A very useful exercise for sight reading and playing from the ear is transposing melodies. Whenever I play a melody I do always try to play the same one octave higher or lower or in another key. Very often by this method I discover other possibilities to play the melody and make a better version. Sometimes it is more easy to use chords, sometimes it is even easier to play the melody.

If you play the melody higher it is often necessary to use the higher positions. By this you will get acquainted to the positions and learn to make use of it.

In general it is also very easy to go up or down one string to play the melody a fifth higher or lower.

Just try it out!