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Garden Lesson #1 - Speed, Agility + Enclosures! (Patreon)

Published:
2026-06-20 15:00:24
Edited:
2026-06-20 15:36:29
Imported:
2026-08
Tags:

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  • 684103342.mp4

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Content

A Patreon exclusive lesson, live from my back garden on a scorching morning in June! The first of many more casual lessons like this where I can answer some of your questions more effectively than I can it a written comment!

We talk about speed; why it's important, and how to work on improving it. I show you a handful of useful exercises and daily drills with the metronome. Then I answer your questions regarding enclosures and what to do about notes that clash.. or if it's even a problem at all!

I had a bit of fun with the thumbnail on this one for sure.. watching the lesson will explain why it features Rosie and a helicopter! 😂

As promised, I’ve typed out all of the scales and licks I used throughout the video. As always, you can click below to download them!

And don't worry, I've learned from my mistakes on this first effort.. next time I'll make sure the guitar is as loud as my voice! 🤦🏻‍♂️

Get your questions in for a follow up video!

Files

Comments

Katie King

As per usual, wonderful.

Rick

Thanks Alex,our backyards are similar .Hard to realize your 8,600km away.Wish I could make it on the 12th.Cheers

jsr75

Hi Alex. I'm not currently a paid subscriber but I'm able to access this video and the associated downloads (click through from email). I just wanted to flag in case this was unintentional and you're accidentally diddling yourself (so to speak 😬). Tried to find a private message function to send you this but couldn't. Anyway, enjoy the weather!

Alex Farran Guitar

Wow that’s quite a distance! According to Google, L.A and other parts of the West Coast of American is around that distance from me.. is that where you’re situated?

Alex Farran Guitar

Oops! Thanks for your honestly buddy, that’s very kind of you to let me know! 🙏🏻

Rupert Hawkes

Wow! This is manna from heaven. Thank you so much!!! Really appreciate this and love the vibe! Please keep these coming, so good!! 😍 Next one on right hand picking approach/technique pretty pls, if you need idea. Its often not takes about so will be i teresting all i think. Slowly getting into the world cup too.

Carlos Funk

Thanks Alex, sweet great lessson!

Rob and Marvy

I come from a family of drummers. My cousin, D. Sharpe, played with Carla Bley and was heavily involved in the Boston music scene during the 1970s and early '80s. So, my dad had a drum kit in the living room when I was growing up. I agree that a metronome is essential for me while practicing. Working the way you suggested not only helps improve my speed, but also reinforces my muscle memory for scales. Thanks for taking the time out of your day to make the video! Oh, and the World Cup... well, I live in Mexico, and football is about as close to a religion as you can get without putting on your Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes.

Alex Farran Guitar

Thanks Rupert, really glad you enjoyed this more casual lesson! Good shout on the right hand picking stuff.. I’ll do that in the next one for sure. Glad you’re getting into the World Cup too.. Germany vs Ivory Coast tonight has potential to be a good watch 👌🏻

Steve Mayle

Oh! I might be in the same situation. I've been switching around a bit lately and I cancelled a week or so ago. I thought maybe my membership was still valid until the end of the month or something, but please check! I always come back in the end though, your lessons are by far the best I've found online. It's just that I like to concentrate on Brazilian jazz for a while sometimes.

Rupert Hawkes

After the search for the holy grail, ok, ok, the right pick,…… I’ve tried lots, like LOTS but think I’ve finally found that the 2.5 Dunlop jumbo flow pick really works for me. Weird how a heavier pick (Guthrie/Uncle Larry use 0.73) works for me. We’re all different I suppose ☺️. But what I do do they do, is use the shoulder of the pick for a warmer tone. Will work on the agility / speed stuff but agree playing slow first is the key. Shane Theriot (really like his stuff) was talking about trying like 30 bpm quarter notes, or slower, to really lock in left/right hand and evenness of notes. 🤓

Michael Friedman

The casual outdoor format is amazing! Just like hanging out on a Saturday morning.

Michael Friedman

I was in California for the week. They definitely have the World Cup fever there. Not so much in Colorado.

Alex Farran Guitar

Thanks buddy, I’m glad you think so! I’ll certainly be making this a regular series of more casual lessons. Perhaps one a month in this style.

Alex Farran Guitar

Interesting! Yes it looks great over there! Wish I could fly over to catch a game!

Carlos Funk

We are not used to seeing you play guitar without a hat. You know, #10 of Captain Beefheart's 10 Commandments of Guitar Playing.

DENNIS CHUGH

Nice content. Can’t wait for the winter sessions🤪

Alex Farran Guitar

I’m with you.. a big fan of the thicker plectrums, especially those Dunlop flow picks 👌🏻

Alex Farran Guitar

That’s so cool Rob!.. what an awesome thing to grow up around! Very inspiring I’m sure! Ah yes, Mexico is certainly one of the big footballing nations! 🙌🏻

Sean

Wonderful video Alex, this is exactly the lesson I needed right now (still can't get the enclosure piece up to 170bpm). So thank you. As an aside, England played amazingly. I'd go into more detail but if you haven't seen the game I don't wanna spoil anything. Us Yanks on the other hand both games our first goals were the opposing team scoring on themselves.

