John Myung's technique

Eyesee7 · #1 10-20-2009, 05:31 PM

You can get a good down-the-neck look at his playing style in this in-studio video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkF4JD2rO3Q

It appears that the fingers of his left fretting hand are lifted quite a distance off the fretboard when moving between notes, even straightening in some instances, i.e. he's playing a note and lifting that finger high off the fretboard, then bringing it down again to play the next note with that finger.

Wouldn't this be considered a less economical style than keeping the fingers curled and close to the fretboard between notes? I can't imagine taking lessons and being taught to play the way he does, but obviously it works for him because he's been playing DT's lightning-fast riffs all these years. Is it possible that straightening and lifting his fingers like that is actually stretching them and preventing cramping? Your thoughts?

grifff · #2 10-20-2009, 05:36 PM

He does that in the studio to eliminate string noise from switching notes.

Eyesee7 · #3 10-22-2009, 01:37 PM

Bump for more responses

MooseLumps · #4 10-22-2009, 01:40 PM

Boy howdy does he look busy...

Trapezius · #5 10-23-2009, 01:02 AM

He seems to play surprisingly hard live. How can he play that hard and that fast? The guy's got some serious strength.

Rudyboy98 · #6 10-23-2009, 03:55 AM

Trapezius:

Practice is the only answer I can come up with.

R...

roccobladr · #7 10-23-2009, 11:50 AM

sweet bongo

Ric5 · #8 10-23-2009, 11:57 AM

Entwistle did stuff like that with his left hand as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVl39LBZGMw

Bassorama57 · #9 10-23-2009, 12:06 PM

Not that I know John M., but he was originally schooled in violin and did go to the Berklee School, so...I doubt it's a bad habit, undobutedly to add some percussive texture (note the guitarist is using the same technique) to those passages. Note how John's technique becomes much more fluid around timestamp 4:04, because the chart then calls for fluidity.

I don't think I'd get tired so much as I'd get carpal tunnel; I'm at the age where I have to be very careful with form and technique.

It is a schweet Bongo.

tomas_almeida · #10 10-25-2009, 07:38 AM

To me atleast, his left hand technique never seemed very fluid, I do believe it is a bad habit. He also places his left thumb on the edge of the neck (deathgrip it's called, right?) when he's playing the first 3 strings, and that is a bad habit for sure.

Getaway Driver · #11 10-25-2009, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomas_almeida

To me atleast, his left hand technique never seemed very fluid, I do believe it is a bad habit. He also places his left thumb on the edge of the neck (deathgrip it's called, right?) when he's playing the first 3 strings, and that is a bad habit for sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassorama57

Not that I know John M., but he was originally schooled in violin and did go to the Berklee School, so...I doubt it's a bad habit.

...

santucci218 · #12 10-25-2009, 10:00 AM

he would still rip most of us a new one whether its "bad" technique or not.

Kgoodrich · #13 10-25-2009, 11:35 AM

I'm glad he bends the strings hard with his thumb (like me) whenever he is playing the bottom couple of strings!

Trapezius · #14 10-25-2009, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roccobladr

sweet bongo

... of the Congo