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06-16-2005, 11:32 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Dallas, TX | | | Supporting 4th finger with 3rd
I find myself having to support my 4th finger with my 3rd, especially when playing the A and E strings. In other words the string vibration stops at my 4th finger but my 3rd is actually helping hold down the string. Is this normal fingering? Should it be avoided?
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06-16-2005, 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by GutOil I find myself having to support my 4th finger with my 3rd, especially when playing the A and E strings. In other words the string vibration stops at my 4th finger but my 3rd is actually helping hold down the string. Is this normal fingering? | Yes. Quote: |
Originally Posted by GutOil Should it be avoided? | No.
Do you have a teacher? |
06-16-2005, 12:05 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Dallas, TX | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Ray Parker Do you have a teacher? | No. I'm looking for one around McKinney, TX (near Dallas). |
06-16-2005, 12:07 PM
| | | | This is something one usually learns from the start... |
06-16-2005, 12:16 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Dallas, TX | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by DZ This is something one usually learns from the start... | Right, I've been playing about 2 months on a rental. My theory is pretty good but I need help w/ technique. |
06-16-2005, 12:41 PM
|  | Musical Anarchist | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sutton, MA | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by GutOil No. I'm looking for one around McKinney, TX (near Dallas). | McKinney is near Denton. Lynn Seaton, Drew Phelps. I think John Adams, Ed Wise and a few others are in the Dallas area too. |
06-16-2005, 01:15 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Dallas, TX | | | Thank you
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Freddels McKinney is near Denton. Lynn Seaton, Drew Phelps. I think John Adams, Ed Wise and a few others are in the Dallas area too. | Thank you! |
06-16-2005, 01:45 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Louisville Orchestra, KY | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by GutOil ...the string vibration stops at my 4th finger but my 3rd is actually helping hold down the string. Is this normal fingering? | This is standard technique. The more support you can get from neighboring fingers (eg. holding down first finger while the 2nd and/or fourth plays) will help with strength and create less wasted motion! |
06-16-2005, 04:53 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago, IL | | | When you put your fourth finger down on the string, make sure that all four fingers are pressed down.
At least for beginning, you can pretend your third and fourth fingers are glued together. Because for your purposes, until you reach thumb position (which I am assuming you have not reached!), ALL that your third finger does is support the fourth finger.
Try putting all four fingers down on the string. The space from 1 to 2 should be a half step. And the space from 2 to 4 should also be a half step. Make sure the third finger goes down whenever the fourth finger goes down.
When you are playing notes with 1 or 2, be careful not to take your other fingers too far off the string. Keeping them close to the string is an extremely important habit to form.
Why am I even telling you this? Get a teacher as soon as humanly possible -- one who will harass you until everything is ok. There are a million things you need to know, a million things to program into your fingers and your mind! |
06-16-2005, 08:49 PM
|  | Student of Life Forum Administrator | | Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Louisville, KY | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Tbeers When you put your fourth finger down on the string, make sure that all four fingers are pressed down. | This is a valid method taught by some. Others use a shifting of arm weight from finger to finger, so that only the finger that is playing is actually pressed down into the fingerboard (although the lesser numbered fingers - when applicable - will still be resting on the string). I would suggest trying all of the various approaches and choosing the one that works best for your body. Under the guidance of a teacher at first, of course.  |
06-17-2005, 04:30 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: West Tennessee | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Tbeers When you are playing notes with 1 or 2, be careful not to take your other fingers too far off the string. Keeping them close to the string is an extremely important habit to form. | This was/is one of my worst habits from pre-teacher time. It is something I still struggle to break.
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06-17-2005, 04:55 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | | Same here. I hate it when I catch myself doing that. |
06-17-2005, 04:59 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | | Keep those sucka's cocked and ready!
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06-17-2005, 04:55 PM
| | "Working Bassist" | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton Keep those sucka's cocked and ready! | I misread that first time through   |
06-18-2005, 05:34 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by airbass I misread that first time through | Never a dull moment, eh Andy?? I didn't notice it either......that's one for Alexi's bottom banner!
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Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz:
Last edited by Paul Warburton : 06-18-2005 at 05:37 AM.
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06-18-2005, 05:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2003 Location: Brooklyn | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Paul Warburton that's one for Alexi's bottom banner! | Duly Noted. 
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Originally Posted by Paul Warburton Take me to the bathroom now Jesus!!!!! | http://alexidavid.com |
06-20-2005, 06:15 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | | You da MAN, Alexi!
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Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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