# Rusty Cooley finger stretchs



## includao (Oct 21, 2006)

His ability to play with some big stretchs on the the firsts frets is scary.
Does that amazes you guys as much as me ?


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## BinaryTox1n (Oct 21, 2006)

Yes.
 

My hands feel like they're going to explode when i try those,
can't get it at all.



Actually, i guess it doesn't help that i have a baritone.


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## Adam (Oct 21, 2006)

Try his legato arpeggios exercise (its on his website) it helps out alot and makes those stretches seem not as scary, Im able to stretch on the 12 and 24th fret on the high E now, and 12-19 fret on the low B, all thanx to Rusty


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## includao (Oct 21, 2006)

12th to 24 on the high E string? thats impossible... on my guitar at least. 

the maximum i get is 12-20 on the @ high E
and 12-19 on low E (i dont have a 7string at the moment)


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## Adam (Oct 21, 2006)

I praticed for a while, its possible, just not entirely painless I'll take a pic of my hand in that position tommorow or Ill Pm you sometime, but it IS possible.


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## includao (Oct 21, 2006)

Yngwie said:


> I praticed for a while, its possible, just not entirely painless I'll take a pic of my hand in that position tommorow or Ill Pm you sometime, but it IS possible.



through practice some shapes my finger joints will span and stretch and longer?  

to me, its even unpracticable. i can't get past the 20th fret without breaking my entire hand 

i think it's because my guitar. it sucks, period.


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## Seven (Oct 21, 2006)

It's definately possible, I can get to around 22, so I'm sure Rusty can get to the 24th.


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## Adam (Oct 21, 2006)

includao said:


> through practice some shapes my finger joints will span and stretch and longer?
> 
> to me, its even unpracticable. i can't get past the 20th fret without breaking my entire hand
> 
> i think it's because my guitar. it sucks, period.


Ok maybe I just have longer fingers than you



Seven said:


> It's definately possible, I can get to around 22, so I'm sure Rusty can get to the 24th.


Oh he can


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## Mastodon (Oct 21, 2006)

Hmmm, well I can already reach the 22nd fret because of the size of my hand. Twenty-third fret's a bitch though.

Maybe if I try those exercises I'll be able to reach the 24th though.


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## Adam (Oct 21, 2006)

Mastodon said:


> Hmmm, well I can already reach the 22nd fret because of the size of my hand. Twenty-third fret's a bitch though.
> 
> Maybe if I try those exercises I'll be able to reach the 24th though.


Thats the spirit


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## Mastodon (Oct 21, 2006)

Do you remember what exercise it is?

Was it called "stretching your limits?"


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## Adam (Oct 21, 2006)

Not sure if it was that one but heres one I use for a good warmup stretch, except I include the low B.
http://www.rustycooley.com/images/lessons/betcha05.gif


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## distressed_romeo (Oct 22, 2006)

As has already been said, Rusty's Legato Workout is a great way of toning your fingers, but one of the main points he always makes when he's asked about the technique is that a lot of it's due to your thumb position; try and keep it between your middle and ring fingers, keep it fairly straight, and don't be afraid to move it 'til it's virtually falling off the top end of the neck.

As an aside, does anyone else think Rusty seems like a really nice guy? Whenever I've swopped messages with him one the old Outworld forum he's always pretty friendly and generous with his expertise.


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## Dumple Stilzkin (Oct 22, 2006)

When I try to play wide intervals and difficult strectches, I find it really helps to actually physically stretch each one of your fingers. Helps you warm up faster and not cramp up. Try these out. http://diet.ivillage.com/workouts/wyoga/0,,9zl1-2,00.html
If you dont have a counter top available--use your other hand to gently pull back each finger til you feel the stretch, between 10-15 seconds for most. maybe even 20 if your really tight in the fingers.


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## distressed_romeo (Oct 22, 2006)

Stretching exercises like that are a great way to warm up, but I'd be really wary of using them to force your hands to go places they really don't want to go.


