Finger Placement

[Earth Breather]

I may just be thinking too much, but is it ok if on some licks, your fingernails are facing down the fretboard? Because for some reason, I am spontaniously doing that.

 

[Anonymous]

Post a picture, I'm not sure what you mean..

 

[Horus]

Yeah, not to sound like a dick, and I mean this with all due respect, but what the hell are you talking about?

 

[HackerX]

i.e. Your fingers aren't parallel to the fret wire perhaps?

*shrugs*

 

[Anonymous]

^If that's the case, then yeah. I do that all the time.

 

[Earth Breather]

i.e. Your fingers aren't parallel to the fret wire perhaps?

*shrugs*

Yeah, like normally your nails are facing towards you, but in my case, they are facing the body of the guitar.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, it's normal to do that. I do it pretty often, but usually just on the high E string on the frets close to the neck.

 

[NegativeVolume]

It usually depends on the lick, but yeah I get that sometimes too. If it works, then keep on truckin. If you rip your nail off, don't keep on truckin'

 

[Earth Breather]

Okay, I am asking this because my friend said I had a very weird style and that I was doing it wrong, well fuck him!

 

[Anonymous]

Watch the Megadeth DVD Rude Awakenings, you'll notice Megadave does that alot.

 

[Jaen]

Okay, I am asking this because my friend said I had a very weird style and that I was doing it wrong, well fuck him!

well, he's not entirely wrong since that is generally considered a lack of finesse and can contribute to sloppyness. At least that is the case with classical guitar. But the electric guitar is quite a bit different from classical guitar and the "proper" way hasn't quite been defined and set in stone like it has with classical guitar or any other classical instrument for that matter. But hey, everyone has their own style and whatever floats your boat and feels better to you.

 

[Anonymous]

Whatever you do, never ignore your pinky. It is the second most important finger for guitar IMO. And hold your pick right.

 

[Horus]

I used to NEVER use my pinky, now it's one of my best fingers. My hand feels dead after a while if I don't use it.

 

[wchuck]

how can you ignore it? I couln't live without it

 

[Horus]

I have 3 pinkies. One on each hand and one.... wait... That's not a pinky finger.

 

[Eternal Dragon]

Is it considered good to have your pinky facing straight along the direction of the frets, and have your index sorta on its side?? Thats what i've been doing.... just trying to keep the pinky staight so it can get more strength behind it.

 

[The Stormbringer]

If by "sorta on its side" you mean you're pressing down the string with the hard side of your index finger rather than the flat side, that's actually the textbook way of fretting for double bassists... I assume it's the same for classical guitarists, so it can hardly be wrong. I'm not a fan of textbook playing, though, whatever enables you to play the stuff you want to play is good.

 

[Varmz]

word.

I find it's always better to learn things the hard way. it'll nearly always pay off.

i often find i can somes things better (and faster) if i just use more hand movement and my 3 strong fingers. but i've always thought it best to move your fingers more, and your hand less. if you get me. which is why i always try to perfect odd finger patterns.