You'll need to keep a daily journal of your metronome tempos. Don't bypass this suggestion. The journal is necessary to maintain a consistency, as well as to keep you appraised of your daily, weekly, and monthly progress.
This excercise can be and should be used for both hands.
First we'll take a look at using it to develop left hand finger independence. Start by mentally labelling each finger on the left hand:
Next, note that there are only 24 ways that these 4 objects (fingers) can be combined. Here are all of those possible combinations:
24 FINGERING COMBINATIONS FOR THE LEFT HAND
| 1 2 3 4 | 2 1 3 4 | 3 1 2 4 | 4 1 2 3 |
| 1 2 4 3 | 2 1 4 3 | 3 1 4 2 | 4 1 3 2 |
| 1 3 2 4 | 2 3 1 4 | 3 2 1 4 | 4 2 1 3 |
| 1 3 4 2 | 2 3 4 1 | 3 2 4 1 | 4 2 3 1 |
| 1 4 2 3 | 2 4 1 3 | 3 4 1 2 | 4 3 1 2 |
| 1 4 3 2 | 2 4 3 1 | 3 4 2 1 | 4 3 2 1 |
Begin the excercise by starting with the first combination, 1 2 3 4. Play this combination on the 6th (bottom) string of your guitar, assigning each number to it's respective finger. Play this combination on the 6th string twice, then the 5th string twice, the fourth, and so on, until reaching the first string. After reaching the first string, do it on the 2nd again, then the third again, and so on. After reaching the 6th string again, change the combination to the next one on the list (1 2 4 3), and repeat this entire sequence. Continue in this fashion until you've played through all of the listed combinations. Be aware that your left hand tempo will probably be slower than your right hand tempo for these excercises.
Your initial tempo will be set by whichever combination is the most difficult for you to play. Play all combinations with absolute cleanliness; set the metronome to the tempo that you can play the most difficult combination with absolute cleanliness.
From this day forward, practice this excercise at least 3 or 4 times a week, WITH THESE RESTRICTIONS:
24 FINGERING COMBINATIONS FOR THE RIGHT HAND
We'll use the same set of combinations displayed above for the right hand excercises. Start by making an arbitrary chord shape on the top four strings of the guitar. Make it one that pleases you, because you'll be hearing a lot of it. Now assign the number 1 to the top string (E), number 2 to the 2nd string (B), number 3 to the 3rd string (G), and number 4 to the 4th string (D). Use the chart of combinations to to give your picking hand a real work out. Be aware that your right hand tempo will probably be slower than your left hand tempo for these excercises.
From this day forward, practice this excercise at least 3 or 4 times a week, WITH THESE RESTRICTIONS: