Most compendiums of studies and exercises suffer the same fate as the infamous home-trainers: one sets out full of good intentions but after a few weeks of blood, sweat and tears they are left to gather dust in a corner. Why? Any athlete prefers a proper cross-country run to a stint on the treadmill. If there is variety and a chance to make decisions, all the senses become involved. May this set of studies be spared the fate of the exercise-machine, rather they should serve as the equivalent of a cross-country run with people feeling liberated, ‘with-it’ and keen to set and achieve their own targets.

Exercises for the left hand - Waking up the fingers - Double stops in the neck positions - Double stops in thumb positions - Changes of position on the chromatic/diatonic scale - Changes of position in free fall on the chromatic/diatonic scale - Extensions on the chromatic/diatonic scale - Octaves on the chromatic/diatonic scale - Thirds and fourths - Natural harmonics - Artificial harmonics - Exercises for the right hand - on one string - on two strings - on three strings - on four strings