Best fingers to use for fast legato runs


nick_leon
Registered User
Joined: 02/03/22
Posts: 2
nick_leon
Registered User
Joined: 02/03/22
Posts: 2
02/03/2022 1:56 pm

I had an online guitar lesson where we learnt some Slash style licks. One of the licks has a passage that goes

H P P

8 7 8 7 5

I have been using the one finger per fret rule always, so when it came to these legato phrases I always used my little finger.

However, this teacher was telling me to use my middle finger and third finger where I can as they are stronger fingers and more accurate and to only really use the little finger when needed or if it's a pattern that is like frets 5 6 8.

Interestingly enough Slash did talk about 3 fingers Vs 4 as a style choice of which he does both in this video. https://youtu.be/KxtCyFQam0k

I guess my question is, should I practice 2 fret stretches with my middle two fingers instead of sticking to the finger per fret rule?


# 1
DraconusJLM
Registered User
Joined: 06/21/21
Posts: 360
DraconusJLM
Registered User
Joined: 06/21/21
Posts: 360
02/03/2022 4:01 pm

Short answer is "yes".

Jazz players will often use index finger to cover 2x frets and also pinkie to cover 2x frets in a 6-fret span (middle and ring finger covering the 2x frets in the middle).

Gypsy Jazz guitarists often favour index and middle fingers only for solo runs (adding ring and pinkie for chords).

It's pretty much whatever works best in a practical scenario, but sometimes strict "this finger here" when doing exercises (eg. One finger per fret, but this can also include missed frets anywhere in the middle of the pattern, such as C major scale starting on 8th fret of the low E string.... 8, 10, 12 - A string 8, 10, 12 etc)


I wish this forum had a "block user" feature. Possibly I'm not the only one......

# 2
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
02/03/2022 8:15 pm
Originally Posted by: nick_leonHowever, this teacher was telling me to use my middle finger and third finger where I can as they are stronger fingers and more accurate and to only really use the little finger when needed or if it's a pattern that is like frets 5 6 8.[/quote]

Using your ring finger instead of your pinky is especially helpful in a rock context because quite often you will have to do a bend with the highest fretted note. And having your ring finger ready on that fret is efficient.

I think what Slash is getting at about using your ring finger instead of your pinky in that music context is that it's easier to apply any kind of vibrato control with other fingers. Once you put your pinky on the string you hinder your hand's range of motion for vibrato or string bending. Also once you are on a roll with the pentatonic boxes using index & ring fingers, it's often easier to just keep plowing through with those fingers instead of switching it up.

[quote=nick_leon]I guess my question is, should I practice 2 fret stretches with my middle two fingers instead of sticking to the finger per fret rule?

Practice it both ways. Then you'll be ready for any musical context.

The fundamental principle is to play with the most natural, effcient motion to make you playing as smooth & relaxed as possible. Starting with one finger per fret is a good standard to start with. But when it hinders your playing, then disregard it. Switch to whatever different fingering makes that musical passage easier to play.

I cover this issue in this tutorial on 3 note per string patterns.

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=929

Hope that helps!


Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor

Christopher Schlegel Lesson Directory
# 3
nick_leon
Registered User
Joined: 02/03/22
Posts: 2
nick_leon
Registered User
Joined: 02/03/22
Posts: 2
02/03/2022 9:13 pm

Thanks for your responses all. Very helpful!


# 4
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
02/04/2022 2:47 pm
Originally Posted by: nick_leon

Thanks for your responses all. Very helpful!

You're welcome!


Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor

Christopher Schlegel Lesson Directory
# 5

Please register with a free account to post on the forum.