When you're playing a 3 note per string pattern .....

Lewy

....that's covering, say, frets 3, 5 and 7, which finger do you tend to play the 5th fret with? I've just notice that I use my ring finger, leaving ring and pinky to make a 2 fret stretch from 5 to 7. But I see quite a few other players use their middle finger on the middle note...so they make the 2 fret stretch with index and middle, and then a much easier stretch from 5 to 7 with middle and pinky. 

The reason I ask is that I'm working on some three note per sting patterns on acoustic and I'm finding trying to do any hammers and pulls on that second stretch (ring and pinky across two frets) a real challenge, There seems to be more power available if I'm holding drown with middle and hammering with pinky.

Anyone else messed around with this and changed how they were doing it?

xscaramanga

Yeah, I started off using the 1-3-4 finger combination you're using and switched to 1-2-4, after being persuaded by teachers in college. With the lone exception of Paul Gilbert (who has huge hands), every notable 3 nps player I'm aware of uses 1-2-4. In Guthrie Govan's book he argues that if you're unconvinced that 1-2-4 is better, try the Van Halen style 3 fret stretch (eg the 14-15-18 hammer/pull off lick in Eruption). You'll find there's no contest.

Guitar_Slinger

The only changes I've done are open G on acoustic. If playing one on electric, I play "big G", middle finger on the E string and muting the A with my first finger. On acoustic, I finger the A and E strings with middle and ring finger, seeing as a bar of open G in an acoustic blusey song is usually followed by G7.

carlos

It's got to be 124. Out of all the stretches, between pinky and ring is the smallest.
Getting this into muscle memory also helps when you play 3 nps pentas, where you'll often have 2 fret gaps.

Matt_McG

1-2-4 for me.

I have a fairly big stretch, so I can do it the other way, too, but I have ulnar nerve issues, and the extra stretch with the unsupported pinky is just asking for pain/numbness.

bloodandtears

1-2-4 but never really though about the reason why...

Lewy

Ok folks, thanks very much for these replies. You've convinced me it's worth working to make the change!

DLM

2/4 independence is always greater than 3/4 beause of the way the human hand has developed. 

Lestratcaster

I've always use 1-2-4 too, strengthens my little finger loads.

carlos

I'd only use 1-3-4 for stretches on penta scales 3 nps. For example A-C-D which would be excruciating to do 1-2-4

octatonic

carlos said:

It's got to be 124. Out of all the stretches, between pinky and ring is the smallest.

This.
I would only use 134 when 3 & 4 are a semitone apart.

viz

135 for me

Phil_aka_Pip

I've always been told that if you stretch, the stretch should be between fingers 1&2. You need stretch fingering when you are covering 5 frets, otherwise one finger per fret

digitalscream

octatonic said:

carlos said:

It's got to be 124. Out of all the stretches, between pinky and ring is the smallest.

This.
I would only use 134 when 3 & 4 are a semitone apart.

Precisely.

Why? Because it's easier!

Barney

1 2 4 for me ...everything seems to fall into place better that way 

Vibetronic

DLM said:

2/4 independence is always greater than 3/4 beause of the way the human hand has developed. 

yeah - isn't there a ligament/tendon that causes them to move at the same time? Student told me something along those lines earlier this year, I never knew before that. I do spend a lot of time trying to get 1-3-4 to work better, but it has to be every single day otherwise it goes back to being crap.

Tenebrous

I've always used 1-3-4, & trying it out on the 3/5/7th frets as suggested does feel more comfortable to me than going 1-2-4, but that's because I'm used to it by now. 1-2-4 feels odd by comparison.

Weird though. I was just playing through the bit just before the big sweep arpeggios in Jason Becker's "Air", and there's a 15-13-11 bit on the G string that I've always played 1-2-4.

JAYJO

If i play message in a bottle 124 i can play more accurately. Same applies with every breathe you take 124.
134 seems easier at first but its worth learning the 124 as it is easier to nail every note each time around. Especially the little finger slide on Message in bottle . good workout for the 124 .

mburekenge

Practiced for years with 134 and then when I had lessons with martin holding he persuaded me to switch to 1-2-4. It's far better imo

PolarityMan

viz said:

135 for me

Wow you must have an odd thumb

DLM

@viz is Hound Dog Taylor &ICM£5