German Schauss's Speed Guitar: Guitar Book & Online Video/Audio

Speed Guitar cuts through the mythology of natural talent and replaces it with a systematic, teachable method. Schauss distills decades of professional experience into actionable warm-up routines and deliberate practice patterns that apply across multiple genres, whether your students are chasing metal velocity or jazz fluidity. The combination of physical technique (proper alternate picking mechanics), mental focus (connecting mind to hands), and modular practice patterns makes this resource adaptable to nearly any guitarist's starting point.

Working through Speed Guitar feels like getting privileged access to a master's thinking process. The structured progression from warm-up through pattern-building to independent variation creates a sense of building actual capability rather than just acquiring tricks. Each session sharpens the connection between intention and execution, making your hands feel increasingly responsive to what your mind wants to play.

Guitarists serious about building genuine speed across all styles will find concrete methodology here rather than vague exhortations to practice harder. Whether you play metal, rock, jazz, or acoustic music, the principles translate directly to your own musical vocabulary. This book serves intermediate to advanced players seeking to break through speed plateaus and understand the mechanics behind rapid execution.

• Treat the warm-up sequences as non-negotiable foundation work before tackling speed exercises; skipping this step compromises both accuracy and injury prevention.
• Work the melodic patterns slowly enough that you hear each note clearly and your hands feel synchronized, then gradually increase tempo only when that clarity remains intact.
• Study the video demonstrations closely to observe picking hand mechanics and fretting hand positioning; visual reference matters more here than for many other guitar skills.
• Create variations on the provided patterns using different string pairs and fretboard positions; this forces your brain to apply the technique rather than memorize sequences.

Integrate Speed Guitar as part of a year-long technical curriculum, assigning specific sections alongside ensemble or solo repertoire that demands rapid playing. Teachers can use selected exercises as focused warm-up material in studio lessons, with students working through the full book independently between sessions. The modularity of the patterns makes it well-suited to students juggling multiple musical commitments.

• Alternate picking mechanics and hand coordination across the full fretboard
• Tempo control through systematic speed progression
• Melodic pattern recognition and transposition across string sets
• Synchronization between picking hand and fretting hand under pressure
• Independent pattern creation and variation
• Proper warm-up routines that support injury prevention