Warmup

Warmups

Mix these up and do warmup for at least 5 minutes to start every practice. 10 minutes is better. Then do hand stretches.

Pay attention to any tension/tensing of muscles in the body while playing (always do this, warmup or not).

Fingers, hand, wrist, forearm, upper arm, shoulders, neck, back, jaw, etc. should be relaxed. Tensing is a sign that you are trying to force something to happen. This leads to bad habits and learning to play incorrectly.

If there is tension, relax, go slower. Play the part at complete relaxation without mistakes. Only then, speed up.

”The Curtain” Riff Purpose: Fast Triplet Strumming

—15-15-15—13-13-13—12-12-12—10-10-10—8—8—8---7-7-7---8—8—8— —16-16-16—14-14-14—12-12-12—11-11-11—9—9—9---7-7-7---9—9—9— —17-17-17—15-15-15—12-12-12—12-12-12—10-10-10—7-7-7---10-10-10-

1st end 2nd end -12----|---- -10----|—8- -11----|—7-

-12----—9-
-----------

“Slipknot” Riff Purpose: Alternate picking across strings AKA cross-picking

  • Pick each note. Do not use hammers/pulls.
  • Think of the notes in groups of 4

---------------11------------------------------------ -------10-13------13-10-----13-10--------10---------- ----11------------------11--------11--------11------- -13----------------------------------13--------13-10-

-----------12---17-14----------------------- --------12------------15------17-14--------- -----12------------------16---------14------ —14-----------------------------------16---

                                                        Am

-15-12---------------------|----------------------------------- -------13-----15-12--------|—10-7------8---------------------- ----------14--------12-----|-------7------9-------7------------ -----------------------14—|---------9------10-7----9-------7—

-----------------------------------------------------10-7-----

“Reba” Riff Purpose: Alternate picking across strings AKA cross-picking

  • A bit more challenging than Slipknot as this riff has wider string skips

----------------|------------|---------------|---------- -------5-------4|----5----4—|------5-------4|---------- -----5-------4—|------------|----5-------4—|---------- ---6-------6----|—6---------|—6-------6----|---------- -8-------8------|8-----8-----|8-------8------|---------- ----------------|------------|---------------|4-3-2-1---

------------------|------------|-----------------|--------- --------7--------6|-----7-----6|-------7--------6|--------- ------7--------6—|------------|-----7--------6—|--------- ----8--------8----|---8--------|---8--------8----|--------- -10-------10------|10-----10---|10-------10------|--------- ------------------|------------|-----------------|6-5-4-3—