------------17--19--20--------------------------------------------
E|--17--19--20--------------------------------------------------------
LH   2   4   4   2   4   4   2   4   1   2   4   2   3   4   2   4   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C

Figure 9 · E shape · octave up · frets 20–24

e|--------------------------------------------------------------20--22--24
B|--------------------------------------------------20--22--24------------
G|--------------------------------------21--22--24------------------------
D|--------------------------21--22--24------------------------------------
A|--------------20--22--24------------------------------------------------
E|--20--22--24------------------------------------------------------------
LH   1   3   4   1   3   4   2   3   4   2   3   4   1   3   4   1   3   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   G   A   B   C   D   E

Figure 10 · D shape · octave up · frets 21–24

e|--------------------------------------------------22--24
B|------------------------------------------22--24--------
G|------------------------------21--22--24----------------
D|------------------21--22--24----------------------------
A|----------22--24----------------------------------------
E|--22--24------------------------------------------------
LH   2   4   2   4   1   2   4   1   2   4   2   4   2   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     D   E   G   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A   B   D   E

Find every natural

The maps below are the answer key. Learn a few home seats, then jump. Justin-style octave shapes after the E and A strings are solid · Hal Leonard / first-position reading for the first five frets · inlay dots (3, 5, 7, 12) as landmarks. One letter a day beats a tour of all seven.

Day’s order: G (open + dots) · E and A (open strings) · C (first-position home) · then D, F, B. High e is free — same letters as low E, same frets.

If you blank: nearest landmark, then count. B–C and E–F are one fret; every other natural step is two.

Landmarks on the two master strings (inlay dots). Memorize these; the rest is a jump or a count.

Low E · dots 3 5 7 12 · G A B E

e|----------------
B|----------------
G|----------------
D|----------------
A|----------------
E|---3---5---7--12
LH   3   1   3   4
RH   D   U   D   U
     G   A   B   E

A · dots 3 5 7 12 · C D E A

e|----------------
B|----------------
G|----------------
D|----------------
A|---3---5---7--12
E|----------------
LH   3   1   3   4
RH   D   U   D   U
     C   D   E   A

Octave jump — two strings toward the floor and two frets toward the body, or three frets if the jump crosses G→B. High e matches low E at the same fret (twin strings).

E → D · 2+2

e|--------
B|--------
G|--------
D|-------5
A|--------
E|---3----
LH   3   1
RH   D   U
     G   G

A → G · 2+2

e|--------
B|--------
G|-------5
D|--------
A|---3----
E|--------
LH   3   1
RH   D   U
     C   C

D → B · 2+3

e|--------
B|-------8
G|--------
D|---5----
A|--------
E|--------
LH   1   4
RH   D   U
     G   G

G → e · 2+3

e|-------3
B|--------
G|---0----
D|--------
A|--------
E|--------
LH   0   3
RH   D   U
     G   G

G · 0–12

Home: open G, E/3 (dot), e/3 (twin).

e|---------------------------3
B|-----------------------8----
G|---------------0--12--------
D|-----------5----------------
A|------10--------------------
E|---3------------------------
LH   3   4   4   0   4   4   3
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     G   G   G   G   G   G   G

G · 13–24

e|----------------------15
B|------------------20----
G|--------------24--------
D|----------17------------
A|------22----------------
E|--15--------------------
LH   3   4   4   4   4   3
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U
     G   G   G   G   G   G

E · 0–12

Home: both open E strings; same letters at fret 12.

e|---------------------------0--12
B|-----------------------5--------
G|-------------------9------------
D|---------------2----------------
A|-----------7--------------------
E|---0--12------------------------
LH   0   4   4   2   4   4   0   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U
     E   E   E   E   E   E   E   E

E · 13–24

e|----------------------24
B|------------------17----
G|--------------21--------
D|----------14------------
A|------19----------------
E|--24--------------------
LH   4   4   2   4   4   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U
     E   E   E   E   E   E

A · 0–12

Home: open A, E/5 (dot).

e|---------------------------5
B|----------------------10----
G|-------------------2--------
D|---------------7------------
A|-------0--12----------------
E|---5------------------------
LH   4   0   4   4   2   4   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     A   A   A   A   A   A   A

A · 13–24

e|----------------------17
B|------------------22----
G|--------------14--------
D|----------19------------
A|------24----------------
E|--17--------------------
LH   4   4   4   2   4   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U
     A   A   A   A   A   A

C · 0–12

Home: A/3 (dot), B/1 (first-position C).

e|-----------------------8
B|-------------------1----
G|---------------5--------
D|----------10------------
A|-------3----------------
E|---8--------------------
LH   4   3   4   4   1   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U
     C   C   C   C   C   C

C · 13–24

e|----------------------20
B|------------------13----
G|--------------17--------
D|----------22------------
A|------15----------------
E|--20--------------------
LH   4   3   4   4   1   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U
     C   C   C   C   C   C

D · 0–12

Home: open D, A/5 (dot).

e|--------------------------10
B|-----------------------3----
G|-------------------7--------
D|-----------0--12------------
A|-------5--------------------
E|--10------------------------
LH   4   4   0   4   4   3   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     D   D   D   D   D   D   D

D · 13–24

e|----------------------22
B|------------------15----
G|--------------19--------
D|----------24------------
A|------17----------------
E|--22--------------------
LH   4   4   4   4   3   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U
     D   D   D   D   D   D

F · 0–12

Home: one fret above E — E/1 and e/1.

e|-----------------------1
B|-------------------6----
G|--------------10--------
D|-----------3------------
A|-------8----------------
E|---1--------------------
LH   1   4   3   4   4   1
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U
     F   F   F   F   F   F

F · 13–24

e|----------------------13
B|------------------18----
G|--------------22--------
D|----------15------------
A|------20----------------
E|--13--------------------
LH   1   4   3   4   4   1
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U
     F   F   F   F   F   F

B · 0–12

Home: open B, E/7 (dot).

e|---------------------------7
B|-------------------0--12----
G|---------------4------------
D|-----------9----------------
A|-------2--------------------
E|---7------------------------
LH   4   2   4   4   0   4   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U   D
     B   B   B   B   B   B   B

B · 13–24

e|----------------------19
B|------------------24----
G|--------------16--------
D|----------21------------
A|------14----------------
E|--19--------------------
LH   4   2   4   4   4   4
RH   D   U   D   U   D   U
     B   B   B   B   B   B

Name this note

Listen, then pick the pitch. Six in a row is a fair pass — or keep going on Quest.

By style

Each style has its own page with a suggested order, a fuller set of drills, and a practice note. Pick one per session — four focused minutes beats a tour of all five.

Old bookmarks like drills.html#rock land on this list. The drills themselves moved to the pages below.