i've been doing this for some time with individual notes that go up and down the fretboard, string to string. I can get my fingers to move just fine, it's just that I don't think my hand wants to stay perpendicular to the neck, which throws me off from where i should be as i transition.

Just like everything else, it takes time. On a different note, curious if anyone can play 'moonlight sonata', as i think that is a beautiful song...