Why Every Advanced Beginner Should Still Grind Through Fingering Permutations (Even If They Feel Like Musical Push-Ups)
If you’ve been playing guitar long enough to know a pentatonic box, a couple cowboy chords, and maybe even a full barre chord on a good day, you’ve probably met the infamous “1234 exercise.” It’s the chromatic crawl up the neck that teachers hand out the way dentists hand out floss—everyone knows it’s good for you, and nobody actually wants to do it.
But here’s the twist: you don’t have to stop at 1234. There are 24 possible finger permutations, and working through them—slowly, deliberately, and without cursing too loudly—can do more for your technique than learning yet another YouTube blues lick.
Let’s break down why this matters, especially if you’re sitting in that advanced-beginner or early-intermediate zone where your fingers almost know what they’re doing but haven’t fully signed the contract yet.
1. Finger Independence: The Boring Superpower
Your fingers love to move as a dysfunctional family unit. You tell finger 3 to move, and finger 4 jumps onboard like a drunk buddy who can’t take a hint. Running unusual permutations forces each finger to operate on its own. It’s like sending them to boot camp where the drill sergeant is very patient, very unforgiving, and also happens to be you.
The payoff? Cleaner runs, less tension, and the ability to play lines that once felt like they required supernatural hand genetics.
2. Strength and Dexterity Without Speed Addiction
Too many players try to get faster by… playing fast. Shockingly, that doesn’t work. What does work is slow, controlled movement that builds useful strength and coordination.
Running these permutations is like lifting technique weights. You’re not practicing music; you’re building the machinery you’ll use to make music. Get the machinery strong and smooth, and everything else gets easier.
3. A Killer Diagnostic Tool
Here’s the dirty secret: one or two of these permutations are going to feel absolutely hideous. That’s the point. They expose weaknesses you didn’t know you had.
Does 2413 make your hand panic? Congratulations—you’ve just found a coordination gap that’s been holding you back without your knowledge. Fixing it will pay dividends in your everyday playing.
4. Better Left-Hand Economy
Good technique isn’t just about accuracy—it’s about efficiency. These patterns force your hand to stay close to the fretboard, use the tips of your fingers, and minimize wasted motion. If you’ve ever watched a pro player and wondered why their hands look relaxed even while shredding, this is part of the magic.
5. Mental Mapping and Pattern Awareness
Guitar is full of patterns, and your brain learns them one awkward step at a time. Running through all permutations builds a deeper sense of finger order, shapes, and transitions. This translates directly into:
- Faster scale learning
- Cleaner position shifts
- Smoother legato lines
- Less fumbling around when improvising
Your fingers learn to behave predictably, even under pressure.
6. It Prepares You for Real Musical Phrases
No, you won’t find “1324” in a Bach piece or a ZZ Top solo, but the movements inside that pattern show up everywhere. Slurs, chromatic passing tones, weird intervals—they all borrow the same core mechanics.
Master the mechanics in isolation, and music becomes a whole lot easier.
7. It’s Short, Simple, and Impossible to Screw Up
Let’s be honest: a lot of practice tasks are too big to tackle when you’ve only got ten minutes between real life obligations. Fingering permutations? They’re bite-sized. Run one pattern up and down a string and boom—you’ve done meaningful work.
It’s low effort, high return. A rare combo in guitar land.
Final Word
Are fingering permutations fun? Absolutely not. But neither is the gym, and people keep going because it works. For an advanced beginner or early intermediate guitarist, these patterns can bridge the gap between “I can sort of play stuff” and “my hands finally do what I tell them.”
Think of them as technique vitamins. Not glamorous…but they keep your playing healthy, strong, and ready for the good stuff.