First Melody — One String
Your very first melody: 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' played entirely on the B string using only three fret positions (1, 3, 5). No string changes, no chords — just a real tune from day one.
Tablature
First few measures of the exercise.
How to Practice
- 1All notes are on string 2 (B string). You only need three frets: 1 (C), 3 (D), and 5 (E).
- 2Use only downstrokes for now — pick the string once per note.
- 3Play slowly: let every note ring fully before moving to the next fret.
- 4The dash (—) means silence — don't pick, just let the previous note decay.
- 5Once you can play the whole melody smoothly, add a metronome at 50 BPM.
Tips & Techniques
- •Press the string just behind the fret wire, not on it — that's where the clearest tone comes from.
- •If a note buzzes, press a little harder or move your fingertip closer to the fret.
- •Keep unused fingers hovering near the fretboard — don't let them fly away.
- •Hum or sing the melody as you play — it connects your ear to your hands.
Ready to Practice?
Start practicing this exercise right now with our interactive tablature and real-time feedback.
Ćwicz teraz →Related Exercises
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Hammer-ons – 5-7-9 Sequence
Hammer-on focused exercise using a 5-7-9 sequence across strings, designed to build left-hand strength, finger independence, and legato clarity.
Hammer-on Pentatonic Run – 3 Strings
Legato hammer-on exercise using the A minor pentatonic scale across 3 strings (G→B→e→B). One bar of 8th notes: pick the first note on each string, hammer-on the second, then reverse back to B — building left-hand strength and smooth cross-string transitions.