First position and hand placements

[jimiwater]

I've been using Learn and Master Guitar by Steve Krenz and he insisted on using the fingers 1 - 4 on the first four positions (frets). Only use the ring finger for anything on the 3rd fret. But after watching excercise 5 and 6 on the acoustic blues course, Griff does not follow this strick rule.

My question is should I try and follow Griff's style of sliding down the neck and use fingers 1 - 3 for the majority of the excercises. I can honestly say this feels almost wrong. When I'm using the tabs and I see 4 my pinky is on it. Will this slow me down?

Would really like to hear from all of you as well as from Griff.

Jim Fountain

 

[mountain man]

Jim, Many instructors will just say do what is comfortable. The Riff Ninja is also teaching one finger per fret and I think in the beginning it is a good way to go. It will help get that pinky coordinated and stronger. Then you will see that once you start sliding up or down to different positions and depending if you are going to play left facing (down) or right facing (up), your fingering may need to change. I try to play as much as I can with my pinky but when I am trying to play a tune up to speed I may need to stretch that ring finger up (like Gary Moore) as it is more accurate and stronger. Bottomline is in the beginning it's good to see just how good your pinky can be but in the end you need to play the note properly in a live band or recording setting. It's like golf, there are no narratives on a scorecard. It's all about how it sounds in music.

 

[jimiwater]

Mtman, Is there a reason Griff plays excercise 5 and 6 using his index finger on the second fret. Is there a reason for this now and down the line in the course.

 

[MikeS]

I go with Griff. Do what works best for you.

 

[KiloMike]

Jim,
It really has to do with the style you are learning. In general, Classical guitar is very strict on the "rules" regarding fingering. Griff apparently has this background, because, if you watch enough of his videos and courses (and I have more than I would ever be comfortable telling my wife about!), he points out some of those differences.
In Blues guitar, most of the time, you are playing out of one of the pentatonic "boxes" which have only two notes per string. When you add the blue note to the scale, you now have 3 notes on a couple of strings. When I started late last year, I was shocked at how much playing is done between the first and third or first and fourth fingers. I find that I use my middle finger very little, comparatively.
As for this set of exercises, I think the reason Griff starts with his index finger on the second fret is because of what he knows is coming later. When you get to exercise 35 in the "Blues in E Rhythm" section (take a peek), it will all make sense.
My advise, as a relative newbie, do what you see Griff do, unless he tells you different (which he does, sometimes!).

 

[Norfolk Bill]

good answer , general guitar tuition stipulates the 1 finger per fret , most tab even has the finger numbers included as well, for blues? maybe not. i tried a few years ago to play like that but couldnt due to bad habbits already there , a lot of famous players get away with just two

 

[mountain man]

Mtman, Is there a reason Griff plays excercise 5 and 6 using his index finger on the second fret. Is there a reason for this now and down the line in the course.

I just had to go get the ABGU course and play Example's 5 and 6. The first thing I can say is that it is comfortable playing like that. When you look at playing the shuffle off the nut you really aren't doing anything with the first fret until you play the final walk up. Also, if you are looking at the 12 bar Blues, in both tunes in the 9th fret you are going into the 5 chord and your index finger starts the measure on the 2nd fret of the A string. So it's just comfortable playing it there and probably technically more correct.

 

[Norfolk Bill]

try this unless youve done it properly and learnt it this way from scratch it very hard even not using your first finger on the root feels odd lol

 

[mountain man]

I just viewed this video from Griff. Look at his pinky in this little stair stepping riff.

http://bluesguitarunleashed.com/blog/stairstepping-down/

As I mentioned earlier, it's good to learn as much as you can using the pinky...........

 

[HotLks]

I use my pinky in strict form when doing scales in drill type position fashion for the reason Mtnman says. It builds strength and keeps me from having a lame pinky. When playing, I use the fingers that get me where I'm going next or the fingers that can most quickly get into the action relative to where I just came from as quickly as possible which can quite literally mean any finger can be the "correct" one for a given fret in a given situation.

Regarding the first position, unless my next move warrants it or my previous move warrants it, I always play first position strictly 1 finger per fret. That's how I learned as a kid and it stuck with me all these years.

As a "general" rule, I try to do one finger per fret with the above considerations.

See you down the road!

 

[PapaBear]

Do what feels right to you

 

[Jalapeno]

I've been using Learn and Master Guitar by Steve Krenz and he insisted on using the fingers 1 - 4 on the first four positions (frets). Only use the ring finger for anything on the 3rd fret. But after watching excercise 5 and 6 on the acoustic blues course, Griff does not follow this strick rule.

