3 or 4 fingers shredding

[JDC]

since I learnt to play fast from michael angelo batio's speed kills I've usually been using all 4 fingers in my mental scale run solo stuff high up the fretboard but for some reason, I recently accidentally found out if I angle my hand slightly I can do it just as well with 3 fingers, now I dunno which I prefer

so do you guys prefer 3 or 4 fingers high up on the fretboard?

ps since I got new string on I'm doing 4 hour shred sessions :)

[Matt77]

Depends on your style and shape of hands I think.
I've got Jason Becker's DVD and he uses 1st, 2nd and 3rd on a lot of his fast runs.
But then Paul Gilbert often relies on his 1st, 3rd and 4th finger usually using his 3rd when most people would use their 2nd

[Woogie]

Jason Becker is a guitar master. So sad what happened (ALS) and having experienced it first hand, I can sympathise for him and his family. I tend to use 3 fingers cos 4 gets a tad cramped!!

[MrBump]

I've never bought tutorial DVDs...  what are they like?  Presumably they vary in quality...

[Fourth Feline]

I don't 'shred' , - more a daily quest to improve general dexterity, but it's four fingers every time for me.

I picked it up off of the 'one fret per finger  rule ' guys like B.B.King, Larry Carlton - and other jazz infuenced  precise players.  I find the discipline of that ( and trying to keep the thumb in line with the back of the neck / not letting the edge of the little finger touch the edge of the fretboard e.t.c.) keeps me mentally focused - and my movements economic.  :)

[Matt77]

I've never bought tutorial DVDs...  what are they like?  Presumably they vary in quality...

I've seen a fair number.
Paul Gilbert's were all excellent and generally light hearted and entertaining.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YvsOKTPaks&feature=related

Some are v dull

some are v scary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhpHKePY9O8

[Ted 'N' Leo]

I tend to use 3 fingers cos 4 gets a tad cramped!!

Same here, although I often use the first, third and fourth fingers when I'm not at the heel.

[MrBump]

Dear God, that Becker clip WAS scary!!!

[il˙ti]

I use the "one finger per fret" rule as a basic guideline but occasionally I step out of that when the shapes played are more out-of-the-box. For standard 3 notes per string shapes, I'm a 4-finger pinky fanatic. I don't see why people learn to ignore the pinky. You have 4 fingers (and a thumb), use them. "Jimmy Page did it" is not an excuse.

See what Mr. Shred Durst has to say about this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhGRzl5WFYg

[Will]

I use the "one finger per fret" rule as a basic guideline but occasionally I step out of that when the shapes played are more out-of-the-box. For standard 3 notes per string shapes, I'm a 4-finger pinky fanatic. I don't see why people learn to ignore the pinky. You have 4 fingers (and a thumb), use them. "Jimmy Page did it" is not an excuse.

Me too, I usually do excessive exercises with little finger. Usually Zakk box patterns played with 2nd and 4th.
Although I think I have a bit more respect for JP than you :P
But it does get irritating when people use that as an excuse

[Fourth Feline]

I use the "one finger per fret" rule as a basic guideline but occasionally I step out of that when the shapes played are more out-of-the-box. For standard 3 notes per string shapes, I'm a 4-finger pinky fanatic. I don't see why people learn to ignore the pinky. You have 4 fingers (and a thumb), use them. "Jimmy Page did it" is not an excuse.

See what Mr. Shred Durst has to say about this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhGRzl5WFYg

Nice post Ilyti  :)

The alternating picking being another favourite of mine.  I was warmly amused as to how  Mr.Durst's vocal presentaion varies slightly from Larry Carlton's on his free web lessons '335 T.V. ' e.t.c.  :lol:

During practice, I will sometimes lift the first finger off the fretboard altogether - and concentrate on those 3 fret patterns/phrases/moves with the remaing three .  I find that lifting the first finger ( instead of  just leaving it there but not using it ) - removes a reference point and some leverage - and so makes  the muscles in the other fingers have to work harder for a while. It is a seemingly subtle difference,  but when I then put the first finger  back in place again the overall effect seems improved.

[Simon D]

Can't really shred, and I've not had one lesson in my 14 years ('anniversary' was last week) of playing, but I've always used my little finger for sololing. For me, there's 2 reasons - when I was starting out, I was (and still am) a huge fan of Satch an Vai, and they always used their pinkies in the vids I saw. Therefore my 13-year-old brain reasoned that if i was ever going to be as good as them (yeah, right  :roll: ) I'd have to use my pinky. The other reason was a good mate who started playing around the same time, who put his pinky under the fretboard, much like this, and always struggled to reposition it for lead playing:

[il˙ti]

That picture made me shiver. Please link it and put a warning.

[Simon D]

That picture made me shiver. Please link it and put a warning.

Hahaha! What's worse is my friend played like that for 5 years. Took him ages after he realised what he was doing to break the habit. I could never understand it - it's so b@stard uncomfortable!