Poor usage of fretting hand

[Ric5]

Player with big hands do octaves with the 1st and 3rd fingers, players with small hands do octaves with the 1st and 4th fingers.

 

[sg101]

Player with big hands do octaves with the 1st and 3rd fingers, players with small hands do octaves with the 1st and 4th fingers.

I used to use my 3rd fingers for octaves until I started using my pinky. That's when everything started to get easier. I still use my 3rd finger if I want to reserve my pinky for other frets in more complicated riffs, and it really helps

 

[Stick_Player]

Player with big hands do octaves with the 1st and 3rd fingers, players with small hands do octaves with the 1st and 4th fingers.

BAD technique, no matter how big your hands are. Unless, of course, you are a three-toed sloth.

Link Removed

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Another small hands guy. I think I've grown into using which ever finger feels right, i.e. ring or little and I often do the root with my index when the middle should be used. Not saying this is correct, just what I do.

This all started with my rhythm guitar playing. In an effort the not play mud when two to three rhythm guitars are playing in the same band - which does happen, I would move to another voice using one and two finger chords, i.e. for you guitar guy/gals - one finger C, G and E, two finger F, A7 for A, etc.

As all our hands are different I think we all find what works for us.

 

[rujulian]

Ah yes, the Rocco Prestia method. I've been playing for 30 years and I know my fingering sucks. I watch some players and their fingering is beautiful and then I'll see videos of me playing and it just doesn't seem the same. I'm sure it has gotten in the way of my playing somehow. I've been making a conscious effort to improve the way I fret notes, so this is all very helpful. Of course, there are lots of great and influential players that don't have particularly great looking fretting technique either. Have a look at Geezer Butler from Black Sabbath. He looks like he frets with his fist. No denying he's a great rock player though.

Right on. I'm not saying don't use all four fingers. Sometimes the pinky gets used, sometimes you need to slide into the next note if you want to link your patterns up and down the fretboard. I do believe in good technique. I just don't believe one finger per fret is the only good technique.

 

[neckdive]

BAD technique, no matter how big your hands are. Unless, of course, you are a three-toed sloth.

Big hand guy. I agree with this statement. Mechanically, the ring finger is the least flexible of all the fingers. Laterally on the same string for minor 2nds or on one string up from your index for 5ths, it does just fine. However, octaves with the ring finger causes my hand to pivot pulling the index slightly sharp (I play fretless only) because the ring finger doesn't stretch laterally down the board as well as pinky can.

I generally play one finger/fret because my ring finger naturally lays right on top of the 3rd fret in first position. But octaves are an exception to this. Occassionally, I accidentally play the octave with the ring but I correct myself on the next one.

Big hands or small, a strong and flexible pinky is just as an important as the index finger. I see it as the index and pinky being 2 complementary bookends holding the whole position together. Each should be as strong as the other.

 

[Ric5]

BAD technique, no matter how big your hands are. Unless, of course, you are a three-toed sloth.

I am not promoting it but rather commenting on observations ...

watch a video of Chris Squire. He plays the 33" scale Rickenbacker and has big lumberjack hands and he quite often plays octaves with the first and third fingers.

Myself being a smaller hand guy I find the finger that gets used the least is the 3rd finger.