scales lift fingers or keep em down?

[sven]

I was always told to leave my fingers in place until I needed em somewhere else.  But when i saw Pat Metheney he plays one finger at a time, and I've seen other guys on you tube do it that way too. 

My playing can be so choppy I wonder what you guys think is the best way to even out my playing.  I especially have trouble with picking fast decending chromatic and decending scale runs.  I usually resort to pulloffs, but wish I could get my picking more even.  Yes I use a metronome.  You'd think after 3o+ years I'd know more about this.

[robert]

You know, it depends on the situation. I have worked hard on controlling muting. If you use a lot of gain, this becomes important, but also if you do a lot of right hand up and down, a la SRV.

If you lift off the left hand fingers, you need to mute strings more with the right hand. If you leave them on (but not fretted), you usually have more control over the muting/string ringing issues.

Not sure if that reply helped, let me know if I was unclear.

I have good control when it comes to muting, and it just happens without me thinking about it, because I was a shredder in my youth, and thus learned to control string noise and that has helped me to sound more "clean" when I play today.

[DetroitBlues]

I've also noticed a lot of "shredders" use a soft hair band just past the nut to acheive that muted sound as well. 

[Scratch N Sniff]

Isn't it whats good for you, you can look at other peoples styles and learn from them, but at the end of the day it's very hard to unlearn, if you know what I mean. I am quite a lazy player, so have to damp quite a lot, but to explain how I do it is impossible, because it comes naturally after all these years of covering a messy style. That said I still sit and watch and try to gain something from SRV, Johnson, Bonamassa, BB ect. We can only be us and steal as much as we can !ha ha, after all everyone else was' influenced' by someone.

[creekster52]

You know, it depends on the situation. I have worked hard on controlling muting. If you use a lot of gain, this becomes important, but also if you do a lot of right hand up and down, a la SRV.

If you lift off the left hand fingers, you need to mute strings more with the right hand. If you leave them on (but not fretted), you usually have more control over the muting/string ringing issues.

Not sure if that reply helped, let me know if I was unclear.

I have good control when it comes to muting, and it just happens without me thinking about it, because I was a shredder in my youth, and thus learned to control string noise and that has helped me to sound more "clean" when I play today.

Ditto!

[pictoratus]

I tend to keep my fingers on the strings without fretting to mute and to get stops. It's something I developed over the years and like Scratch N Sniff would be hard pressed to explain or show exactly how I do it.

[GreyBee]

I think the conventional wisdom is to keep 'em close because you can be faster by not having to move as far.  However, speed is not everything.  Have you ever watched Jimmie Vaughan play (and a lot of others)?  His fingers are way out in right field. 

He may not play the fastest licks, but I really like his attitude.

Reminds me of when I was learning to play the trombone in grade school.  I was told to not "puff your cheeks."  But then, what about Dizzy Gillispie? 

I think you need to learn proven techniques, but then go with what works for ya.

[pictoratus]

Yeah, it just goes to show that when most people learn on their own they find what works best for them even if it's not according to conventional wisdom.

[Scratch N Sniff]

Gotta love the Jimmi finger !
If you have been taught in a classical way with a thumb more erect behind the neck instead of of a rap over or it being gripped, if you know what I mean.  The classical way you will have total freedom to move everywhere. I knew a guy who went a teacher and over months was re-taught to play this way, he played a lot better, but more importantly he loved the guitar again.
I have just today started playing slide, nobody told me about open E, what a buzz, even my cats depressed ! Ha Ha
Robert, some slide please sir !

[kaweenbee]

I think it all depends on the situation, but when you are learning your scales, you should learn without holding your fingers on the string.  You will be able to play your licks much faster by lifting your fingers off the string.
Kaweenbee

[kurtdaniel]

I was always told to leave my fingers in place until I needed em somewhere else.  But when i saw Pat Metheney he plays one finger at a time, and I've seen other guys on you tube do it that way too. 

How do i play guitar can be so choppy I wonder what you guys think is the best way to even out my playing.  I especially have trouble with picking fast decending chromatic and decending scale runs.  I usually resort to pulloffs, but wish I could get my picking more even.  Yes I use a metronome.  You'd think after 3o+ years I'd know more about this.

Pat's style is something unlike anything else in music, a completely crazy idea which somehow works brilliantly. Another reason why I think Pat is the greatest living guitarist.

[diaper head]

I've also noticed a lot of "shredders" use a soft hair band just past the nut to acheive that muted sound as well.

you know, for years i have been trying to find one hat fits, so i can try it.  all the ones i ever come across are way too big or way too small   

[DetroitBlues]

I've also noticed a lot of "shredders" use a soft hair band just past the nut to acheive that muted sound as well.

you know, for years i have been trying to find one hat fits, so i can try it.  all the ones i ever come across are way too big or way too small   

LOL!