ive been playing guitar for about 5 years and only recently have i really knuckled down and set myself the aim of improving. Since about november ive been trying to crack Eugenes trick bag from the end of the crossroads (1986 movie) duel and had to practically re-invent my technique from the ground up to be able to play it. Im getting somewhere close to the full speed now, and this one piece has done more for my technique than anything else ever - ive started pulling off some sweet sweep picking licks and all sorts at speeds i never thought i would be able to play so im quite happy but theres one thing ever since i started playing guitar way back then thats still bothering me: The left hand pinky.
Theres a section in Eugenes Trick Bag that involves some E string arpegios with the open E as the pedal note.. and although i can play them at about 70 - 80 bpm they need to be at 150 bpm ish and i simply can not get my pinky to move that fast
Basic pattern:
(16th notes to be played at approx 160bpm)
-7--4-----0---7--4-----0- etc etc
-------5------------5----
-------------------------
-------------------------
-------------------------
-------------------------
4 1 2 ~ 4 1 2 ~ (fingering)
The thing is my pinky has this tendecy to lift about 2 inches (!!) away from the fret board whenever i lift it after fretting a note with it - especially when im in this hand position (knuckles at almost 45 degrees to the neck). when im plaing scales etc on lower strings its less of a problem but the pinky does tend to 'fly away' from the fretboard after its used whatever my hand position is. I was once told that you really need all 4 fingers covering 4 frets and floating just above them - i can do this fine if im playing up a scale but cant seem to ontain this position when im going down a scale. Hope this is making some sense.. if anyone can make any suggestions or suggest some excercises or licks to practice, or a specific trick to playing the above section it would be very appreciated
as i can (on agood day) pull off the rest of this piece without too much trouble.
Thanks,
~Tweak~
"This is way too much pressure!"
