GuitarFreak1387

Quick question,

How high is too high when it comes to the fretting hand fingers when lifting them off? I know you want them as close as you can to be efficient and improve on speed. Iv been working on it lately and they are getting closer, so I know they are improving just wanna kinda get a defined answer.

Thanks in advance.

My Last Words

Well, for maximum efficiency, you want to keep your fingers as close to the fretboard as possible. Minimum finger movements = less movement overall = less tension. I take it that's what you want to hear ?

Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvhZ...player_embedded

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MyLastWords, I wish I could like your post multiple times. . . I'd marry your post.

GuitarFreak1387

Kinda but I already figured that. What I was looking for was more like a rough estimate of what's too high. Basically to gauge where I'm at currently.

GuitarFreak1387

Oopps, just seen the video link, thought it was part of your sig. That vid is great!!! Thanks.

Zaphod_Beeblebr

It doesn't matter where you are now, not really. What matters is that you're making efforts to improve; make no mistake, everyone can improve.

Also, don't make the mistake a lot of people do and force your fingers to hover around a certain height, if you have to force it you're not going to do anything but introduce tension. The real key is to make it so that when you're not using a finger you don't actively lift it from the fretboard, just relax it so it's not fretting any more. That will take a lot of practice and isn't something you can just do; it improves all the time if you focus on practicing it.

Just remember: the opposite of fretting isn't lifting. It is simply not fretting.

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GuitarFreak1387

So just so I'm getting this right. Your saying the unused fretting fingers should still be resting on the string but just not fretted.

Iv always figured it should not touch the string to avoid the note from not being able to sound cus it's being muted by the rested finger.

This just got a lot more intense, should be fun

Zaphod_Beeblebr

If all your unused fingers remain stationary (and if your hand is as relaxed as possible they should) you can fret with any finger and the others shouldn't stop the note from sounding. They don't touch the string that's being fretted, they just don't move in either direction. Or at least that's the ideal; I can just about do it if I'm playing one note at once and concentrating but when I'm actually playing my hand still looks very different. Like I said, it's something to aim for, it doesn't happen quickly at all.

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GuitarFreak1387

So just a little update,

Index,middle, and ring fingers seem to be fine. It's the ever so common issue of my pinky wanting to fly up, seems to be quite to common issue amongst other guitarist. Currently I'm at about 1/2 an inch give or take from whatever string I'm playing. This is also at a slow slow slooooow pace. Speed it up and it's a bit higher up.

I'm determined to adjust this. Freepowers lesson is helping greatly btw.

Anyone have any more tips or tricks? I thought about getting one of them "rubberband" things but kinda see them as a crutch.

Freepower

Just give it a decade.

Posture. If your hand is at the wrong angle you'll never be able to use the pinky effectively. Check this out -

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