Mile High Shred
  • Metal and Rock Guitar Lessons
    • Skype Lessons
    • Sign Up for Skype Guitar Lessons
    • Video Correspondence Lessons
    • Sign Up for Video Correspondence Lessons
    • Rates
    • Contact
    • Blog (LOTS of Free Lessons)
    • Student Testimonies
    • About John Taylor
  • Get TWO FREE eBooks
  • Instruction Courses
    • Speed/Tremolo Picking Course
    • Metal and Rock Guitar Rhythm Crash Course - Overview
    • Rhythm Work Sets
    • 666 Real Lessons
    • Free Four Week Rhythm Course
  • 100+ Video Guitar Lessons
    • Categorized List of Lessons
  • Gear Reviews
  • Store
  • Music Theory
    • Chord Theory >
      • What is a Chord?
      • Chord Formulas
  • Games and Quizzes
  • Online Metronome - FREE
  • Backing Tracks
  • Contest

GEAR REVIEWS
​FOR METAL GUITARISTS

From Instruments to Pedals, 
Picks to Strings,
even things to Make Your Hands Stronger
​and Keep Your Joints Healthy

D'Addario Planet Waves Varigrip Hand Exerciser Review

1/30/2018

2 Comments

 

Build and Maintain Hand Strength for Guitar

I'm a big believer that resistance training can benefit nearly any area of your life, and that absolutely includes playing guitar.

Whether you are learning how to play, or have been playing for years, having good grip strength is essential to getting the most out of your playing.
Varigrip Review

Speed Up the Learning Process

When you first start out as a guitar player, your grip is probably going to be pretty weak. This is problematic for holding down your notes for long periods of time, and can make barre chords a nightmare.

Using the Varigrip from Planet Waves can speed up building your grip strength, which can lead to enjoying the learning process of guitar even more.

Adjustable Tension

As you get stronger using the Varigrip, you can increase the tension.

​This will allow you to keep making more and more progress in your grip strength, and make playing chords much easier.
D'Addario Planet Waves Varigrip

Get Rid of that Weak Pinky

A very common issue guitarists seem to share is having a weak pinky.

​Using this hand exerciser can absolutely help you strengthen that pinky.

Help Build Callouses

A very unique feature that comes with the Varigrip is the callus builder.

This can be useful for those who may be away from their guitar and want to make sure they don't lose those calluses.
Varigrip Hand Exerciser Review

What Other Users of the Varigrip Had to Say

"This is Fantastic! Has definitely improved my finger dexterity and hand strenght! Very small and durable. After two months there has been a noticable improvement! This even though I already have been using one of the "A" shape spring grip strenght devices for years. Have yet to need to increase the spring tension wheels, although it is good to know the capability is there. Easy to stash in your pocket, a guitar case, keep on your desk or night stand, and use while driving. The removable back cushion reveals three parallel simulated string ridges to help keep your finger calluses in good shape."
-Robert G.
"Bought this for guitar playing strength!! Very helpful even after just a week!!My fingers are much stronger I know because I couldn't snap my fingers on left hand.I can get a loud snap out now!!I have to use it on right hand too because my left hand is getting stronger!!Seems like it's made well. Don't know how other people's fell apart?? The callus builder really works & hurts!! Each fingers resistance is adjustable.Instructions on how to best use exerciser are very helpful.I'm very happy with this exerciser & the price was right!!I'll keep ya posted but for now, after a week, I'm very satisfied!!

1 Month later: Still holding up great. Much improved strength in my fingers, hands & forearms.Exercises the whole finger depending on what part you use to push down.This thing is PERFECT for guitar players!"
-Joe Joe Gadget
"First, let me say that I have not had ANY issues with the device breaking or the little finger pistons/springs popping out. I've had mine for over a year and it is still fully functional. I use both functions (finger movement and the flipside fingertip toughener) with no problems. With that said, I can definitely see how, with improper use, you could dislodge the pistons. The key to me is to apply your pressure as straight up and down as possible. If you try to squeeze the finger pistons down at an angle then you are applying a large amount of lateral force in addition to the vertical force. The pistons are not built to hold up to large amounts of lateral force and it causes them to dislodge. The device should be held between the fingers and the thumb not between the fingers and the base of your palm (at an angle). It's harder this way but it is supposed to be hard. Just turn the tension down and build up to it."
-Josh

CLICK HERE
To Start Building Up Your Guitar Hand Strength

Stronger grip leads to easier guitar playing. Get to it!
      BOOM===>

Share Your Thoughts

Have you used a Varigrip before? Perhaps something similar?
Share what you think of it in the comments section!
2 Comments
Sao Bui
9/8/2019 01:28:47 am

I have some question that i can't find anywhere about this tool:
1. How much the maximun tension of Varigrip?
2. Tension adjusting from (kg) to (kg)?