Rupert Hawkes

Thought I’d add to this in case it helps others. The grip on that pick helps keep it in place. The weight also helps to give fatness to note. The trick is to play lighter on the top 2 or 3 strings (in fact all strings!). Also like Uncle Larry (Tom Bukavic) says the rotate wrist approach really helped, and also like he said, RELAX! Just graze the strings…. Light muting on right hand and dance over the strings, always addressing the string in the same alignment, ie move your right hand as you go from low to high E. Hey don’t listen to me, listen to Alex! But maybe that helps 🥹😂😇😍

Rupert Hawkes

I was stupid. I bought 12. They just dont wear! 🤘

Phil

Thanks Alex. Made me grab my guitar ( as always ). Cheers

Jonathan Hubbard

Love the informal vibe of that one Alex, as always full of good advice. Not sure about the cheeky Forest subliminal in there though ;-)

Keith Moscrop

Thanks for the lesson Alex, definitely going to do these exercises. For someone with small hands I often find any notes played with my little finger can be muffled. Interested to see you play your guitar outside in strong sunshine.

Duke Williams

We have one and have had two. Bocephus and Spike. Ours are dedicated sock chewers, not camera covers. You cannot go wrong with dogs in your videos. Check out Mary Chapin Carpenter’s home videos during Covid. Enjoying your lessons.

Rick

I'm North of San Francisco !/2

Alex Farran Guitar

Aw haha, that’s great! Rosie loves to steal socks too! They’re her highest value investment for sure 😂 She’s made it into a handful of my videos since we got her in March 2025, but I’ll try and encourage her up to the studio more often!

Alex Farran Guitar

Thank you Sean, glad you enjoyed the lesson! Just keep chipping away at the speed one day at a time, it’ll be gradual but it will happen! I watched the England game live on TV, and was very impressed with the game plan.. nice to see a manager making positive substitutions as the game went on too! Germany vs Ivory Coast was a good one yesterday too!

Alex Farran Guitar

I’ve not yet encountered anybody who doesn’t struggle to get the little finger to match the ability of the first 3 fingers.. regardless of hand size! Just keep plugging away and consciously build some exercises around little/pinky finger agility and strength.

Johan

Now the gypsy approach…how has this evaded me? Thanks, this may add the mojo I am looking for.

Minstrel atHome

Nice to see you without a hat on this one, but mind the sun, it's heavilly dangerous nowadays in Summer time !

Gert De Groof

Oh how I love this. Feels like having the privilege of picking the brain and thoughts of a master at work. Thanks for being such a wonderful person, musician and teacher. You keep me going like never before. Don’t know why, but I’m currently in an acoustic fingerstyle only period, for over 2 months now I think, hardly touched any of my electrics, so these exercises will come in handy whenever I need to get back into shape with a plectrum. Anyway, going back to sweating all over my acoustic now 🥵. Take care my friend.

Pinchshot

She looks like my dog

David Lockwood

Thank you Alex. Good morning breakfast video. Enjoyed it. I have already been to the park with Bess, so Muesli and the vid went down well. Timing? Swing, Straight etc. played in time with emphasis and some strums longer or louder? There may be more people than me who don’t fully get it! Just an idea. David

Joseph Miele

Amazing stuff here Alex! Been playing for 10 years but my practice routine has gone by the wayside. Your content and style of teaching reminds me what I love about guitar and your words help me remember that in order to improve I must constantly be pushing myself. Look forward to more stuff like this!

Sava Kalbachou

Hey Alex, Hope you are surviving the heat! Love this extra format of quick Q&A style follow up lessons! You showed Gm9 horizontal arpeggio run here (which is basically horizontal minor Coltrane pattern run, right?). You also showed a similar Am horizontal run in your recent excellent Enclosures and Chromaticism lesson. I have a few slightly odd questions: - do you use two horizontal patterns for these? You only showed from the first position, starting on the 6th string. But it seems like we could construct another one from the fourth position, starting on the 5th string? - how do you approach fingering, especially when running them backwards? - do you have a separate lesson on horizontal arpeggio or scale patterns? I wasn't able to find one, I believe it could be very useful!

Rupert Hawkes

Getting lots out of this. 60 bpm really shows up bad technique. Love it. Also using this 60 bpm on everything, ie to learn the harmonic minor (from the enclosures lesson), got better already . That gypsy DUD triplet thing is hard but delicious. Will,work on. Thanks Maestro!

Alex Farran Guitar

Glad you're getting so much out of the lesson Rupert! indeed, the slower the tempo, the more accurate your meter has to be!

Alex Farran Guitar

Once you get the feel for it, it becomes very natural feeling to play triplets that way, I must say!

Alex Farran Guitar

Great questions my friend, you're on the right track for sure with the Coltrane patterns thing. Indeed, I tend to have 2 preset patterns for them. I know for sure that I included it all in detail in a video sometime ago, but I cannot remember exactly which one. I do cover them in my first Marc Ribot style study and the shapes are included in with those lesson materials so do check that out.. https://www.patreon.com/AlexFarranGuitar/posts/marc-ribot-tom-84512539?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Sava Kalbachou

ah thank you very much for the response, Alex! I got into Coltrane patterns while working on your Dead & Lovely lesson, you covered all the 5 shapes + enclosures but not horizontal shapes etc. Immensely useful lesson, it opened up new horizons for me 🙏🏻 Thanks for the link! I haven't gone through that Am lesson yet (why would I start from the first one in the series, right? 🤦‍♂️), but it's the next on my list to grind through. I already got its rhythm under my fingers from the follow up lesson you did some time ago. These all are brilliant lessons! My only regret is that I cannot go through them as quickly as you release them 😅

Alex Farran Guitar

Thank you Gert, that’s very sweet of you to say! 🙏🏻 I’m like you.. I go through phases of only wanting to play acoustic, then switching back to electric. It keeps life interesting eh? 😂

Alex Farran Guitar

Good ideas David, I’ll speak on those subjects in the next one. Hope Bess is settling in well! 🙏🏻🧡

Alex Farran Guitar

That’s so good to hear Joseph!.. we all need a gentle nudge now and then! 🙏🏻