Originally Posted by: KasperowWhat is the best way to improve my speed and precision at the same time? Are there any great exercises specifically for that, or is it just "practice slowly and gradually increase speed"?

Everyone has given you great advice!

Let's start at the beginning. In GF2 I teach very specific ways to play & practice scales with a metronome. These are patterns of:

1. Straight up & down the scale.
2. Up & down in 3's.
3. Up & down in 4's.
4. Up & down in pedal point.

These 4 basic permutations will give you all the fundamental tools you need to play any given series of notes. These are all covered in depth here:

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=451

After that you can try more advanced options. For example, you want to visually map the entire fretboard with major & minor scales.

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=453
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=887

Then you want to play scale exercises that sequence the notes of those scale patterns in musical ways.

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=419
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=898
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=899
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=462

Then you are ready to try to play those patterns in time with a metronome or backing track in order to get up to speed with them.

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=287
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=928
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=929

There's also this series on the pentatonic scales that get used frequently in blues & rock.

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=296
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=722
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=185

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=737
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=843
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=914

Whew. :) That's a lot of material, yeah? But, please keep in mind that this list is not something you'll work on over the weekend & then you're done. This is a comprehensive list of how to practice scales not just to build speed & precision, but also to prepare for playing them in music.

Further, these exercises are exactly what I practice every single day in order to warm up & maintain a high level of proficiency at guitar. These exercises are something that you can use for the rest of your guitar playing life!

Hope this helps. Ask more if necessary. Have fun! :)