Reply
Mile High Shred
9/8/2019 08:31:38 am

Have you tried contacting D'Addario directly? I believe can do so through their website.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Metal and Rock Rhythm Guitar Crash Course

    $97.00

    What's the #1 thing every guitarist needs? Speed? Accuracy? Natural Ability? Knowledge? WRONG!


    Psst! Let me share a little secret with you…if your rhythm sucks, everything suffers. Everything. Rhythm, by far, is the single most important aspect of music. It separates the men from the boys. You’ll never become the guitar player you dream of being with poor rhythm.


    I designed the new Metal and Rock Guitar Rhythm Crash Course to dramatically improve your rhythm. This will carry over into all other aspects of your guitar playing.

    What if the material is too difficult? Won’t it overwhelm me?


    This course has been carefully crafted to benefit a wide variety of guitar players. Each section has varying levels of complexity at a variety of tempos. That means you learn at the pace and tempo you want. The section-ending etudes provide you with the chance to put everything together. With them, you’ll solidify your ability to switch between different rhythm patterns. As you conquer each one, watch your confidence soar.


    So what do I actually get? Do I only get a few tabs and some videos?

    Phhffttt! Are you kidding? You get way more than that. Each section includes:


    • Videos with imbedded tabs that display the count, strumming pattern, and chord names - everything you need in one convenient place
    • Video explanations that ensure you understand how to count each rhythm pattern
    • Video demonstrations (at various tempos) that show you how to play each rhythm pattern 
    • Audio tracks (at various tempos) allowing you to practice at the speed you want
    • Etudes with uniquely created  drum tracks, so you’re not just playing exercises - you’re playing a song


    My favorite song isn't in 4/4 - will this course help me?


    Though 4/4 time is the main focus of this course, I haven’t ignored other time signatures. The section “Beyond 4/4” has got you covered. You’ll learn how to count and play in 8 other time signatures. There’s even a short section on polyrhythms and polymeters - for those seeking a real mental workout.


    Here’s how some students have described my teaching methods, which you’ll enjoy in this course:

    • “John has a natural way of teaching music that makes it a little easier to understand…And it feels good to know how to properly do certain things, especially things like 16th notes and rhythms in general.” ~ Derek
    • “John's got a very systematic approach to teaching guitar …” ~ Josh 
    • “As a teacher, I find him to be very, very attentive to detail, to the structure of the music, and how things function and teaching you how they function and helping you understand how they function.” ~ Mike

    The Metal and Rock Guitar Rhythm Crash Course includes:

    • 180 different pieces of music, tabbed out with rhythm notation - You’ll be busy for ages
    • 609 videos (demonstrations and explanations) - You’ll know exactly what to do and how to do it
    • Over 5 ½ hours of audio files - Play along and be confident you’re playing in time


    And if you buy the course outright, you get Guitar Pro files (Ver. 6 & 7) for the entire course. As an introductory offer, you can get everything in this course for only $97. That’s the price of 3 guitar lessons.


    CLICK HERE to see a preview of how the course looks.


    This download will be a .zip file containing the following items:

    • EPUB version of the course (think of it as an eBook)
    • 32 bit and 64 bit Windows app (if you don't want to use the EPUB reader)
    • PDF, Guitar Pro 6 and 7 files of all the tablature
    Shop

    Speed/Tremolo Picking Guitar Course

    $25.00

    This speed picking instruction course is focused on getting that picking hand/arm as fast as you can get it! Here's what you will find in the course:

    • An explanation of the principles and techniques necessary for pushing your genetic potential in how fast and accurate you can pick
    • A section covering 16th notes, and a section covering 8th note triplets
    • Each section comes with 22 exercises designed to start you off with something simple, and gradually increases the difficulty so you become better and better
    • A speed picking etude for both the 16th notes and 8th note triplets
    • Tabs for all of the exercises
    • Video demonstrations for all of the exercises at four different speeds


    CLICK HERE to view a free demo (the actual course has MUCH more material!)

    Shop

    666 Real Lessons - Volume 1

    $6.66

    CLICK HERE to get Volumes 1 and 2 at a discount!


    You can think of this as sort of a grab bag of various things given to students throughout the years.


    Every collection contains Guitar Pro files. Yes, you will need to be able to view Guitar Pro 7 files to use this collection. I'm not affiliated with Guitar Pro, and I receive no money from sales from them. That being said, I highly recommend this program to anyone who is serious about learning and/or writing their own guitar music.


