Anyone got any good dexterity exercises they could share?

[Kerim]

Just starting out, and my left hand is incredibly weak. I can't really make transitions from chord to chord.

Any exercises you guys know about (With or without the guitar)?

[capitalalchemy]

Yeah, these are two legato exercises, but they help with individual finger strength and dexterity, which should also help you with chord changes too.

|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|o
|--2h3p2h4p2h5p2h4p2h3p2--------------------|o
|----------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------|


Chromatic Legato Exercise

|-----------------------------------------------1h2h3h4--|
|--------------------------------------1h2h3h4-----------|
|-----------------------------1h2h3h4--------------------|
|--------------------1h2h3h4-----------------------------|
|-----------1h2h3h4--------------------------------------|
|--1h2h3h4-----------------------------------------------|

|--4p3p2p1-----------------------------------------------|
|-----------4p3p2p1--------------------------------------|
|--------------------4p3p2p1-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------4p3p2p1--------------------|
|--------------------------------------4p3p2p1-----------|
|-----------------------------------------------4p3p2p1--|

Chord shift exercise

|----------------------------|
|---3--6--4--7--5--8--6--9--|
|---4--5--5--6--6--7--7--8--|o
|---5--4--6--5--7--6--8--7--|o
|---6--3--7--4--8--5--9--6--|
|----------------------------|

The last one you can repeat all the way up the neck, and do it starting on different strings. Once you try it - you'll see the pattern.

[bugman]

Finger excersizes for left and right (if you're interested in fingerstyle) hands

[Ferox Canorus]

-1h2p1h2p1h2p1h2-1h3p1h3p1h3p1h3-1h4p1h4p1h4p1h4-1h3p1h3p1h3p1h3
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------

Repeat the trill with: 2 and 3, 2 and 4, 3 and 4, 2 and 4
Repeat on all strings
Move up a fret and do it all over again
This WILL kill you.

[Willie_G]

I suggest getting a pair of these things:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG5NCiIJ8uw

Baoding Iron Balls or Chinese Health Balls or Meridian Balls, they have various names. They're cheap and they really work.

I've been experimenting with them for years and have my personal favorite exercises and stuff, but that video is really quite informative and shows a good number of techniques.

[Sonofarich]

I could give you an exercise for your left hand, but then I'd get banned... :rolleye:

[Willie_G]

I want to add that fingerboard exercises are really not the best way to strengthen your fingers/hands or improve dexterity. They'll help with your playing, obviously, but you run the risk of injuring yourself over time. You (we) should really be looking for alternative exercises to keep the joints healthy and avoid repetitive-stress type problems in the future.

Depending on techniques, Sonofarich's suggestion is generally more of a lower arm and wrist workout, btw ;)