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## David (Oct 22, 2006)

what's even more amazing, is that I'm going to guess rusty is short as hell? because the guitar on him is huge. His hands, on the fretboard, look TINY, as to mine which make a 7 neck look like a sixer. The fact that his hands are that small, and he can still do those stretches is insane. I can't do them myself and I have humungo hands.


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## includao (Oct 22, 2006)

distressed_romeo said:


> As has already been said, Rusty's Legato Workout is a great way of toning your fingers, but one of the main points he always makes when he's asked about the technique is that a lot of it's due to your thumb position; try and keep it between your middle and ring fingers, keep it fairly straight, and don't be afraid to move it 'til it's virtually falling off the top end of the neck.
> 
> the top end? but in his Basic Training from CFH he said that to do big stretches you need to keep the finger in the lower side of the fretboard at least when playing on the first frets.
> 
> ...


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## distressed_romeo (Oct 22, 2006)

I mean the side of the neck with the high E string on it...


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## OzzyC (Oct 25, 2006)

Yngwie said:


> Im able to stretch on the 12 and 24th fret on the high E now, and 12-19 fret on the low B, all thanx to Rusty




hmm...i can do a good 12-25or 26(supposing i had them...(i can hit the opposite 4th fret harmonic w/ my index over the 12th) on the low b
i checked w/ a ruler to see how far i could strech my fingers from each other and from the tip of my index finger (left hand) to the tip of the pinky was about 8 inches ( about 7 3/4 on my right)


im interested to know how far some of you guys can strech them


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## includao (Oct 25, 2006)

POST some pics of you guys stretching from 12th to 24


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## BinaryTox1n (Oct 25, 2006)

Only 6 inches for me, i have short fingers.


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## OzzyC (Oct 25, 2006)

well...i cant.....no camera


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## Pauly (Oct 25, 2006)

OzzyC said:


> well...i cant.....no camera



Pics or it didn't happen!


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## 777 (Oct 25, 2006)

i can stretch 12-22-23 on high e but cant hold it for very long and 12-20 on the low b i could go further on the low b but my lower horn wont let me

this is at chest rocker heighth ie classical positioning


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## Adam (Oct 25, 2006)

pauly-bobs said:


> Pics or it didn't happen!


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## BinaryTox1n (Oct 25, 2006)

Yngwie said:


>


Love that guitar.  
And nice stretching, i can only make it to about 21 or so,
but i only stretch in a way that i'd actually be able to play, it looks like you'd have a tough time using a couple of your fingers there.


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## Adam (Oct 25, 2006)

BinaryTox1n said:


> Love that guitar.
> And nice stretching, i can only make it to about 21 or so,
> but i only stretch in a way that i'd actually be able to play, it looks like you'd have a tough time using a couple of your fingers there.


Actually its quite comfy, Im able to play the frets 12 then 21, 12 then 22, 12 then 23 and 12 an 24 in a fast succession w/o any problems Its just one of those things that look painfull and uncomfortable but is normal/comfy for the user ie me


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## OzzyC (Oct 25, 2006)

Yngwie said:


> Actually its quite comfy, Im able to play the frets 12 then 21, 12 then 22, 12 then 23 and 12 an 24 in a fast succession w/o any problems Its just one of those things that look painfull and uncomfortable but is normal/comfy for the user ie me


 thats how it was for me....except no pics


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## Adam (Oct 25, 2006)

OzzyC said:


> thats how it *was* for me....except no pics


was?


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## OzzyC (Oct 25, 2006)

when i attemped it yesterday....still is
 w/e


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## Adam (Oct 25, 2006)

OzzyC said:


> when i attemped it yesterday....still is
> w/e


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## OzzyC (Oct 26, 2006)




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## Adam (Oct 26, 2006)




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## JoryGriffin (Oct 26, 2006)

i can do 12 - 22.... but then again i only have 22 Frets


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## Dnasurfer (Nov 6, 2006)

rusty is defintley a killer player


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