Guitar Warm Up Exercises [Step-By-Step Tutorial]

[@steveb4400]

I am already a member working with Tom Hess' lessons. All this nitty gritty works! You just have to be patient. I am not great but I have a vision that I nourish every day. These lessons are pure gold.

[@orknobe]

This man always pull me out when I'm stuck !!

[@hardtruthsoldier]

After 15 years of NOT playing guitar and start all over now, I just wanna say thank you, you´re my hero! :D

[@anime5h_m1shr4]

This is just golden advice. I have been using these tips for the past few weeks and there is measurable progress in not only my technique, but also musical understanding. I have been playing guitar for over a decade but I had never seen such rapid progress ever in my life.

[@jacebastian7192]

I used to just "mindlessly" move my fingers whenever I used to warm up (and therefore never get any real benefit from it) ... and I'm really glad this video shows you how to get more progress from your warmups. Thanks Tom Hess!

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

You are welcome Jace!

[@godofrainbows]

What an amazing teacher. He is as great as a teacher as he is a guitar player.

[@ThankfulHeart10]

Guys such a guitar teaching genius man. Wow he's a blessing of a teacher! :)

[@yusufozkanemir5127]

I like the way you teach us guitar. Not only tabs or hand progressions. Also including tips worth gold. Thank you.

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

My pleasure, Yusuf!

[@derweasel]

Thank you Tom Hess. I found this useful, practical, and logical.

[@mikephilippov8735]

Great video! Specifically - the idea that warm up time should always improve your guitar playing. Tip #4 at 6:58 is my favorite.

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

Thanks Mike!

[@rpbale]

Another Great video. A very generous amount of advice. Thank you Tom

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

You're welcome Rick! Glad you like it! :)

[@atarijam]

Hey Mr. Hess, thanks for these tips. I am going to incorporate them as from today

[@Beulzabob]

Great video again tom. Time wasted is time you can't get back.

[@brandonbisson2362]

Thank you sir for taking time making these videos for everyone, they are very good

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

My pleasure Brandon!

[@dhaneshs131]

So many important concepts... Tip no 4 is my favorite....Must watch for guitar players... Thank you Tom Hess...

[@richardjones2811]

Chromatic Exersises are indeed one of the best warm up exersises.

[@beansandwiched]

I like how Eric Johnson uses sequence of 3's and 5's combos is his pentatonic lucks

[@hellonblades]

Easily, one of the best guitar tutorials on KZbin. Thanks so much Tom!

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

My pleasure, Volac! Glad you like it!

[@michaelseidl1562]

nice, i love the sequences from root to 3rd 6th ect. it help me a lot. i feel the fretboard more and more! thx

[@janbecher2642]

Thank you politely for these kind of lessons. They are always on point and bring so many improvements. You are great teacher sir!

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

My pleasure, Jan! Glad you like them! :)

[@metalhaven4947]

You're one of the best teachers I found on here thank you rock on!

[@HeavyInstinct]

Great video Tom! I can't believe there aren't more guitar teachers promoting the idea that warm up exercises should consist of something that you would actually use in music and make you better as a guitar player. Claus Levin is one of the few others I have seen here on KZbin that actively promotes this principle. I wholeheartedly agree with you that these mindless chromatic warm up exercises we have all seen recommended ad nauseam are all but a complete waste of time. How about working on a new scale sequence? Or a new scale all together? This is such a much better use of your time and you end up warming up your fingers just the same. Very good advice that not enough guitar players are getting from their teachers.

[@danboylan2449]

Thank you for this video! I already feel like I changed after watching this. I am going to incorporate the scales and note memorization that I struggled with!

[@elevenwire]

I'm definitely going to use unfamiliar scale sequences in my warm up, like the sixes Tom demo'd.

[@A20Y11]

This is especially a helpful advice for those who don't have a lot of time for practicing, as it suggests not just "warm up" but also practice at the same time.

[@hieuphan448]

very detail and useful lesson.Thanks Mr Tom

[@houyao2147]

Brain engaged! Yes!

[@OPTIONALWATCH]

13:16 Double picking each note helps develop your two hand synchronization. Do it with any scale, mode, solo, lick. It forces your fretting hand NOT to play very fast.

[@ThrashWarlock]

Thanks Tom. Reminds me of dynamic warmups vs static warmups in exercise. Its the difference between merely stretching your legs before a run and say burpees or squats. The latter is massively transferable to other areas of fitness. Guitar practice in my opinion should be no different. You're one of the best axe teachers I've ever seen.

[@sandmike9884]

Actually I think this is the best workup exercise video I've ever seen

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

:) Thanks! Glad you like it!

