1-2-4-4 fingering

[Johnny StingRay]

What is the 1-2-4-4 fingering? Can anyone give me an example of how it's used? Is it for playing scales? I feel dumb that I don't know this. I've read that Carol Kaye teaches it, but she doesn't explain it very well.
Peace, Johnny

[Matt Till]

Wouldn't that be your plucking hand going: Pointer Finger, Middle Finger, Pinky, Pinky?

[Lesfunk]

It's an adaptation of an upright fingering. It's not particularly fashionable. Usually electric players are taught the more efficient 1 finger per fret method. Or Extended fingering like Steve Bailey uses

[Johnny StingRay]

Originally Posted by Lesfunk

It's an adaptation of an upright fingering. It's not particularly fashionable. Usually electric players are taught the more efficient 1 finger per fret method. Or Extended fingering like Steve Bailey uses

Extended fingering? Could you tell a little more about that? Thank you.

[Lesfunk]

If you were to play a typical 1 octave g major scale starting on the low G on the E string,
Standard fingering would be: E string 2- 4......G-A
A String 1-2-4......B-C-D
D string 1-3-4......E-F#-G

Extended fingering would be: E string 1-2-4 G-A-B
A string 1-2-4 C-D-E
D string 1-2 F#-G or 1 slide 1 and start all over from there.

[Lesfunk]

It (extended fingering) allows you to cover more fretboard in fewer position jumps

[Johnny StingRay]

Originally Posted by Lesfunk

If you were to play a typical 1 octave g major scale starting on the low G on the E string,
Standard fingering would be: E string 2- 4......G-A
A String 1-2-4......B-C-D
D string 1-3-4......E-F#-G

Extended fingering would be: E string 1-2-4 G-A-B
A string 1-2-4 C-D-E
D string 1-2 F#-G or 1 slide 1 and start all over from there.

Thanks. Very clear explanation.
Peace, Johnny

[Lesfunk]

no prob glad to help

[alexit]

I started playing mostly no ring finger and then later working it in. I can now play either way. Although at first I thought it was a little weird when my teacher said to learn EB fingering in DB style, looking back, I'm glad it happened that way.

A lot of new players have the tendency to just plant their hand on the neck and "reach out" to fret, which is bad technique in itself. When applied to OFPF, it makes it even worse (and painful) as bass frets are pretty far apart (the proper way to do that style is to "pivot" the hand). Starting out with "mostly 3 fingers" got me in the habit of being comfortable shifting and pivoting around the board a lot, which was really good for my overall technique