# Learn Guitar — Classical exercises

> Interactive page: [`exercises-classical.html`](exercises-classical.html) · Hub: [`exercises.md`](exercises.md) · Matching drills: [`drills-classical.md`](drills-classical.md)

Thumb (*p*), index (*i*), middle (*m*), ring (*a*). Plant before you play. These are gym-length *pima* cards; the full method lives on [Classical drills](drills-classical.md).

**Technique path:** [Drills](drills.md) · [Exercises](exercises.md) · this page.

**Sources (two-check):** Carcassi / Sor / Giuliani for *pima* and planted arpeggios · Hal Leonard first-position reading. Pair a card with a short study from [Method books](exercises.md) on the Exercises hub.

On the HTML page, Play becomes Stop on the same button. Tempo follows the metronome.

## Suggested order

1. i–m on open e
2. Plant p–i–m–a
3. p–i–m–i over Em
4. Walking thumb
5. Independence seed

### Three tracks

- **Beginner** — i–m on open e. Then plant p–i–m–a once, slowly.
- **Intermediate** — p–i–m–i over Em. Walking thumb on open basses.
- **Advanced** — independence seed. Then deepen on [Classical drills](drills-classical.md).

## Classical · *pima*

Travis seed (folk door into fingers): [Folk exercises](exercises-folk.md).

### i–m on open e

Index and middle take turns. Never the same finger twice.

```
e|-0---0---0---0-|   i m i m
```

### Plant p–i–m–a

Set each finger on the string, then play open Em seats.

```
e|-----------0-----   a
B|--------0--------   m
G|-----0-----------   i
E|-0---------------   p
```

### p–i–m–i over Em

Thumb on the bass, i and m on the treble; i returns. Hold Em.

```
e|-----------------
B|--------0-----0--   m / i
G|-----0-----0-----   i
E|-0---------------   p
```

### Walking thumb on basses

Thumb walks open E–A–D–A.

```
D|--------0-------
A|-----0-----0----
E|-0--------------   p
```

### Independence seed

Thumb on every click while i and m alternate on the off-beats.

```
    1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
e|----0-------0---   m
B|--0-------0-----   i
D|-0---0---0---0-   p
```

Hands-together version: [Exercises · thumb bass + i–m](exercises.md).

## Practice note

8–10 minutes. Two on i–m, four on one arpeggio pattern, two on independence at half tempo. Then [Classical drills](drills-classical.md). Pair with method-book doors (Sor / Carcassi / Giuliani).