Right hand fingering importance

[JParrilla]

Hi all, I am new around here and really looking forward to joining the community. I am a long time electric guitar player as well as dabbled in folk acoustic over the years. I recently have become obsessed with classical and I am fully immersed in it now, going through Brad Werners method currently.

My question is around right hand fingering. When I learned to play fingerstyle, I was very much in the habit of the thumb handling 6,5 and 4... and then strings 3, 2, and 1 being handled by I, M and A in that order. I was fairly strict and only broke that when a song just wouldnt allow it. Because of this, repeating fingers on subsequent notes is super common for me and alternating fingers has been really tough.

So, how important is this? When trying out new music that does not have written right hand fingerings I find it extremely difficult to not repeat fingers. What I have been doing is going through the piece and writing down fingerings for every note... trying to set it up so that I repeat as little as possible.. and pretty much pre planning every note and which finger I will use for it. Is this the correct way to go about this? Should I be mapping out fingerings for every piece... and sticking to them 100%? If I dont do this, I notice that I just pretty much do whatever, and fingerings seem to change everytime... which sometimes causes me to stumble because ill get tripped up with a finger out of place.

Looking forward to hearing advice on this. Is pre planning every single finger going overboard or is this standard practice for learning new music?

[smwink]

I have the exact opposite problem. I've been primarily playing classical guitar for a looong time, and I'm trying to do some basic fingerpicking. I intuitively want to apply classical right hand fingerings, and the patterns just don't mesh well with many "easy" or "standard" fingerstyle patterns. Turns out it's only easy if it's what you know!

Anyway, to your question, alternating right hand fingers on the same string is such an integral part of classical technique that I think you'll have a hard time with certain pieces if you don't learn it. It's not at all uncommon to work out fingerings methodically and write them all in, especially as you're getting started. But you'll also see this among pros as they are learning new repertoire. As you've identified, a consistent right hand fingering will add security to your performance vs. just winging it. It may feel like overkill, but I think it's worth it in the long run.

More generally, you can work on single-string exercises with alternating right hand fingers to get more comfortable with it. Scales up and down a single string are a good start, and this will also work your left hand shifts. There are tons of methods and associated exercises, so find something that works for you. I really like Pujol Book III for this sort of isolated technical work if you can find it.

[JParrilla]

Originally Posted by smwink

I have the exact opposite problem. I've been primarily playing classical guitar for a looong time, and I'm trying to do some basic fingerpicking. I intuitively want to apply classical right hand fingerings, and the patterns just don't mesh well with many "easy" or "standard" fingerstyle patterns. Turns out it's only easy if it's what you know!

Anyway, to your question, alternating right hand fingers on the same string is such an integral part of classical technique that I think you'll have a hard time with certain pieces if you don't learn it. It's not at all uncommon to work out fingerings methodically and write them all in, especially as you're getting started. But you'll also see this among pros as they are learning new repertoire. As you've identified, a consistent right hand fingering will add security to your performance vs. just winging it. It may feel like overkill, but I think it's worth it in the long run.

More generally, you can work on single-string exercises with alternating right hand fingers to get more comfortable with it. Scales up and down a single string are a good start, and this will also work your left hand shifts. There are tons of methods and associated exercises, so find something that works for you. I really like Pujol Book III for this sort of isolated technical work if you can find it.

Thanks so much for the response! I can definitely see how the opposite would also be an issue. Especially if you want to do Travis style picking or something where repeating fingers on a string is quite common.

So I definitely do various string walking exercises that enforce alternation, but when playing pieces... if I do not deliberately think about alternating... I just naturally do whatever my fingers want to do. Usually that is some weird combination of alternating and repeating.. whatever my brain decides to do.

So you think there is value in pre planning my fingerings to enforce alternation? Even in super easy pieces? For instance most of the music I am playing now is incredibly simple.. so much so that I could likely play the entire piece with just my thumb and index if I really wanted Im guessing that getting started now in forcing myself to alternate even on these super easy pieces that dont really require it, will get me in the habit for when I actually do need to do it?

In regards to creating my own fingerings for pieces that do not have them, is there any specific rules you think need to be followed as far as which fingers should be responsible for which strings? Or does anything go as long as I am not repeating? Should I just be aiming for the best economy of motion, while avoiding repeating fingers?

[MarkinLA]

My honest opinion is if you fail to be able to swallow proper classical guitar RH finger execution applied in the etudes of Carcassi, Sor, Aspiazu, Pujol, others, your growth in the CG repertoire will likely be stunted, leaning toward the arpeggio department in compositions..Most, not all, most fingerings you find throughout the CG realm are there for a good reason. If you continue to repeat the same finger for a following note it's basically that it's slower than having a separate finger all ready to pluck the next note, the prior finger now relaxing for a beat or beats..
Or, look at it this way: It's a regimentation this particular kind of guitar music requires, and I agree.
But you certainly are welcome to disprove that ! Because it may just be looked upon as theory, not fact..I truly mean that.
Do what is most productive for you...M

[rick-slo]

A good practice but not a solid rule to alternate fingers. There are various reasons you could repeat a finger on a string for better
tone and reasons you would virtually have to repeat a finger on a string (for example sixth interval scale like passages).

