Looking for something different to practice? You could try playing a few major scales. I suggest beginning with the G scale, which starts on the  3rd fret of the bottom (the lowest, or “6th”) string. Use your second finger to play the G. Play up through just one octave of the scale (up to the open 4th string) before going any farther. Notice that the notes A and D (the 2nd & 5th notes of the G scale) can be played using the open 5th and open 4th strings, respectively. Of course, those notes can also be played with the pinky on the 5th fret of the two lower strings. Now try playing it again, but this time continuing the scale up another octave and ending on the higher G, up on the 3rd fret of the highest (or “1st”) string. Notice that the notes B and E (the 3rd & 6th notes of the G scale) can be played using the open 2nd and open 6th strings. And of course, these two notes can also be played elsewhere up the fingerboard on lower strings.

Now try playing through both octaves (not stopping on any note until you reach the high G) and then go down again, top to bottom, to the low G.  Remember to play slowly and evenly to get each note, and alternate picking!

You could try the A major scale next, if you want… I will get into that one more next week!