When I practice scales I always use the "one finger per fret" rule all the way up and down the fret board, however, I am working through a solo piece that has me playing up at frets 12 - 15 for the first time.
When I go from the 12th to the 15th fret, it feels much more comfortable for me to go from my 1st finger (on the 12) to my 3rd finger (on the 15) instead of using my 4th finger so I'm just wondering how others play this part of the fret board.
Humm, I'll give you an exemple...
Part of Wanted Dead or Alive solo by Bon Jovi
--------------------13-15b(17)--
-----------13-15-----------------
--12h14-------------------------
----------------------------------
----------------------------------
----------------------------------
I use my index to play on the 12th fret, my 3rd finger to play on 14. Then I move my hand down 1 fret to play the 13th fret with my index and the 15th with my 3rd finger. I can't imagine playing the 13th with my 2nd finger and bend the 15th with my pinky just to respect the one finger per fret thing.
I practice scales like you do, but in a song, you do what you're more comfortable with :wink:
I don't know which solo you're learning, but sometimes, it's good to use your pinky to get the other fingers ready for the next notes on another string for example...
" First time I heard the music
I thought it was my own
I could feel it in my heartbeat
I could feel it in my bones
... Blame it on the love of Rock'n'Roll! "
Thanks Clau20, here's the section I was referring to in my original post:
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------14--13s14
---------------------14-----------------
12--12--15s16------------------------
----------------------------------------
Right now I play the 12 with my index finger, hit the 15 slide 16 with my third finger, down to the 14 with my index, next 14 with my index, and 13 slide 14 with my index. (the 15s16/14/14 is played as a triplet). Definetely more complex than my skill level, but I figured what the heck, no harm in stretching your skills.
I played that both with the index on 12 and middle on 15 and ring on 16 ...., and the index on 12 and ring on 15 pinkie on 16. No way I would play that with my pinkie on 15, just couldn't hit that triplet right. Just for giggles I changed it up a bit and bent the 15 to the 16.
Thanks Clau20, here's the section I was referring to in my original post:
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------14--13s14
---------------------14-----------------
12--12--15s16------------------------
----------------------------------------
Right now I play the 12 with my index finger, hit the 15 slide 16 with my third finger, down to the 14 with my index, next 14 with my index, and 13 slide 14 with my index. (the 15s16/14/14 is played as a triplet). Definetely more complex than my skill level, but I figured what the heck, no harm in stretching your skills.
it would make sense to me to play the first two notes with my index, the next with my ring finger...slide to 16.
Then that sets me up to put my middle finger down on the next two notes at the 14th fret.
Then I would finish the lick on my index at the 13th and slick to 14th. -or- do that with my middle finger still.
Your first comments are right, the 'higher' up the neck you go, the spaces of the frets get closer, I find it more difficult to stick with playing all four fingers. It all depends really on what's coming next. The reason I would avoid my index finger here, is if a bend is coming up anytime soon, because I don't like to bend any strings with my index finger.
Keep at it, you'll get it figured out.
Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing. - Wernher Von Braun (1912-1977)
