How to Play Fast: Left Hand Finger Placement

Do this pattern on all strings. With your picking hand, alternate the downstrokes with upstrokes. Another useful thing to keep in mind is the fingering you use for your fretting hand. Notice that your index finger does not move from its location and stays anchored for a short time. The idea is that it is faster to move your fingers than it is to move your whole hand for every note. Whenever your solos are in the same location on the fretboard, you should try to keep the same fingers over certain frets. For example: If most of your solo is between the 5th and 8th fret, anchor your index finger on the 5th fret, middle finger on 6, etc. This will make you a little faster in those ripping solos.

Key: 

E-4-3-2-1-5-4-3-2-6-5-4-3-5-4-3-2-6-5-4-3-7-6-5-4-8-7-6-5-7-6-5-4-
B-----------------------------------------------------------------
G-----------------------------------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------------------------------
A-----------------------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------------------
  D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U

  P R M I P R M I P R M I P R M I P R M I P R M I P R M I P R M I


E-8-7-6-5-9-8-7-6-10-9-8-7-9-8-7-6-10-9-8-7-11-10-9-8-12-11-10-9-11-10-9-8-
B--------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  D U D U D U D U D  U D U D U D U D  U D U D  U  D U D  U  D  U D  U  D U

  P R M I P R M I P  R M I P R M I P  R M I P  R  M I P  R  M  I P  R  M I


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