Fingerstyle players: which finger do you lead with?

[kenfxj]

Index. And yeah, my pinky finger does stick out a lot. Like I'm enjoying a fine cup of tea. Never really noticed it before. Thanks. A lot.

[jeremy c]

First.

[dsanders]

I tend to lead with my middle, with one exception. For some reason if I am in first position or if I am playing the B string, I lead with my index. I wonder why...

[davio]

I also play m-i-t at times. I think that came from wanting to play classical guitar for years. But now that I've been taking lessons at it I can apply the technique a bit better.

 

Originally posted by wraub:

Does the pinky on your picking hand stick out?

And if so, when?

Never. I thought it looked awkward when I first started playing so I trained myself not to do it.

[dcr]

I don't think the pinky on my right (plucking) hand sticks out. But I do have this awful habit of curling my pinky on my left hand under, like it just goes into hiding until I need it. I'm sure a good teacher would have a thousand fits upon seeing this. But, there it is.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

Damn you all! Now that I'm thinking about the fingers, I can't play crap. I was better off when the right hand was in autopilot. It's like being aware that you tongue is all bunched up in your mouth.

 

Since I'm at the wide end of the bassist talent pyramid, I'm no authority. I lead with the index unless I know I'm going to a lower string right away, unless I forget what finger I'm using for what anyway.

 

Pinky is tucked in against the palm, right next to the thrid finger (I am sooo not ready for fast triplets), but I am probably playing with my hand too far away from the body anyway.

[Max Valentino]

Some years back, in an effort to gain more rhythmic "insights", I took drum lessons from a VERY good drummer and teacher (and it did work for learning higher rhythmic concepts and applying these to the bass). In so I learned of the drummer's concept of "balancing" the right and left hands often applied through paradiddles and the various permutations thereof. I have applied these to the fingers of my right right hand, and after a lot of practice, can "lead" with either my thumb (yes, I am another one of those guys...using the thumb in a kind of adapted apoyando technique), index or middle depending on the type of phrase, where it is leading and where it is coming from. Thios allows me to use a number of flamenco-derived right hand techniques when playing fingerstyle including various rakes, up and down strokes with any finger, individula string mutes and pats while "noting" with another string/finger, etc etc.

 

So...I "lead" with either, and both.

 

Max

[bc_dup1]

Interesting. I lead with my middle-finger but always assumed it was a bad habit and bad technique. When I came to try and play Rocca/Jaco type stuff all the technical tips seemed to imply it was better to lead with your index finger. I was convinced that I'd find the parts easier if I had learned to lead with my index.

 

I've made half-hearted attempts to "unlearn" my "bad habit" but realised I'd have to put in an awful lot of hours. This thread makes me realise it's a lot more common than I thought, and maybe not such a bad thing as I thought, either.

[Sir Ethelred Hedgerow-Hedg]

You know how it all goes wrong when you start thinking about it?

 

Damn you bumpcity

[cloclo]

sometimes thumb

sometimes first

sometimes middle

 

i do not think about it

 

my hands seem to have a memory of their own and seem to play in the most economical way they can muster (a lot of unconscious right hand pinky muting is going on also)

[Tenstrum]

I also employ the "Geezer Claw" on occasion...

[...]

Originally posted by dcr:

But I do have this awful habit of curling my pinky on my left hand under, like it just goes into hiding until I need it. I'm sure a good teacher would have a thousand fits upon seeing this. But, there it is.

Yes. That is bad. I used to do that too, or at least something similar. I also would rotate my fretting hand some because I guess it felt more natural when I first started playing; basically my ring and pinky fingers were both nowhere near where they should be. Your fretting hand fingers should always be hovering over the neck. Less movement is better movement.

 

Originally posted by The Very Rvd. Joe Grundy:

You know how it all goes wrong when you start thinking about it?

 

Damn you bumpcity

I know.

[wraub]

And just like that, the blame is back on Bumpcity.

 

 

Peace,

 

wraub

[...]

 

Yeah, I'm used to that. It's SO always my fault.

 

Global warming? Yeah, that was me. The Fed increasing interest rates, me (Alan Greenspan has my dog and bone on speed dial). George Lucas becoming mentally insane and thinking he can write good dialog? Totally my fault. Spam? Yeah, me. It sounded like a good idea at the time.