In this video, I walk through one of my favorite little guitar exercises using thirds. It’s simple on the surface, but it quietly checks a lot of important boxes: finger coordination, fretboard awareness, tone control, and musical clarity.
We start right in open position, pairing notes like C and E, D and F, then move through the strings with patterns that repeat and build muscle memory. The goal isn’t speed, it’s recognition. The more clearly you see the patterns, the more fluid your playing becomes.
And while this seems easy at first, switching fingerings adds just enough challenge to keep it interesting and beneficial across skill levels. It’s one of those rare exercises that stays useful no matter how advanced you get.
Hit play, take it slow, and try it for a minute at a time.
If this kind of clarity clicks for you, I’ve also created a free, function-based course that dives deeper into how the fretboard actually works, without relying on endless drills. It’s all about seeing the structure underneath, so your fingers have a map and your brain can relax.→ Take the free course here