Classical players: PRE fretting notes on descending runs (before you pluck) - do you?

[AN0INTD]

Originally Posted by randalljazz

nonsense. contrary to ergonomics. always exert least possible effort. this is achieved by transferring the force from one finger to the next, simultaneously relaxing the finger that finishes its work.

"To hold reasoning for a great deal, and routine for nothing." fernando sor's twelfth maxim.

I will agree but with the caveat, all the fingers should be placed on the string. You should (optimally) only place tension on the finger being used at the moment. The others should be resting even though they are in place. Pull-offs are a different story - preparation for the pull-off requires there to be tension in both (or however many involved) fingers.

And about the post that states this guy says it takes a "lifetime"; yes, good technique takes what seems like a lifetime, but this exercise is very accessible to any guitar player with slow, daily practice and concentration.

[randalljazz]

Originally Posted by Paikon

..and thats your opinion

from a lifetime of experience...(and, after all, what else might we be dealing in other than opinions?)...

fwiw, i can play scale passages sixteenth notes above 200, while possessing virtually no natural talent.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by AN0INTD

I will agree but with the caveat, all the fingers should be placed on the string. You should (optimally) only place tension on the finger being used at the moment. The others should be resting even though they are in place. Pull-offs are a different story - preparation for the pull-off requires there to be tension in both (or however many involved) fingers.
...

i agree. and minimal force at that. his point seemed to one of efficiency and not flailing the fingers about wildly. when he says "none of these fingers are lifted off the neck", i think he really means off the string.

[Paikon]

Originally Posted by randalljazz

from a lifetime of experience...(and, after all, what else might we be dealing in other than opinions?)...

fwiw, i can play scale passages sixteenth notes above 200, while possessing virtually no natural talent.

....prove it

[Tailingloop]

Originally Posted by randalljazz

nonsense. contrary to ergonomics. always exert least possible effort. this is achieved by transferring the force from one finger to the next, simultaneously relaxing the finger that finishes its work.

"To hold reasoning for a great deal, and routine for nothing." fernando sor's twelfth maxim.

Putting all your fingers down and removing them one after another is the least possible effort. Ask any classical violinist, they have been doing this for hundreds of years.

[mc1]

Originally Posted by Tailingloop

Putting all your fingers down and removing them one after another is the least possible effort. Ask any classical violinist, they have been doing this for hundreds of years.

i would guess that after hundreds of years their fingers must be very tired.

again, placing them on the string and holding the string down are two different things,

[londan111]

I just tried it and my initial fingers lift as the last (fourth) is fretted.
Guy in the video looks partially / mostly correct about this.

Dan

[Tailingloop]

Originally Posted by randalljazz

nonsense. contrary to ergonomics. always exert least possible effort. this is achieved by transferring the force from one finger to the next, simultaneously relaxing the finger that finishes its work.

"To hold reasoning for a great deal, and routine for nothing." fernando sor's twelfth maxim.

Putting all your fingers down and removing them one after another is the least possible effort. Ask any classical violinist, they have been doing this for hundreds of years.

[pete1960]

Whatever is good for you..... if it sounds right then it is right

[Timothy Lawler]

Originally Posted by pete1960

Whatever is good for you..... if it sounds right then it is right

+1.

Make your hands do whatever works to get the sound you have in your mind's ear. Thinking ahead, musically and technically, is always good IME.

[Bern]

Single string chromatic scales are generally used for timing exercises and to improve dexterity of the fretting hand. Yes, pre-fretting is desirable.

[rick-slo]

You could go either way with this. I am faster on descent not holding all the fingers down in advance. I realize it is an exercise but this is a pretty idealized situation (scales on one string). If you like to hold all the fingers down in advance how would you best handle for example:

-8-7-6-5-----------------------------
----------8-7-6-5-------------------------
--------------------8-7-6-5-----------------
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
?

[Paikon]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

You could go either way with this. I am faster on descent not holding all the fingers down in advance. I realize it is an exercise but this is a pretty idealized situation (scales on one string). If you like to hold all the fingers down in advance how would you best handle for example:

-8-7-6-5-----------------------------
----------8-7-6-5-------------------------
--------------------8-7-6-5-----------------
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
?

Yes, its just an exercise and idealized situation and we already talked a lot about it
edit but it is important to hold down the fingers on ascending scales...and on descending scales ,when there is movement on one string still you have to pre hold the next note

[Alexander Coe]

Originally Posted by pete1960

Whatever is good for you..... if it sounds right then it is right

Good enough if you only play for yourself. If you play for others you want to make sure it sounds good to everyone else's ears too! For instance, someone without trained ears might not hear the subtle hammer-on or buzz of each finger fretting a fraction of a second too late because it wasn't already on the fret for the pull-off. If this is unnoticeable to the player then it's no problem. But don't try playing concierto with the Philharmonic using that sloppy technique!

For the record, I'm not saying all fingers down is the better technique but rather giving a hypothetical example about how it could be the better technique.