Question: Exercises to help sloppy fingering when jumping the left hand?

[NCD]

The subject pretty much says it all. There are times when I move my left hand up or down the fingerboard in order to reach a note when:

- I finger between strings.

- I finger so far above the fret that the note sounds awful.

- I finger just below the fret and it kills the whole note or plays a half step too high.

- On a bad day I'll even fret the wrong string.

I know it requires practice, but is there anything specific that can be practiced that will help develop accurate fingering when making jumps with the left hand?

[Play Less Cool]

the spider exercise would be perfect for this

i learnt the exercise a while ago and when i finally watched a demonstration, i had been doing it wrong. but my adaptation was just as good and improved in some aspects.

try doing this exercise

i r m p r i p m
G-----9---10---7----8----------
D-------------------------------And repeat
A---7---8----9---10------------
E--------------------------------

try it on the E string as the root as well and then try it from E to G and single string gaps (E-A etc )

[carldogs]

+1 to spider exercise
also any type of exercise that involves a lot of shifting, here are some you can try;

Basic arpeggios

G----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|--1-|----|----|--4-||
D----|--1-|----|----|--4-|----|----|----|----|--2-|----|----||
A----|----|--2-|----|----|----|--1-|----|----|--4-|----|----||
E----|----|----|----|----|----|----|--2-|----|----|----|----||


This is a C triad 1 3 5, the numbers on the diagram refer to fingers, the idea is to play slowly 1 3 5 shift 1 3 5 shift 1 3 5 big shift to first triad, as you get used to this try reverse direction so the big jump is first. Try play this with a metronome on a slow setting and work on keeping the timing steady, especially the shifts so patterns start sounding connected. The way to getting this right is to anticipate the shifts so while you are playing the 3 to the 5 you are already looking to where you have to shift to. As you get better you can try not looking at the fret board except for the really big jumps.
This is a good way of learning the neck, once you know where the C triads are then try G, keep working through the notes.

Try this fingering for the C triad to build the pinky and ring finger, be careful not to injure any muscles.

open G string
Go---|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|--1-|----|----|--4-||
D----|--3-|----|----|--1-|----|----|----|----|--2-|----|----||
A----|----|--4-|----|----|----|--3-|----|----|----|----|----||
E----|----|----|----|----|----|----|--4-|----|----|----|----||

Other exercises are;

1) Playing notes or arpeggios from one string in cycles of fourths and fifths.

2) Playing scales on one string.

Good luck with trying these, I have gone to the octave position but try working past that as you can.

[NCD]

Thanks, I also checked out the spider in the sticky. Somehow I missed the sticky before posting.

If you're reading this thread looking for answers to the same problem, try the above and also check the sticky post.