[@nickkapatais]

I'm guilty of all this. I was just mindlessly going up and down the fretboard thinking that since my fingers are moving, it's a warm-up but that's not true. So important to warm-up with more engaging and more skill-integrating, brain-triggering warm-ups. Yet another tweak to add to my practice. Thanks Tom.

[@Mani_Cash]

...and again, thank you for your time and effort! This lessons help a lot!

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

My pleasure, Mani!

[@therealkenk]

Very good advice - not many other teachers offering this info. Thank you.

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

My pleasure, Ken! :)

[@andreaskyriakides7532]

found you yesterday, watched 5-6 of your videos today. been only working on my guitar for a year and a half. up until yesterday my goal was to learn a few metallica, DIO, deep purple and so on, songs to play....i believe i can raise the bar....although I have spent money on private lessons and some online sessions I bought, I must say that i gained confidence that with your guideline i can do much more.

[@claudiocoluccio9237]

EXCELENT, ALWAYS EXCELENT

[@Eskil.]

This is excellent advice. I have definitely been somewhat on autopilot during my warm up. And I also have plenty of scales and sequences I want to learn better, it just never occurred to me that I could work on that during warm up time. And on top of that, by working with different modes and sequences I can also improve my ability to create melodic fragments for songwriting and improvisation. Thank you!

[@tengotsertsvadze8231]

Tom do you even realize how amazing you are?! Thank you so much it is a great pleasure to.listen all this staff. Pls go on. We need more videos like that

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

Thanks Tengo! :) More videos will come, make sure you're subscribed to my channel and clicked the bell symbol, then KZbin will notify you about every new video.

[@danweiler4293]

Thanks for this video! I'm already getting more out of my warm ups before practice time.

[@Mr27Fit]

These are some excellent warm up tips, very useful advice, Thank you Tom for your time on making this video.

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

My pleasure Gregory! :)

[@limeeagle9568]

Thanks for this video Tom Hess. Just brilliant, especially playing stuff I really need to work on.

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

My pleasure! :)

[@arjankanina7142]

You are the best 👍👍

[@Marcelomedeiros76]

Excelent explanation!

[@sebastiankreck]

Very cool tips. Thank you!

[@f0reverm0r]

Awesome video! So many ways to get better just when warming up!!! Thank you :-)

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

Thanks Mo!

[@isolateddemon9438]

True knowledge

[@g.z427]

thank you !! its very useful

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

My pleasure, Daniel!

[@VhoyonkorBABA]

Thank You So much Sir!

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

You're welcome Samriddha!

[@marksmusicandmotivation9306]

I have been doing the double picking

[@Marcelomedeiros76]

Very nice!

[@arjankanina7142]

The best 👍👍

[@greysinferno8214]

Excellent advice! I’ve kinda incorporated some of those tips naturally because most things become too easy after a while and that’s boring so I practice forwards and backwards but I’ve never tried the 6th or 3rd idea. I’m definitely going to try coming up with confusing sequences now.

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

Thanks Greys Inferno! Enjoy doing 3 and 6! :)

[@bigdaddygranpa5578]

Using directional picking through a scale pattern help me to speed up."Thanks

[@samuelcoronel491]

Excelent! Thanks Tom!

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

My pleasure Samuel! :)

[@OPTIONALWATCH]

7:22 Your mind goes to sleep, LOL. This is true. I did endless of those exercises during my years of classical guitar study. Those helped but to warm up is better to be doing exercises with value added to it.

[@minor9439]

Thanks for this! awesome

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

You're welcome Minor 9, glad you like it! :)

[@cpm5689]

Outstanding lesson, thank you Tom Hess! I practiced your directional picking video that is on your channel homepage for weeks now and wow... it was "guitar life"-changing! You're the best!

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

Great job practicing it CP!

[@TheDanNobles]

I like the idea of learning some new scale and pattern with a warm up routine! Get warmed up and working on learning stuff, especially since I use the major and minor scales a lot but not others. Good idea to keep some of them fresh that I don't use much.

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

Yes, exactly! I'm glad you like the idea :)

[@abhijitdebbarma5950]

Thank you sir..

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

My pleasure, Abhijit!

[@Koushikd23]

It was very helpful sir I was doing those finger exercise in aouto pilotode and those exercises slowly makes my mind slow during playing and it was frustrating after doing those things again and again

[@kellystout8187]

I was watching a video if yours and more thing that I think should be talked about is, is the guitar setup. Distance of the fretboard fret to the string. What is the best setup and how to get it done by your guitar maintenance professional. I’m not a fast sweep player but want to be. Thanks

[@hybridmusclegarage4590]

EXCELLENT training!! Also, What brand/model # is the guitar? I cant read the head stock at all. Thanks.

