i totally agree that the chromatic scale is the most boring part of music, BUT playing songs (like the dorky little ones we played learning music in elementary school) really do help. First trying playing songs you ALREADY know, like Yankee Doodle or something, then change the key and play it on a different set of strings,up the neck, etc. last thing the hardest practice exercise i had to do was Flight of the Bumblebee, no dont start laughin at me yet. try to find it on the net, its crazy hard at first. u might find it at http://www.guitaru.com....dont know check it out. hope i helped, later.