Fish Fingers

Gray

Anyone got any advice on finger positioning on more then one note?

E.g Whenever I play a power chord that spans over more then two notes i have difficulty producing a clean sound from the higher strings, currently i use my index for the lowest string (6th, 5th) in the chord and my ring finger for the other 2 notes but the highest note doesn't sound or plays dead. Same thing happens with similar chord configurations.

Is this just a matter of getting my ring finger strong enough to depress the final string down hard enough to sound or should I be incorporating my middle finger aswell?

AlanRatcliffe

Try use three fingers instead of two Gray. Only hold down more than one string with one finger if you have to because you've run out of fingers ?

Gray

Wow here comes a huge learning curve... :'(

Thanks for the advice Mr Ratcliffe.

NorioDS

Gray, I think it differs from person to person. We don't know what your hands look like or how comfortable (or uncomfortable) certain techniques are for you.

I know that I don't agree with Alan's advice because I just can't fit 3 fingers in the same fret. It's way too uncomfortable for me so I either find different voicings for the same chord or I use my third finger to barre 3 notes at a time.

It takes practice, and you've always got to adhere to ONE thing: do what works for you.

JoeyBones

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Try use three fingers instead of two Gray. Only hold down more than one string with one finger if you have to because you've run out of fingers ?

Otherwise you end up holding the neck like a lazy bass player ?

Gray

I knew this wasn't gonna be easy. I dont have a problem with either way, the chord is more transparent with more fingers but takes longer to produce and the opposite could be said about less fingers. Would it be bad to alternate between the two different styles or is it better to take the harder slower root with more fingers bearing in mind I can get all my fingers on without a problem and not hinder the sound of other strings.

I have to agree with you on the "what works for you" but I also dont want to get into a lazy system that causes problems for me later.
It's easier for me to produce the chord by holding down the two strings with one finger and only careful ears would be able to notice the difference but its been awhile and it still hasn't sounded the string properly.

JoeyBones

I played a song yesterday and alternated between playing the chorus in open, barre and power chords (Used these when I kicked the OD in). It doesn't come over night and my chordwork is still too messy for my liking. Practice makes perfect.

AlanRatcliffe

Norio wrote: It takes practice

'S'true.

and you've always got to adhere to ONE thing: do what works for you.

Being self taught, that's the story of my playing, but there are times when I really regret this approach. I wish I'd had a teacher to force me to learn theory, stop me from playing with the pad of my left hand little finger instead of the tip and make me learn to use a pick too (the latter would have shaved years off of learning to play The Attitude Song).

On the upside, I do some stuff that's pretty unique and have reached a level of fingerpicking speed and accuracy that I can be proud of.

'Course, I'm old and set in my ways now.

NorioDS

That's the thing, Alan. I think that what makes us interesting and unique as players is finding our own way. I'm not saying don't have a teacher. I'm saying try everything once and then go with what turns you on.

Btw, you'd love the Brett Garsed DVD sitting on my table here. Nice hybrid picking exercises that should come naturally to you.

Gray

Thanks guys I got alot more out of this thread then I hoped for. ?

stop me from playing with the pad of my left hand little finger instead of the tip

Otherwise you end up holding the neck like a lazy bass player

AlanRatcliffe

Hybrid's something I never got into - I could never get my little finger to co-operate (even for fingerpicking).

I was just watching some Bumblefoot lessons on GPTV where he does some interesting hybrid picking mixed with left hand hammer-ons and slides. Not too much of a mind bender until you realise his left hand is in 4/4 and his right is playing in 3/4... I mean, WTF? Polyrhthmic picking?

JoeyBones

If you want to learn good technique and are willing to put in the time, take classical lessons. I did for a just under a year and I almost gave up playing guitar after that. I have to say that all the blood sweat and tears is starting to pay of. I find myself going back to correct technique alot lately especially when I play acoustic and it's getting easier to play that way.

NorioDS

Brett doesn't use his pinky, really, and he gets a LOT of mileage out of how he does it!

Imagine getting the same sound as sweep-picking but without barely moving your hand. It's awesome and you probably already have the nails and technique to get into it easily ;D

arjunmenon

As usual, i'm jumpin into this after the dust has settled. With reference to playing tricky chords/voicings and related finger positions, it takes a lot of practise and building finger/hand memory (and knowing the positions of the frets by heart) to play extremely quick changes (e.g add 9th voicings to various suspended voicings to minor 7th voicing to various other voicings) convincingly. As Billy Sheehan says, if you hit a bum note, act like nothing happened and move on, and refine it when you're practising.
On the flip side, as Norio suggests, if you know your chord formulae, then you can convincingly play through the changes effectively with the use of triads (best example : Frank Gambale) and you can always convey tonalities without having to play the entire thing (lesson: 11ths & 13ths don't sound good distorted. See Petrucci's Rock Discipline and Friedman's Melodic control for more info on this)

And now that we've deviated from the above topic and on to the finger vs pick debate, i've never been good without a pick (though, i can play chordal passages without issues). I find that its good to have a good foundation in both methods and a few people whose picking skills are beyond compare IMO are Steve Morse, John Petrucci, Michael Romeo, Richie Kotzen and Malmsteen.
Then again, i've found much inspiration listening to Al DiMeola, Paco De Lucia ,John McLaughlin , Abercrombie and Scofield.
In the end, it probably boils down to playability and the inspiration behind.