Guitar Technique Tip of the Month

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Question from subscriber: “Should I try to be so precise with the left hand that I not touch adjacent strings ever? I mean, sometimes it does not matter because the adjacent string is not involved. But then again, I am still touching an adjacent string. What should I be trying to do in practice?”

The answer is both. Read on and watch the videos to understand why.

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PLAYING ON THE TIPS OF THE FINGERS

By Douglas Niedt

Learn to Place the Fingers Precisely. Do NOT touch the adjacent strings.

One should be able to place the fingers precisely so that they do not touch the adjacent strings. The problem is most acute when the adjacent string is open. It is important not only to place the finger on the absolute tip close to the fingernail, but also to be certain the finger is placed vertically onto the string. Such precision is necessary for passages such as these:

Example #1

Video Ex#1. Watch me play this part from Leyenda.

If you don't see a video, refresh your browser.

Be sure to watch the video on full screen. Click the symbol to the right of "HD" in the lower right-hand corner after the video begins playing. Hit escape "ESC" on your keyboard to return to normal viewing.

Example #2

Video Ex#2. Watch me demonstrate.

Example #3

Video Ex#3. Watch me demonstrate the excerpt.

Example #4

Video Ex#4. Watch me demonstrate the Allemande.

Example #5

Video Ex#5. Watch me demonstrate this passage from Villa-Lobos' Prelude No. 1.

Learn to Intentionally Lean the Fingers Over to Damp the Adjacent Strings

On the other hand, we often want the fingers to intentionally damp adjacent ringing open strings for melodic or contrapuntal clarity (see String Damping Part III). In those instances we want to learn to lean the fingers over at will to intentionally damp the adjacent string.

Example #6

Video Ex#6. Watch me demonstrate this passage from the Alman.

Example #7

Video Ex#7. Watch me demonstrate the passage.

Doug’s Incredibly Frustrating Exercise to Learn to Play on the Tips of the Fingers

For most of us, leaning the fingers over and touching (damping) the adjacent string is easy. But, placing the fingers on the very tips and not touching the adjacent string is much harder to do and in some instances can be downright difficult.

To improve your precision in your left-hand finger placement try the exercise below. Players with thin fingers won’t have too much trouble with it. But those with normal to pudgy fingers will quickly understand why I titled it, Doug’s Incredibly Frustrating Exercise to Learn to Play on the Tips of the Fingers.

Example #8

Ex8a Doug's Incredibly Frustrating Exercise

Ex8b Doug's Incredibly Frustrating Exercise

Tips

Your left-hand fingernails must be filed short. Don’t file them too short. Just be sure they don’t get in the way.

Some players’ fingers become swollen at certain times of the day. Mine are slightly swollen after waking in the morning. Practice the exercise after the swelling subsides.

You will have better results if your left hand is in a parallel position with the neck. You will probably need to arch the hand/wrist a little more than normal, but don’t overdo it.

DO NOT focus on listening to the open string to determine if you are cutting it off. Instead, focus on feeling whether or not the adjacent open string “tickles” the back of the left-hand fingertip.

Play the exercise leaving each finger down as you ascend.

Then practice the exercise and lift each finger as you ascend. Be sure you are connecting the notes. For example, don’t lift the 1st finger before you play the 2nd finger. Lift the 1st finger AS you place the 2nd finger. Lift the 2nd finger AS you place the 3rd finger, etc.

Video Ex#8. Watch me demonstrate this demonic exercise!

Kick It Up to Extreme Frustration

Practicing the exercise in higher positions is even more difficult. This is because the strings are higher above the frets in the upper positions than in the lower positions. This will vary from guitar to guitar. This exercise will be especially difficult if your guitar has high action (the 6th string 6+ mm above the 12th fret).

Warning: Practicing this exercise might result in foul language and possibly throwing pencils, sheet music, and other objects across the room.

Example #9

Ex9a Doug's Incredibly Frustrating Exercise

Ex9b Doug's Incredibly Frustrating Exercise

Video Ex#9. Watch me demonstrate.

Neutralize the Enemy

In an actual piece of music, rather than struggling with trying to place the fingers accurately to avoid touching the adjacent strings, look for other ways to finger the passage to eliminate the problem altogether:

Example #10

Example #11

Example #12

Example #13

Video Ex#10. Watch me demonstrate examples 10 through 13.

Sometimes you can avoid touching adjacent strings by pushing the fretted string upwards (as in toward the ceiling) to give more clearance behind the finger. This will sharpen the pitch of the fretted note, but it is usually not very noticeable.

Example #14

Video Ex#11. Watch me demonstrate.

Conclusion

Most of the time, use a comfortable left-hand position and don’t worry about whether the fingers touch adjacent strings.

Learn to lean the fingers over to intentionally damp adjacent strings.

Learn to place the fingers precisely so they don’t touch adjacent strings.

If you encounter a situation where it is too difficult to avoid touching the adjacent string, try to find a different fingering that neutralizes the problem. Or, use the finger to push the fretted string upward (as in toward the ceiling) to produce additional clearance behind the finger.

If all else fails, go ahead and damp the adjacent string and pretend that is exactly what you intended to do!