Rudimentary Drills Guitar Lesson
Rudimentary Drills
Allen shows you the 24 rudiments crucial to developing finger dexterity. This is a short lesson but the exercises here can take years to master.
Taught by Allen Van Wert in Speed And Technique seriesLength: 7:22Difficulty: 1.5 of 5
Supplemental Learning Material
Speed And Technique
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsAllen "Robot" Van Wert teaches his approach to developing technique necessary for fast playing.
Lesson 1
Series Introduction And Picking Primer
Allen kicks off his technique series with a primer lesson on right hand picking.
Length: 30:52 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Rudimentary Drills
Allen shows you the 24 rudiments crucial to developing finger dexterity.
Length: 7:22 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Left Hand Endurance Building
Allen shows an amazing muscle building exercise that really works out the left hand!
Length: 9:32 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Fundamental Picking Exercise
This lesson covers an exercise that works on all the major picking techniques.
Length: 11:15 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Synchronize And Stretch
Allen shows you a great exercise set that helps with synchronizing your hands as well as stretching your left hand.
Length: 8:18 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
The System
Allen Van Wert explains his system of programming, reinforcing, and forgetting primary functions of guitar playing. This system is a long term practice routine that will take some time to fully implement...
Length: 50:53 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Interval Exercises
This is the next step after you have learned Allen's "system". If you follow Allen's teachings you are sure to have a deep understanding of intervals and scales.
Length: 21:29 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Triad Arpeggio Exercises
First, Allen gives a pop quiz for you to check your own ability to visualize the fretboard. Then he gives exercises for programming your triad arpeggios.
Length: 21:30 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Seventh Arpeggio Exercises
Allen Van Wert shows you how to apply his systematic practice approach to 7th arpeggios. If you are just discovering this series make sure to start at the beginning or some things may not make sense.
Length: 8:36 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Fretboard Advancement
Allen briefly explains how he refers to modes in the context of this lesson and then shows you how to grow your knowledge of the fretboard.
Length: 15:35 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Rut Busting Exercises
Get out of that rut with these exercises from Allen Van Wert!
Length: 10:44 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
About Allen Van Wert
View Full Biography
Allen Van Wert got the nickname "ROBOT" from his unusual guitar tapping techniques that often sound like a video game more than a guitar. He has studied and played a wide variety of genres. His experimental and eclectic amalgamation of music combining shred guitar, crazy tapping techniques, and electronically infused composition contrasted by a highly emotional soft melodic side, make his debut album a really fun and interesting listen for just about anyone.
Allen has recorded guitar for the famed video game soundtrack composer Jesper Kyd (Composer of Hitman, Splinter Cell and many other big title games) as well as composing and recording for movie trailers and TV commercials. He has also been producing, recording and co-writing for local artists in his small home/project studio.
His three books on guitar technique, ear training and songwriting have helped many students over the past couple of years. Allen has also played in various cover bands in many genres since the age of 16 and has played to over 5000 on a few occasions. He was a featured guest musician on the album "West Coast Shred Fest".
In his spare time, Allen programs video games for fun. Wooo!
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.Is this the best way to practice above the 12th fret as well, or is there another lesson that goes over that?
I don't think I have a specific one to practice over the 12th fret, You should take pretty much any exercise you can and play it on each fret that is physically comfortable for your guitar.
Is it normal for some hand muscles to cramp up when doing some of these exercises, or does my actual fretting technique need some work? For example I have a habit of squeezing with the thumb to fret a note, so that muscle gets tired quickly. I've read about trying to concentrate on using more shoulder / back muscles to apply pressure to the string, and have been trying, but I still get cramped up. Is this something that the muscle will eventually get used to, or should I be worried about it?
You need very little pressure to produce a note. The thumb is mostly there to keep the neck at a comfortable position away from the body. You can play without using the thumb at all if you hold the guitar body in place by leaning forward to see how it works.
I have been through the first 6 exercises that start with the first finger. Should I master the first 6 before I move on to the exercises that start with the rest of the fingers?
No, It is a good idea to mix them up. When I do them I have been selecting four of them, each starting with a different finger. Just cycle through them, 4 new ones each practice and they will all start working a little better.
Great Lesson, I finally realized that when something doesn't come easy for me, that is what I need to practice the most. With the metronome should I keep the same speed through all the patterns of each grouping? IE. I can do that first pattern easier than I can do the diagonal pattern, should I keep the metronome the same until I can play the diagonal at the same speed and then move up for all?
Great question. I would keep the metronome the same tempo as the hard one.. also work on the one you have trouble on a little extra to get it up to speed with the rest.
Focus is the key. Can't really do this well while watching TV! This is the best! And not boring as long as you are continuing to find technical issues to correct or are getting the left and the right hands better coordinated.