[@EladZalman]

Thanks Tom!!!

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

You're welcome Elad!

[@godmusicarmy560]

Thanks It’s help a lot

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

You're welcome Hsar!

[@rockyshrestha]

Sequence of 6th Trying it

[@simo.1757]

ottimo!

[@KwakKwakArmada]

I've stopped playing guitar for two years and this video was really helfpful to start getting back on track. Still struggling to have my skills back though.

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Check out this eGuide for how to get your technique back on track after a break: practicegenerator.com/GuitarPracticeRoutineToUseAfterABreakFromPlaying.aspx

[@KwakKwakArmada]

@@tomhessmusiccorp thank you very much, i will check that out !

[@kitaristifi]

@@KwakKwakArmada Felt the same way like you for a long time... I never put down the guitar completely, but I was not getting any better. Actually it was Tom Hess' lesson program that helped me do big leaps in my playing (not even exaggerating).

[@joegrande4848]

tom i use chromatic scale but heres how i do it to keep engaged mentally. i dont use metronome an i move so so so slow that any excess movement i can stop an correct i do this extremely slow that it takes 2 to 3 seconds maybe longer to fret a note to correct excess tension or motion an i correct it by go super super super slow. its pretty challenging because i spot my sloppy fret hand technique in my fret hand an i fix it am getting better but its a challenge by going this slow

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

It's good that you are slowing down and focusing on tension and efficiency. I still wouldn't suggest playing chromatic scales, because very few people actually play chromatic scales in music. You can do what you are describing on other licks & exercises that are more relevant to the music you play.

[@thugalicious999]

would putting one of my favorite guitar solos in my warmup routine help?

[@therealfuzzen]

Good exercises! Is there any chance to get a view of your real skills? I really would like to know on what level your guitar playing is😎 keep those videos coming👍

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

Thanks! About getting a view of my skills, there are videos of my playing on this channel you can check out. Also, see this: tomhess.net/Opus2.aspx

[@johns1159]

I'm an older guy and it takes my about an hour to sufficiently warm up my hands in the Winter and maybe slightly less in the warmer weather.

[@phitoman6964]

great! but what is the difference between warm up and practice?and doesn`t those "mindless" exercises help you at least improve speed?

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

Warm up and practice are almost identical. Think of warming up as a plane taking off and your real practice is the flight at your cruising altitude. Not 100% accurate analogy, but close enough. :) Mindless practice doesn't make anyone better and it definitely doesn't build speed.

[@razukun9510]

Thank you for lesson Can you tell me how to handle sweaty hand 🖐 it’s really frustrating me

[@mhitc.4975]

Razu Kun try to take little break while practicing

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

There are guitar picks with special grips in the center that make it easier to hold on to (the pick actually sticks to your fingers more if you sweat). Do a search for picks like this and you'll find lots of options to choose from.

[@Beulzabob]

What is a "Joshu" scale? Is it the same as a Hungarian minor?

[@jamesmaxwell5415]

I HATE that 1, 2, 3, 4 finger thing. This is so simple, yet so EFFECTIVE!

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

Thanks James :) And yes, I agree with you about the 1234 exercise.

[@CMM5300]

Great point to make better use of warm up time. No reason to put 10,000 hours into an exercise you'll never use. You can only squeeze so much out of one thing. Especially good for people who don't have much practice time.

[@MARLONdaman]

Difficulty is good because it implores a GROWTH MINDSET VERSUS A FIXED MINDSET which encourages mass practice with no thought and doing something 10,000 times and never getting it right.

[@MARLONdaman]

MAKE SURE YOU GO SLOW AND BREAK EVERYTHING DOWN INTO SMALL CHUNKS. Use meta cognition and watch what you doing. Write down your mistakes. Play slowly looking for any more mistakes. Write down what you did. Then practice your exercise again correcting some of your mistakes. Do only for 5 minutes and do something else or other exercise using the same thing for 5 minutes. Come back the next day and do it again.

[@StephenAnthony68]

So I've decided to use a different warm up every day then start over again!!! I believe doing to much at once is too much!!! Now on my Practice generator it only has me warming up for 5 minutes on most days, 10 minutes on other's and not at all on 2 of the days!!! I'm curious as to why I wouldn't want to warm up especially on days when I'm working on techniques such as Sweep picking??? Suggestions would be appreciated!!!

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

Hi Stephen, see Mike’s reply on your forum post.

[@donvape336]

What guitar are you using?

[@tomhessmusiccorp]

The guitar in this video is an old Yamaha RGZ 321P

[@wyattstephans1718]

Instead of using hot water, I prefer using a heating pad.