Started playing again after a long lay off. Invested in an instructor so I would not develop any bad habits. Had to drop the instructor so on to the question.

When playing is it OK to "cheat?" For instance when I should stretch my third finger to hit a note, can I cheat and use my fourth 'cuz it's easier? Or should I !@$ that practice in the bud, and play technically correct?

One of my books that deals with finger picking explains how to do it correctly, But, goes on to name some of the greats and how they use what works for them.

thx.

my teacher told me that when fretting you should never stretch your second or third fingers..... only stretch one and four

_________________
Favorite bands:

Melvins
The Jesus Lizard
Cows
Big Business
R***man
Minutemen
Flight
Minor Threat
Big Black
Shellac
Karp
Scratch Acid
Wipers
Pixies

An audience isn't gonna give a damn how that note came outta your amp. Do what feels natural and comfortable and let the "egg-spurts" pound sand.

YMMV, HTH

Arjay

Sure it is, we all do! To give a balanced presentation though, this will build some bad habits. On the other hand, if the greats do it, you a future great, can too!!

_________________
You dig?

Try to get it technically right, cause of my bad habbits my pinky finger is in-usable.

_________________
riley

First let me say that one of the biggest mistakes a lot of players make is not using there 4th finger or pinkie. Watch any great technical player and I will guarantee they use there pinkie. The object is to build an equal amounts of strength in all your fingers, and work overtime on the ones that are weakest. There are really no right and wrong techniques as a teacher back in the day would of been telling Hendrix not to wrap his thumb around the neck or Vanhalen not to pick with his thumb and middle finger or Frank Gambale not to play consecutive down strokes when changing strings. But there are certain chords or runs that would be impossible to play if not for these techniques. When it comes to the guitar try and learn what is deemed correct and then go with what is most comfortable as long as you can get from point A to point B.

Floyd why your teacher would tell you that baffles my mind, and I would ask him how would you ever be able to play 3 note per string scales or string skipped arpeggios or tapping passages and a ton of chord voicing s just for starters.

I think it's better to build a proper foundation and then personalize it in any skill you set out to master, whether it's playing a guitar or hitting a baseball.

I'm a completely self-taught guitarist, and after awhile I discovered there were a lot of things I couldn't do because of all the bad habits I had developed in teaching myself to play. I then had to set out and re-learn a lot of things, which is extremely difficult and impedes progress tremendously.

This sounds about right.

_________________
CREDO ELVEM IPSUM ETAIM VIVERE

Speaking as one of the egg-spurts.................Always do your best to challenge yourself! You will grow as a guitarist.

_________________
Tim

I guess it depends on what you want to get out of playin.

Great advice you got so far, listen to them.

Two things:
- try to think in advance, ie playing with a certain fingering will make it easier for you to continue in a different position on the fretboard (I hope I make sense)
- it's ok to stretch between 1st and 2nd finger and between 3rd and 4th; stretching between 2nd and 3rd is doable, but in time might cause damage (this is how the hand is constructed)

Good luck with your playing!

_________________
La vie est belle, le monde est pourri, make the most of it!

Arjay, you took the words right out of my mouth. Getting too hung up on "proper technique" and "technically correct" can inhibit your own unique style. Riley, you're only 13. I bet as you get more seasoned, you'll start using the pinky.

Yeah I guess, my pinky's very small though

_________________
riley

When you're down and lonely, your best buddy will be your instrument. So keep on rocking and jamming guys!!!