Playing fast for the sake of playing fast is silly. Yep. I've said something like this before. Guilty. You might not expect a lesson focused on speed building from a laid back finger picker like me. And while I stand by my comment about playing fast, the truth is you do need to work on your ability to play fast. For two reasons: 1. Having the physical ability to play fast makes the slower stuff a breeze. 2. The speed is there when you need it. The key is, play fast when it counts. You don't have to play fast all the time, but having the ability to break out a fast run when you need it comes in handy. How to Build Finger Picking Speed If you want to build speed, start slow. But be consistent. The exercise in this lesson is certainly on the bluegrass side of things. It sounds like a banjo roll -- not very bluesy. But, this little exercise has helped build up my speed in my picking hand. And the sheer repetition builds muscle memory. If you practice this for a while, your fingers will start to take on a mind of their own. You will eventually be able to play this exercise on autopilot. If you want to grab the tab of this lesson (PDF or GuitarPro) check out the post here: http://www.bluesguitarinstitute.com/quick-exercise-build-finger-picking-speed Also, check out Blues Guitar Institute for more tips, licks and lessons like the one in this video: http://www.bluesguitarinstitute.com/YT036 Good luck to you with this exercise and be sure to let me know how it works out for you. Play on! John PS - Music is for sharing so please share this link on your social site of choice: http://youtu.be/xBat5EY45wo