That would tire me out in faster songs, and it's obviously being adopted from drummers which is a bit different comparing arms to fingers, but if it's working for you, no harm, only good.
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A minor discovery (plucking hand fingering order)
- Thread starter dougjwray
- Start date
OP here...
Just for some background: I religiously followed the "strict alternation of index and middle" for decades, after a lesson with Jaco in which he dictated it. I do have control over dynamics, and am quite good at starting any phrase with either finger. Charlie Parker said, "First master your instrument. Then, forget all that s--- and just play." I wouldn't consider myself a master, but after nearly 50 years of dedication, I'm at the stage where I'm trying out heretical things, just out of curiosity. That's where this thread comes in.
Also, we all know that if "the sound is in the fingers", it follows that everyone's hands are different and produce different sounds. Therefore, it's not such a strange idea that a random person's middle finger could produce more volume than his index finger, with the same effort.
Anyway, I originally shared this info just to give people something fun to try on their own.
Just for some background: I religiously followed the "strict alternation of index and middle" for decades, after a lesson with Jaco in which he dictated it. I do have control over dynamics, and am quite good at starting any phrase with either finger. Charlie Parker said, "First master your instrument. Then, forget all that s--- and just play." I wouldn't consider myself a master, but after nearly 50 years of dedication, I'm at the stage where I'm trying out heretical things, just out of curiosity. That's where this thread comes in.
Also, we all know that if "the sound is in the fingers", it follows that everyone's hands are different and produce different sounds. Therefore, it's not such a strange idea that a random person's middle finger could produce more volume than his index finger, with the same effort.
Anyway, I originally shared this info just to give people something fun to try on their own.
One of my few takeaways from school history lessons is that many steps forward in human progress and development are born of heresy...
I LIKE this!
I find that when it comes to learning a new tune, I first learn the basic mechanics (the notes, the groove, the primary location on the fret board, etc), and then I start exploring ways to make the performance as *musical* as possible. That's what separates the art from the craft of music.
Sometimes that process leads to alternate plucking patterns (as you're describing), adding or removing ghost notes, varying the dynamics of certain phrases, lengthening or reducing the sustain time of certain notes, etc. In the end, it's about making that performance your own.
I once heard a recording of Jimi Hendrix playing a clean guitar direct into a 1/4 inch reel-to-reel tape recorder. There was no distortion, no wawa pedal, none of the effects that Hendrix always used in his studio recordings and live performances. Just a clean guitar sound. And yet, it was undoubtedly Hendrix playing that guitar. What made that recording a Hendrix recording? It was a combination of all those unique playing quirks that he developed over the years.
To the OP I say, keep developing your own playing quirks! And keep sharing them with us!
I find that when it comes to learning a new tune, I first learn the basic mechanics (the notes, the groove, the primary location on the fret board, etc), and then I start exploring ways to make the performance as *musical* as possible. That's what separates the art from the craft of music.
Sometimes that process leads to alternate plucking patterns (as you're describing), adding or removing ghost notes, varying the dynamics of certain phrases, lengthening or reducing the sustain time of certain notes, etc. In the end, it's about making that performance your own.
I once heard a recording of Jimi Hendrix playing a clean guitar direct into a 1/4 inch reel-to-reel tape recorder. There was no distortion, no wawa pedal, none of the effects that Hendrix always used in his studio recordings and live performances. Just a clean guitar sound. And yet, it was undoubtedly Hendrix playing that guitar. What made that recording a Hendrix recording? It was a combination of all those unique playing quirks that he developed over the years.
To the OP I say, keep developing your own playing quirks! And keep sharing them with us!
I do a lot of double stops where the index finger (being shorter) covers the lower string, and the middle finger covers the higher (further away string). In that case,the index finger covers the accented notes (the fifths or octaves being "fills"). When I play an alternating line on the same string, the middle finger plays the accents, as it's stronger.
Not entirely sure what to make of this, other than use what works.
Not entirely sure what to make of this, other than use what works.
I do things like this because the callous on my middle finger is noticably brighter in time than the callous on my indeed finger. No idea why but I go with it
