FINGER GYMNASTICS
1213 1214 1231 1232 1234 1241 1242 1243
1312 1314 1321 1323 1324 1342 1341 1343
1412 1413 1423 1424 1431 1432 1434 1421
2312 2313 2314 2321 2324 2341 2342 2343
2412 2413 2414 2421 2423 2431 2432 2434
2123 2124 2131 2132 2134 2141 2142 2143
3412 3413 3414 3421 3423 3424 3431 3432
3121 3123 3124 3132 3134 3141 3142 3143
3212 3213 3214 3231 3234 3241 3242 3243
4121 4123 4124 4131 4132 4134 4142 4143
4212 4213 4214 4231 4232 4234 4241 4243
4312 4313 4314 4321 4323 4324 4341 4342
This exercise makes you play every possible four finger pattern. You can do this exercise on any string at any position on the neck. You will probably find that you can pick faster on the lower (thicker) strings. I usually practice it on the low E string. The idea is to cover a four fret area with your four fingers on your fretting hand - index(1), middle(2), ring(3) and pinky(4). Follow the finger patterns listed above while picking in a constant down-up motion.