Hey Allen, I've been following you lessons on here, but I have a question. As I am practicing my rudimentary left hand fingering, I notice my pinky jumps WAY off the fret board. Do you have any tips for keeping my pinky down a little closer to the fretboard or is this a natural thing that I will never tame? Perhaps I am being to picky?
No, you're not being too picky and it can and, ideally, should be tamed. Have a look at Scene 13 "Best Left-hand Exercise Ever" in Lesson 11 (Left Hand Boot Camp) of Nick Amodeo's Bluegrass Series for what I think is the best way to approach getting the flying pinky under control. You can obviously combine that approach with these exercises of Allen's too. Apart from a general lack of control it's certainly exacerbated by excess hand tension.
I have the same problem. Either my pinky is way back, or it hammers on. Any tips?
Today I started your method, I look forward to the progress I will accomplish lets say in 6 months. It took me hours to actually get through the first 4 drills. Kept on having to s-l-o-w the metronome down. Prior to the drills I worked on the right hand picking ... Bought variations of some new size picks. Ended up practicing your method with the Stubby 3.0 mm. At first it felt very weird but became more comfortable pretty quickly. After the 4 drills, I started the Left hand endurance, the only difference is I started with the ring finger and pinky and worked my way up to my stronger fingers far as the hammer ons. I practiced on my acoustic guitar which far as the pinky and ring finger was concerned it was more like just going through the motion with very little sound and very slow. I think I was at turtle speed, but I kept telling myself this will someday actually work and plowed through it evenly...so slowly, but in time. Also started to keep track of my daily practice session. Oh and then of course I just needed to have some fun just playing the guitar, tried throwing some quick single picking in-between chords... Trying to apply it. Thanks for this method!
This seems great but I only counted 14 patters instead of 24...am I missing something? Watched 4 or 5 times... Oh well, I'll practice the 14. Can't wait to try
page 4 of the supplemental content has all 24 fingerings - each finger you start on has 6 different configurations. its tiring!
Dude! Gotta lot of work to do to get as good as you! Thanks for all this bro'!
I don't think you're right about slowing this down like that without a reason. Also starting over doesn't seem valid, I urge anyone to just play the portion they mess up on to find out if it's a recurring mess up, or a flub by playing that part only and paying attention to their whole body while doing so, play it above speed and below the speed with the exact same motions. Also learn Mental Play, even for these lessons. Allen, please teach mental play in conjunction with your lessons! It would make you even better teacher! You already great tho.
why would you not slow down, or even repeat from the beginning? I think this is not a question, but a must. For me, it is about training your concentration. If you mess up, you are not concentrating. Stop rinse, repeat!
I have noticed a big difference in my playing, this helped me with my finger independence as well. I'm glad I ran across this lesson thanks dude.
You're welcome!
Not my favorite exercise to do, however I started noticing improvements in my accuracy and my pinky mobility in just a few days. Thanks Allen!
You're welcome!
I did not really get this, am i doing it now forever, or when i finish for those 6 days thats it?
Forever
Camera angle from above - Fantastic!
what is the metronome set on for the pace you are playing that at in video?
You say that if you mess up to start over. Do you mean on the same pattern or do I go back to the beginning. For instance, if I'm doing 1234 on the diagonal and mess up, do go back to the first pattern or just start over on the diagonal? Great exercise by the way.
Go back to the beginning of that diagonal portion on the starting fret you messed up on... so if you messed up on the 3rd string.. go back to the 6th and start over there on the proper fret that shifted position began on.
This series has inspired (probably more embarrassed) me to really get back into working through these and similar exercises on a daily basis and to document my progress. My first unexpected observation after a week is that I'm actually weakest leading with my middle finger. I never would have guessed that...weird indeed.
Matt Brown's lesson on practicing includes an exercise similar to this. I like the way you expand upon it with the different ways of doing the 24 patterns. Really is great stuff. I hope you will make more videos. I bought your book on ear training as well. So far so good.
This is excellent!!! Those camera angles work great for this kind of thing. It made it really easy to see exactly what Allen was doing while he was explaining it.
Wish I could agree...the overhead still makes me feel like I need to vomit.
These patterns are pretty cool
This is the worst exercise i've ever done....coincidentally the most helpful.....weird.
Broccoli for guitar.
Brussel Sprouts
Finna Tay ya what... If this was the only cat here, I'd buy the membership! note i'm sane? (well, maybe Kenny blue Ray for a kicker)
Great stuff Allen!! I do have a question though. Why are you looking directly at ME when you say, " you suck at it" ? hahaha #:^)
I completely agree with Jill! That camera angle is sweet! Loving the lessons so far Allen and can't wait for more.