Noise from other finger!

[jlerner]

AN:

I'm trying to improve my plucking hand. Focusing on rest strokes and a movable anchor as shown in this nice video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDzRqeS0ruQ

But I'm noticing that when I stroke with my middle finger, I'm getting some noise from my index finger coming off the string it had just followed through to from the previous stroke. Subtle, but it's there, and it's a-n-n-o-y-i-n-g!

Any advice other than, "don't do that"?

Thanks!

Joe L

[fourstringburn]

Not sure how or what kind of noise you are getting. Are you dragging your index finger when you pluck with your middle? Try raising your fingers higher on each attack and always play things slowly so you can isolate where your problem is and work on it. Thumb anchoring as mentioned in the video is a good technique for a cleaner sound.

While it is good to take suggestions from other players on technique, Keep in mind that what may seem proper for one player might not be good for another. We all have different hand sizes and finger lengths. You need to find a common ground on what is considered proper and what feels natural. If I had large hands and long fingers I could be able to at least play with my plucking hand like the great jazz bassist, Stanley Clarke.

[Mayers]

Originally Posted by fourstringburn

Not sure how or what kind of noise you are getting. Are you dragging your index finger when you pluck with your middle? Try raising your fingers higher on each attack and always play things slowly so you can isolate where your problem is and work on it. Thumb anchoring as mentioned in the video is a good technique for a cleaner sound.

While it is good to take suggestions from other players on technique, Keep in mind that what may seem proper for one player might not be good for another. We all have different hand sizes and finger lengths. You need to find a common ground on what is considered proper and what feels natural. If I had large hands and long fingers I could be able to at least play with my plucking hand like the great jazz bassist, Stanley Clarke.

It seems that people with big hand tend to have wierd position. If you check Stanley Clark, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten, they all have a very wierd plucking hand position when they play finger style ( not slap ). It is bend in two angles ... not good at all. Even Stanley said so and felt bad fort that hahaha ( he said that in Bass Player Mag where they played for the first time toghetter ).

[JimL]

fourstringburn and Mayers - that's interesting. I have big hands but I have trouble keeping the little finger on my fretting hand off the higher strings when I'm using it on lower strings. I've always thought it was just weaker from less use but your comment made me look closer and compare it to other people's hands. My little finger is a lotshorter than my index through ring fingers (I measured and it's 1-1/5" shorter).

[adamnitti]

hi joe... any chance you could email me or post for me a video of your hand and i can critique? if not, can you be even more specific about each individual motion your hand is making when this happens?

Originally Posted by jlerner

AN:

I'm trying to improve my plucking hand. Focusing on rest strokes and a movable anchor as shown in this nice video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDzRqeS0ruQ

But I'm noticing that when I stroke with my middle finger, I'm getting some noise from my index finger coming off the string it had just followed through to from the previous stroke. Subtle, but it's there, and it's a-n-n-o-y-i-n-g!

Any advice other than, "don't do that"?

Thanks!

Joe L

[jlerner]

Very nice offer Adam! I'm sure at my next lesson with Ant Wellington we'll be able to cover this in person.

Thanks!

Joe