    Right now, there are two collections. As more students receive lessons, more volumes/collections will be released. Here is what you can find in volume one:

    • 8th Notes (this section has material with 8th notes being the fastest subdivision)
    • ​​Chord Strumming Focused - 87 items
    • Single Notes Focused - 118 items
    • Legato Focused - 83 items
    • 16th Notes (this section has material with 16th notes being the fastest subdivision)
    • Chord Strumming Focused - 83 items
    • Single Notes Focused - 122 items
    • Legato Focused - 11 items
    • Triplets (this section splits the beat up into 3 or 6 parts as the fastest subdivision)
    • Chord Strumming Focused - 2 items
    • Single Notes Focused - 79 items
    • Legato Focused - 28 items
    • Slower Than 8th Notes - 11 items
    • 6 Bend Licks
    • 3 Finger Tapping Licks/Riffs
    • 15 Tabs Pertaining to Music Theory
    • 9 Sweep Picking Riffs
    • 9 Miscellaneous tabs
    Shop

    Rhythm Work Sets Collection v1

    $50.00

    Rhythm is, by far, THE MOST important skill for any musician to develop.


    If your rhythms suck, EVERYTHING suffers!


    To help guitar players improve their rhythm skills, these Rhythm Work Sets were released on the Mile High Shred Patreon group covering a variety of 8th note, 16th note, and 8th note triplet patterns using metal guitar chords, single note riffs, and even some legato.


    With 33 different rhythms, there are over 300 different examples you can learn to make sure you have plenty of material to work with that matches your current skill level.


    Now, you can absolutely pay the $50 to buy this collection, OR...


    ...just join the Patreon group for only $1 a month and you get access to the same collection, plus over 100 other Video Guitar Lessons.

    Shop

    666 Real Lessons - Volume 2

    $6.66

    CLICK HERE to get Volumes 1 and 2 at a discount!


    You can think of this as sort of a grab bag of various things given to students throughout the years.


    Every collection contains Guitar Pro files. Yes, you will need to be able to view Guitar Pro 7 files to use this collection. I'm not affiliated with Guitar Pro, and I receive no money from sales from them. That being said, I highly recommend this program to anyone who is serious about learning and/or writing their own guitar music.


    As more students receive lessons, more volumes/collections will be released. Here is what you can find in volume two:

    • 8th Notes (this section has material with 8th notes being the fastest subdivision)
    • ​​Chord Strumming Focused - 60 items
    • Single Notes Focused - 61 items
    • Legato Focused - 37 items
    • 16th Notes (this section has material with 16th notes being the fastest subdivision)
    • Chord Strumming Focused - 62 items
    • Single Notes Focused - 137 items
    • Legato Focused - 57 items
    • Triplets (this section splits the beat up into 3 or 6 parts as the fastest subdivision)
    • Chord Strumming Focused - 24 items
    • Single Notes Focused - 76 items
    • Legato Focused - 54 items
    • Slower Than 8th Notes - 12 items
    • 19 Palm-Mute Focused Riffs
    • 5 Finger Tapping Licks/Riffs
    • 41 Tabs Pertaining to Arpeggios (not typical sweep picking)
    • 14 Tabs Pertaining to Sweep Picking
    • 4 Miscellaneous tabs
    Shop

    666 Real Guitar Lessons - Both Volumes

    $9.99

    Both Volumes 1 and 2 - 666 Real Lessons, giving you a total of 1,332 different things to play!


    You can think of this as sort of a grab bag of various things given to students throughout the years.


    Every collection contains Guitar Pro files. Yes, you will need to be able to view Guitar Pro 7 files to use this collection. I'm not affiliated with Guitar Pro, and I receive no money from sales from them. That being said, I highly recommend this program to anyone who is serious about learning and/or writing their own guitar music.

    Shop

    Author

    John Taylor, guitar instructor for Mile High Shred.

    Archives

    February 2021
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017

    Categories

    All
    Compressors
    Guitar Amps
    Guitar Picks
    Hand Forearm Strength And Health
    Hand-Forearm Strength And Health
    Instrument Cables
    Metronomes
    Overdrive Pedals
    Pedals

    RSS Feed

SKYPE
LESSONS

learn more

TWO FREE
​E
BOOKS

Learn More

100+ VIDEO
​LESSONS

learn more

INSTRUCTION
​COURSES

LEARN MORE

SHIRTS, HOODIES, ETC.

learn more

John@MileHighShred.com

  • Metal and Rock Guitar Lessons
    • Skype Lessons
    • Sign Up for Skype Guitar Lessons
    • Video Correspondence Lessons
    • Sign Up for Video Correspondence Lessons
    • Rates
    • Contact
    • Blog (LOTS of Free Lessons)
    • Student Testimonies
    • About John Taylor
  • Get TWO FREE eBooks
  • Instruction Courses
    • Speed/Tremolo Picking Course
    • Metal and Rock Guitar Rhythm Crash Course - Overview
    • Rhythm Work Sets
    • 666 Real Lessons
    • Free Four Week Rhythm Course
  • 100+ Video Guitar Lessons
    • Categorized List of Lessons
  • Gear Reviews
  • Store
  • Music Theory
    • Chord Theory >
      • What is a Chord?
      • Chord Formulas
  • Games and Quizzes
  • Online Metronome - FREE
  • Backing Tracks
  • Contest