This pet etude of mine is an evil chops-buster. So why should you subject yourself to this hand-mangling torture? Because what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger -- and, hey, it sounds cool, too. The etude outlines the diatonic 7th chords in C major (Cmaj7, Dm7, Em7, Fmaj7, G7, Am7, Bm7b5), ascending and descending through each chord with a combination of scale-step motion and chordal arpeggios.

Here are a few tips to help you get the etude up to higher tempos without sacrificing clarity or articulation: Memorize the etude, so you can focus on playing -- not sight-reading. Loop the etude over and over for about five minutes, once or twice daily. Play it slowly, with a metronome -- slow enough that you make zero mistakes. Never increase the tempo until you're totally comfortable with the tempo you've been working with, and don't raise it by more than five bpm at a time. Pay close attention to the pick-stroke indications. They'll help you pick efficiently throughout the etude.

One caveat: Playing technique-intensive exercises like this can be strenuous for your hands -- and over-doing it can lead to injuries. Beginning your practice sessions with a gentle warm-up is good preventive medicine.