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fluidity from note to note

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(@patrick)
Reputable Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 138
Topic starter  

In the guitar player's forum I asked why when I play a riff made up of single notes, or single note melody, (or a scale), it doesn't sound as it should; my notes sound choppy and 'seperate', while in the actual song, the notes sound much smoother as they flow from one note to the next. BTW I play electric.

One of the answers I got was that to get a smoother flow I should keep my fingers pressed down where possible.

For example, when playing ascending and then descending notes on the same string like 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 you can keep the previous finger down when going up the string, and this will allow you to descend those same notes much smoother because your finger will already be pressed down. I don't know if I explained very clearly. Basically...eliminating any unnecessary finger movement.

Listening to a few recordings of myself playing, my notes alwys sound choppy and seperate, and now I think I know why that is, and the solution.

My question: from now on, should I keep my fingers down when possible...is this the way it 'should' be done...the way everybody does it? (unless you intentionally want a choppy sound).


   
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(@forrok_star)
Noble Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 2337
 

Practicing the finger exercises like the one your talking about is a great way to advance your playing, fingering technique, picking, finger/note accuracy to name a few points. Myself I love doing finger exercises, if for no other reason just to see what new sounds I can create and different ways of doing them. Finger exercises will help you advance faster than you'll realize. start out slowly and don't miss a string or fret when working on them. before long you'll be be all over the fretboard and your playing will become real fluent.

Joe


   
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(@snoogans775)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 297
 

staccato/legato (broken/flowing) playing is a huge part of style. you should really play with the two and find what works best for your style,

I personally use a Brian May kind of mix with little choppy notes in the middle of elaborate flowing licks

I don't follow my dreams, I just ask em' where they're going and catch up with them later.
-Mitch Hedburg
Did you see that!


   
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(@ignar-hillstrom)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5349
 

Often that 'fluid' sound can be had by using hammers/pulls, bends and trills. Compare the following two tabs.
Tab A:
E|----------------------------|
B|----------------------------|
G|-2/5h7b8b7p52~~~~~~--------|
D|----------------------------|
A|----------------------------|
E|----------------------------|

Tab B:
E|----------------------------|
B|----------------------------|
G|---5-7-8-7-5----------------|
D|-7-----------7~~~~~~--------|
A|----------------------------|
E|----------------------------|

In the first tab you only pick the first note, the rest is done using slides, hammers, bends, pulls and vibrato, In the second tab you pick every note, and end with vibrato. The difference is, as you will notice when you try it out, enorm, while you are basically playing the exact same notes.


   
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