[Dogsnax]

I'm a firm believer that most people can develop the alternating finger capability. I struggled with this at first, but a helpful instructor encouraged me to stay focused and start slowly. It's all about redefining the neural pathways. I still include the following Romero right hand alternating fingering exercises during all my exercise practice sessions. Go slow, stay focused, and you'll get there!

https://sixstringjournal.com/tag/right-hand-exercise/

[Gitfiddlemann]

Hi Solidus,
I totally get where you're at. Years ago when I was taking CG lessons it was drilled into me, but it was always one aspect of classical guitar that I found overly rigid.
Yes, it does have its place. Learning to alternate fingers can be done with drills, such as scales and arpeggios, and playing easy pieces. Slowly but surely, your hand gets used to it.
Memorizing right hand patterns for pieces, particularly for difficult passages, will help smooth things out and with memorization.
But alternating fingers is not a strict rule. In some places in the music, you might find it makes more sense to repeat the one or the other finger. The thumb itself repeats a lot. No big deal. But the reason you do repeat can't be because it's "easier" for you at this time due to your transition from less classical genres. It has to be because of a musical or ease of movement reason, and not to compensate for your lack of alternating ability, if that makes any sense.
So, use simple pieces to drill alternation into your "automatic" memory bank. For more difficult pieces, do figure out the most elegant and efficient way to finger a piece for the sake of the music. More often than not, you'll find that it is more helpful to you that just repeating the same fingers. Also, many transcriptions come with suggested RH fingerings. I used to get different transcriptions of the same piece and select what LH and RH fingerings I liked best.
Once you have that road map, you just follow the same road every time.
Don't be too hard on yourself either at this stage. This kind of learning takes time, and you need to like what you're doing. Otherwise it'll become too much of a repetitive chore, which is never good.
If I learned anything of value in the many years I've been playing, it is to make daily practicing work fun and enjoyable.
Good luck in your new adventure.

[mc1]

Perhaps practicing scales with strict alternating fingers would help.

[JParrilla]

Originally Posted by AndreF

Hi Solidus,
I totally get where you're at. Years ago when I was taking CG lessons it was drilled into me, but it was always one aspect of classical guitar that I found overly rigid.
Yes, it does have its place. Learning to alternate fingers can be done with drills, such as scales and arpeggios, and playing easy pieces. Slowly but surely, your hand gets used to it.
Memorizing right hand patterns for pieces, particularly for difficult passages, will help smooth things out and with memorization.
But alternating fingers is not a strict rule. In some places in the music, you might find it makes more sense to repeat the one or the other finger. The thumb itself repeats a lot. No big deal. But the reason you do repeat can't be because it's "easier" for you at this time due to your transition from less classical genres. It has to be because of a musical or ease of movement reason, and not to compensate for your lack of alternating ability, if that makes any sense.
So, use simple pieces to drill alternation into your "automatic" memory bank. For more difficult pieces, do figure out the most elegant and efficient way to finger a piece for the sake of the music. More often than not, you'll find that it is more helpful to you that just repeating the same fingers. Also, many transcriptions come with suggested RH fingerings. I used to get different transcriptions of the same piece and select what LH and RH fingerings I liked best.
Once you have that road map, you just follow the same road every time.
Don't be too hard on yourself either at this stage. This kind of learning takes time, and you need to like what you're doing. Otherwise it'll become too much of a repetitive chore, which is never good.
If I learned anything of value in the many years I've been playing, it is to make daily practicing work fun and enjoyable.
Good luck in your new adventure.

This makes perfect sense. So in my case where I am coming across super easy music that does not have fingerings noted... is what I am doing the best approach? Basically going through each note and figuring out fingerings that allow me to alternate as much as possible? And then writing them onto the sheet music and learning the piece using those strict fingerings instead of just winging it? Im assuming if I start doing this now with easy music I will get used to doing it long term.

[Gitfiddlemann]

So in my case where I am coming across super easy music that does not have fingerings noted... is what I am doing the best approach? Basically going through each note and figuring out fingerings that allow me to alternate as much as possible?

Yes, working out fingerings in easy pieces is a good way to train all your fingers to work more efficiently and in co-ordination with each other.
There are no fast rules. Think "economy of movement" or the path of least resistance for your right hand while the fingers are working. Alternating fingers will likely offer the easiest path forward once you get used to it. Stick to it, but don't be overly rigid in your thinking.

And then writing them onto the sheet music and learning the piece using those strict fingerings instead of just winging it?

Yes, winging it will keep the door wide open for memory lapses, especially in fast passages. Adhering to a set pattern, which you learned and which made sense to you as you were working it out, will help you keep that door closed.

Im assuming if I start doing this now with easy music I will get used to doing it long term.

Absolutely. You'll be thankful you did once you tackle the more challenging (but more rewarding and enjoyable) pieces.

[JParrilla]

Originally Posted by AndreF

Yes, working out fingerings in easy pieces is a good way to train all your fingers to work more efficiently and in co-ordination with each other.
There are no fast rules. Think "economy of movement" or the path of least resistance for your right hand while the fingers are working. Alternating fingers will likely offer the easiest path forward once you get used to it. Stick to it, but don't be overly rigid in your thinking.

Yes, winging it will keep the door wide open for memory lapses, especially in fast passages. Adhering to a set pattern, which you learned and which made sense to you as you were working it out, will help you keep that door closed.

Absolutely. You'll be thankful you did once you tackle the more challenging (but more rewarding and enjoyable) pieces.

Makes perfect sense. Thanks so much