If you have ever had challenges getting your left hand to stay in position or get your fourth finger to remain close to the fingerboard, this exercise will likely be helpful. It is simple in concept but very effective at developing good habits in your left hand technique.
As a teacher this exercise has proven very useful to demonstrate a student’s left hand position. My hope is that by sharing this lesson it will be of use to those who are learning without a teacher also.
If you have your own variations on this exercise please share them in the comments.
Practice notes from Simon’s video. The exercise is from 20 Practice Routines for Classical Guitar.
Find a section in the video
- 0:47 — Why a single note can hide a positioning problem
- 1:55 — Set up the exercise in fifth position
- 2:31 — Check the angle of the hand
- 3:14 — Work across the strings
- 4:56 — Keep the unused fingers ready
These links open the relevant moment on YouTube.
Why use all four fingers?
A single fretted note can sound clear even when the unused fingers are tucked away or the hand has moved out of a useful position. This exercise gradually places all four fingers on consecutive frets of the same string. That makes it easier to notice how the whole hand is working, including the fourth finger.
Start in fifth position
- Begin on the sixth string with the first finger at fret 5.
- Add the second finger at fret 6, leaving the first finger down.
- Add the third finger at fret 7, keeping the earlier fingers in place.
- Add the fourth finger at fret 8. All four fingertips now sit on the same string.
- Repeat the sequence on each string, moving toward the first string, then work back toward the sixth.
Simon uses fifth position because the frets are closer together than they are near the nut. He also moves to the third string when demonstrating the hand alignment. Take time to establish the placement; speed is not the purpose of this exercise.
What to observe in your hand
- Finger shape: the fingers are curled and contact the string on their tips, rather than collapsing onto the pads.
- Hand angle: avoid letting the whole group lean toward the headstock. Watch Simon’s demonstration of rotating the hand so that the fourth finger can participate.
- Thumb movement: the thumb follows the hand across the back of the neck, approximately in line with the second finger, rather than remaining fixed in one place.
- Readiness: even before a finger goes down, keep it relaxed and near the string, ready for its next note.
The movement is small, but it can reveal a habit that becomes troublesome in more complex music: a fourth finger that disappears behind the fingerboard has farther to travel when it is needed.
Accuracy before speed
For the bass strings, Simon plays with the right-hand thumb; on the treble strings he switches to index and middle fingers. Use the time between notes to notice the left-hand placement. The aim is controlled, relaxed readiness—not holding the entire hand rigidly in place.
After trying the exercise, notice whether your fourth finger stays closer to the string in a familiar melody. That connection to everyday playing is more useful than completing the pattern quickly.
Hi Simon, et al. ,
The finger alignment. video was useful. Thank you.
My greatest waste on range of motion efficiency is when my little finger releases. As each finger releases in turn toward my index finger, my little finger tends to lift higher and higher off of the fingerboard. I try to consciously make it behave but to no avail.
Do you have any exercises to tame a wild little finger?
Thank You,
Ron
Thanks Simon I had this exact problem with piece of music of music I am learning.Now I know how to provide a fix👍
I recall a similar exercise, whereby the fingers make exactly the same progress across the strings from the 6th to the 1st and back again, but instead of releasing each finger after the note has been played, the finger remains firmly on the string until it is next needed. It then moves to the next string and remains there again until needed. And so on.
This is particularly effective from 6th to 1st string.
@Ron, this variation of this exercise might help you with your wild little finger, as it anchors it to the fretboard until it’s required, so it doesn’t have a chance to flap about! It gets it used to being in the right vicinity.
Thank you, Simon!
Your video reminded me of your old Level 4 Technical Routines, the very first exercise, which was all 24 variations of placing your fingers down starting with 1 2 3 4, 1 2 4 3, 1 3 2 4, and ending with 4 3 2 1. Now that you have outlined some of the things to look out for with regards to hand position, I’m going to go back over them slowly, maybe even with a mirror in front of me.
Hi, Simon. Very useful this exercise. Like as you said it’s a bit hard at the beginning but it corrects bad habits.
Hi Simon
Brilliant little exercise, easy to grasp but incredibly important.
Kind regards
Peter
This is terrific. The left-hand position is one of my issues. THANK SIMON!!
Hi Simon Great tip. I’m working out of Julio Sagrada’s lesson books and the exercises are beautiful and a joy to play. You might want to take a look. Louis
Yes that’s a great exercise
Cheers Simon.
Hi my name is Ian, I liked your style to learn older people how to play the guitar.
I’m beginner never had a guitar before, do you have any download exercise to practice with as well as your video. So that I can keep practicing after you r video has finished
Thanks Ian Miles
This is a great exercise but I have little hands and I am really struggling. It’s impossible (I think) for a small hand to reach the 4 one with pinky and the i stay straight. No can do. It seems physically impossible. Did anyone have this issue and then if so were you able to improve on it and arrive at something looking like a good LH position??
Need hope!
Thanks Simon for another excellent tutorial. I do have a problem with my pinky
flailing about and pointing upwards. I will start with the first string and work across the fretboard one string at a time up to the sixth string until such time as I have better control of my digits.
Regards
Bob
There is a phrase used in science, Ionian enhancement.
It is used to describe the joy of understanding something in nature.
I think it could also be applied to musical analysis.
Thanks for the exercises, nice video. @Dee the “ionian enchantment” – I hadn’t heard of it, but did a search, I think it is “Ionian enchantment” https://everything2.com/title/Ionian+Enchantment
I’m just beginning my journey and I found this exercise very helpful !