Guitar Spider Exercise
Fingers move in pairs across adjacent strings, like a spider walking: fingers 1 and 3 play on one string, then 2 and 4 on the next. Keep the other fingers on the neck. Play slowly with alternate picking and a metronome, then work through the variations.
Spider pattern 1-3 / 2-4
Spider pattern 1-2 / 3-4
Goal
Build real finger independence: each finger moves while the others stay in place, which is exactly what chord changes and fast lines need.
How to practise
- Start at fret 5. Use one finger per fret: index on 5, middle on 6, ring on 7, pinky on 8.
- Keep fingers that have played resting on the string until they move again.
- Metronome at 50–60 BPM, one note per click. Increase by 5 BPM after four clean repetitions.
- Play from the low E to the high E and back, then shift one fret lower and repeat.
- Try the other pairings on the sheet (1-4 with 2-3, 1-2 with 3-4).
Self-check
Watch your hand in a mirror or on video: fingers should hover close to the fretboard, not fly away. Every note should be clear and equally loud.
Next steps
Pair this with the chromatic warm-up and legato exercise. Track your tempos with the metronome and follow the intermediate guitar path.