I find that doing trills (rapid hammer-pulloff) with the pinky help me lot.

One of the exercises I do is chromatic runs (up-down the neck) with the hammer-pulloff trill.

eg. finger: index & 2nd finger

e|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-2h-1p-2h-----3-2p-3h-2p------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B|---------------------------------------------------------------1-2h-1p-2h-------------------------------------3-2p-3h-2p--------------------------------------------------------------------
G|-----------------------------------------------1-2h-1p-2h----------------------------------------------------------------------3-2p-3h-2p---------------------------------------------------
D|--------------------------------1-2h-1p-2h-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3-2p-3h-2p-----------------------------------
A|-----------------1-2h-1p-2h-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3-2p-3h-2p-------------------
E|-1-2h-1p-2h----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3-2p-3h-2p--

accend to say fret 9 (or 12 or any fret) and then decend again to the nut.

Then repeat the above using the 2nd finger & 3rd, 3rd & pinky.

Can continue if wish using different finger combinations
eg.
1st (index) & 3rd,
2nd & pinky
3rd & pinky.

Hope that helps.

This post has been edited by Banzai_san: Jun 25 2007, 10:02 PM

IMHO, the above trill exercise is one of the best exercises for strengthening the fingers (for me at least).

I find that for myself, the trill exercise give faster/better result (finger strengthening wise) than doing the diatonic scales runs. Its one of my fav.

I also notice some improvement in my speed ( Im a slowcoach when comes to speed )& hitting notes more cleanly after Ive started doing that type of exercise.

btw, thanks crazychris for the info on Billy Sheehan. Learn something new today

This post has been edited by Banzai_san: Jun 25 2007, 11:48 PM