My question is should I try and follow Griff's style of sliding down the neck and use fingers 1 - 3 for the majority of the excercises. I can honestly say this feels almost wrong. When I'm using the tabs and I see 4 my pinky is on it. Will this slow me down?

Would really like to hear from all of you as well as from Griff.

Jim Fountain

How far have you gotten into L&M? I completed the course. In the beginning Steve is trying to teach you good technique, but also to get you using all four fingers and getting some early stretching in. Also, the first 4 lessons are all in the first position, if I recall correctly, so you only have 4 frets and it works out well to use one finger per fret. Don't worry about it, as you move to other positions up the fingerboard you'll find what works best for you. Since I started with L&M I find that I use my pinky more than a lot of guitarists do. I have a Truefire course where the instructor doesn't want you to use the pinky because, in his words, "you'll never use it in real life". I thought that was one of the most idiotic things I've ever heard in a guitar lesson.

 

[Silicon Valley Tom]

It is nice to follow exactly what your teacher demands so you can be a “little version of that person”. After you gain experience I suggest you determine for your self what works best.

I play many different styles of guitar, and have had some demanding teachers. Andres Segovia comes to mind. There was only one way he would accept the guitar to be played.

In classical, flamenco and many forms of finger style guitar, you will use I,M,A,and m (all fingers of the left hand). Some styles of finger style differ. Some styles use the thumb (P). but never classical or flamenco.

Then we get into right hand fingering. In classical and flamenco you will use P, I,M,A, and m on any of the six strings. Other styles are different and vary. One style uses I for the third string, A for the second string, and M for the first string, with P for the 6th, 5th and 4th strings.

What is helpful to me is to see the notation or tab, and determine what left and right hand fingering are best for the piece being played. With a bit of practice anyone can do this. Not getting held up by another persons approach is best for the individual. Economy of motion should be your goal.





Tom

 

[mountain man]

It is nice to follow exactly what your teacher demands so you can be a “little version of that person”. After you gain experience I suggest you determine for your self what works best.

I play many different styles of guitar, and have had some demanding teachers. Andres Segovia comes to mind. There was only one way he would accept the guitar to be played.

In classical, flamenco and many forms of finger style guitar, you will use I,M,A,and m (all fingers of the left hand). Some styles of finger style differ. Some styles use the thumb (P). but never classical or flamenco.

Then we get into right hand fingering. In classical and flamenco you will use P, I,M,A, and m on any of the six strings. Other styles are different and vary. One style uses I for the third string, A for the second string, and M for the first string, with P for the 6th, 5th and 4th strings.

What is helpful to me is to see the notation or tab, and determine what left and right hand fingering are best for the piece being played. With a bit of practice anyone can do this. Not getting held up by another persons approach is best for the individual. Economy of motion should be your goal.

Tom

One of your teachers was Andres Segovia? wow!!

 

[jimiwater]

Thanks all, I'm fingering like Griff. Took a minute for my fingers to realize what I was doing, many times there would be 2 fingers fighting for the same fret...

I got to section 13 on the Learn and Master course. Peaked ahead up to section 17. Really enjoying seeing tab again, makes it faster to learn.

Started Exercise 9 and 10 this morning...how kool is picking and clawing (finger picking) combined. I've been wanting to do that for a while.

Fun stuff folks. Jim Fountain

 

[piebaldpython]

For fingering hand stuff, it's always best to follow the teacher strictly and then adapt it to your "own" style at a later time.....except of course, when it comes to playing slide. haha

 

[paul wilson white]

i agree with all the others use your pinky to strengthen it and for scale runs up and down also for pull offs on the 1st and 2nd string like gary moore but in the end you will find what works best for you,i mean is there even a write way technically as long as the lick or walk up sounds perfect and your happy that is all that matters i guess,but i personally just stick to GRIFF HAMLINS WAY

 

[david moon]

i agree with all the others use your pinky to strengthen it and for scale runs up and down also for pull offs on the 1st and 2nd string like gary moore but in the end you will find what works best for you,i mean is there even a write way technically as long as the lick or walk up sounds perfect and your happy that is all that matters i guess,but i personally just stick to GRIFF HAMLINS WAY

Griff isn't God but he's a fricken' good teacher.

 

[paul wilson white]

Griff isn't God but he's a fricken' good teacher.

i agree totally

 

[Marv]

Alas, Clapton is God.