Guide Strings!

[Arthur Blake]

Amazing after all these decades of playing I am just now realizing the value of guide strings.

A lot of the finger style pieces I play have interesting and complex chord shapes and finger positions, and it is so much easier if I go through the piece and study how best to move my fingers from one position to the next.

If I can just find one finger that winds up close to the same place on the same or adjacent string, it not only greatly simplifies playing the piece, is also helps me see how the tone is changing from one position to the next.

Reviewing Misty, for example, I found that rather than lifting all my fingers and placing them back down again, the ring finger could remain on the same note for several bars.

Somehow would never have noticed, if I wasn't consciously looking for it.

Very cool.

Very much simplifies learning and playing almost everything it seems, unless I'm just using very common first position chords.

[rick-slo]

Of course. Just keep guide fingers to the correct note value times.
It's also very important to form the upcoming chord with the fingers in air.
You can also use strings near the bridge as guides for the picking hand to steady its movements