scale technique question

[oldhippiegal]

when I'm playing the scale shapes, should I be leaving down left hand fingers already played on that string? (So, I'm playing fingers 1-3-4 to start a minor scale, and I fret 1, leave it down, fret 3, leave both down, fret 4.)

I've seen similar advice for other applications and heard it's "correct technique". Part two of my question is, if it is the way I'm supposed to do it, why? What makes it good technique?

[bluesbassdad]

It seems to me that doing it as you describe would encourage the fingers to learn to play with minimum movement of the hand and, therefore, greater accuracy, hence speed.

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by oldhippiegal

when I'm playing the scale shapes, should I be leaving down left hand fingers already played on that string? (So, I'm playing fingers 1-3-4 to start a minor scale, and I fret 1, leave it down, fret 3, leave both down, fret 4.)

I've seen similar advice for other applications and heard it's "correct technique". Part two of my question is, if it is the way I'm supposed to do it, why? What makes it good technique?

It's minimum motion, which is good, and it's the foundation of legato, which is good.

Fran

[rick-slo]

Depends on context. In the limited context of doing ascending scales you can leave the fingers down although I lift off the index finger for the last note on a string in preparation for fretting the next string up.

[billder99]

Rick-Slo,

Interesting you answer in this specific way, I have recently been paying more attention to descending scales... they seem more difficult than ascending scales. I have developed the habit of all "floating fingers" for descending. Is there a more correct way of this?

Does SLO = San Luis Obispo? I am an old Mustang.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by billder99

Rick-Slo,

Interesting you answer in this specific way, I have recently been paying more attention to descending scales... they seem more difficult than ascending scales. I have developed the habit of all "floating fingers" for descending. Is there a more correct way of this?

Does SLO = San Luis Obispo? I am an old Mustang.

Yep, San Luis Obispo. Have been at the CP Health Center since 1985. Maybe I saw you there. See you are using your architecture major.
Regarding scales I usually float both going up and going down for a lighter touch.

[min7b5]

Originally Posted by oldhippiegal

when I'm playing the scale shapes, should I be leaving down left hand fingers already played on that string? (So, I'm playing fingers 1-3-4 to start a minor scale, and I fret 1, leave it down, fret 3, leave both down, fret 4.)...

No. Leaving the first finger down until just a moment (millisecond) after the third finger is down the way to get a good legato sound, and a big goal as a teacher to get players doing... but continuing to leave the first finger down after (using your example) the second finger and fourth finger are down is not a good idea in my view. It's an unnecessary use of energy, creates tension... I don't see an up side.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by min7b5

No. Leaving the first finger down until just a moment (millisecond) after the third finger is down the way to get a good legato sound, and a big goal as a teacher to get playing doing... but continuing to leave the first finger down after (using your example) the second finger and fourth finger are down is not a good idea in my view. It's an unnecessary use of energy, creates tension... I don't see an up side.

Hi eric…
Agreed.

I think efficiency in motion is not always the goal, and technique is often based on what precedes a passage or follows the passage in question.

When a player tries to leave fingers in place too long the playing becomes sluggish or sloppy - or both.

The exception of course is if you are trilling or moving to a higher note and immediately back to the original note (hammer on/off) figures.

[billder99]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Yep, San Luis Obispo. Have been at the CP Health Center since 1985. Maybe I saw you there. See you are using your architecture major.
Regarding scales I usually float both going up and going down for a lighter touch.

Hey Rick,

Thanks for the reply. After a year of tracking, my ascending scales are smooth and clean at 300bpm, descending at about 250bpm... working them daily with floating fingers. Not exactly blazing fast, but getting to a respectable speed.

I finished at Cal Poly in 1983, but I am sure you know many of my friends still living there. You live in one of the worlds best places to live and I look forward to my SLO visits. Merry Christmas to you.

BD

[jasperguitar]

I don't know much about the fingering .. as I am a beginner ..

but I like saying "legato" ...