Holding fingers too far away

[CSIMelissa]

I'm just learning but I know I am pulling my fingers too far away from the strings when I play and I know that will slow me down as I pick up speed/confidence. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions of something I should try. I try to concentrate on hand position but since I'm looking at the music instead of my hands I'm having trouble.

Thanks for answering another newbie question of mine.

[Eldon Dennis]

I had the same problem when I first started but thanks to a good mandolin player who suggested I try the following:


Use the four finger G chord position (which I couldn't do at the G position because of the long reach) but move down to A, or B flat or B and put just enough press on the strings to mute them. Use some sort of picking pattern such as down on the G, up on the D, down on the A, up on the E. Then reverse from E back to G. You should also experiment with your own patterns. While doing this try to keep all of the strings muted and yet not put enough pressure on them to make a clear note. This helped me in two ways, first it made me work at keeping my fingers curved and close to the fret board, secondly it helped me reduce my bad habit of pressing too hard on the fret board when making a note.

This didn't solve all my bad habits, but it helped me get started in the right direction. I'm still working on the too much pressure when playing in public and the nerves kick in.

Hope this is of some use? Have fun on the "mando journey" you've embarked upon - wish I had started mine many years earlier!

[EdHanrahan]

Just try slowing down to where you CAN pay attention to the height of your fretting fingers and still play the line smoothly.

Yes, it feels frustrating to move like molasses while acquiring a new skill, but you need to get the "muscle memory" ingrained so that you won't have the flailing-finger syndrome. We're all guilty of playing too fast at some time or another, and it's mostly while trying to learn something new!

[SincereCorgi]

This works for fixing any habit that requires mindfulness: set a timer (I use a smartphone app) for, at the beginning, a couple minutes. Position your hand the way you want it, and start working through your practice material. When the timer goes off, check to see if you've already slipped back into your bad habit. You probably have. Fix it, and set the timer again. You will improve and become more aware. As you get better, set the timer for longer increments. You have to actually do this for it to work, but after a week you will have made significant improvement. Later you will probably backslide, but you will know how to fix it.

[Pete Martin]

One need only use the flexor muscles (brings the fingers to the palm), but not use the extensor muscles (brings fingers towards strait). Use the flexors when playing a note, then simply relax the flexor and let the finger return to a 'resting" position.

You should also look at your ergonomics of how you are holding the instrument.

Go here
http://www.petimarpress.com/mandolin...%20videos.html

and look at the ergonomic videos on holding the instrument and the left hand.

(NOTE: I was taught ergonomics by a terrific Performing Arts Medical Assn doc when I was having pain issues a number of years ago, then studied a lot more on my own. These videos are a result of that study).

Best of luck!

[Cue Zephyr]

I'm also working on keeping the fingers (especially the pinky!) closer to the strings.
And as a bluegrass fan, I need all the potential speed increase I can get and I'm indeed guilty of wanting and trying to play too fast when learning something new.

Here's JustinGuitar (I know, not mandolin) talking about minimum movement. Hope it helps a little.

[CSIMelissa]

All good advice and I'll check out the videos and really, really, really try to pay more attention because I think I'll flow smoother if I can get this part of it down/ Thanks all!!!

(Funny thing is when I chord my fingers stay close but when I'm picking individual notes they go everywhere. LOL)

[UsuallyPickin]

Truly CSIM .... PM is right about relaxing ........ keeping you hand relaxed stops all kinds of stress related problems .... leave those fingers down until you need to move them .... that stops a lot of extraneous movement ..flying fingers is a tough nut to crack but it will reward you with faster cleaner playing ... Luck R/

[Pete Martin]

A BIG part of progressing on an instrument is learning to relax. While folks can give you clues on how to do it, one must learn to do it themselves.

Best of luck!

[CSIMelissa]

Ok... I emailed the guy that authored the DVD and book that I have been using to learn (Doug Baldwin) and he emailed me back some good advice so I thought I'd share it here in case any of you would find it of interest:

The "flailing fingers" problem is one that almost every string player experiences. Usually it's the 3rd and 4th fingers far more than the 1st and 2nd fingers that fly away from the fretboard.
Here's one exercise I've used to develop control in my flying fingers:
* Hold down your first and second fingers on the high E string course in the first and second frets, as if you are about to play the notes F and F#. Don't play these notes, just hold your fingers down.
* Reach across to the low G string course and play the note B at the 4th fret with your third finger. Continue to hold this note down and play the note C (5th fret) with your 4th finger.
* Release the 3rd and 4th fingers and move on to the D string course. Play the notes F# and G (4th and 5th frets) with your 3rd and 4th fingers.
* Release the 3rd and 4th fingers again and move on to the A string course. Play the notes C# and D (4th and 5th frets) with your 3rd and 4th fingers.
* Release the 3rd and 4th fingers again and move on to the E string course. Play the notes G# and A (4th and 5th frets) with your 3rd and 4th fingers.
If you're doing this correctly, you'll have the first and second fingers practically Superglued to the fretboard through the whole exercise, and your 3rd and 4th fingers will be dancing across the fretboard playing a dorky non-melody that goes B - C - F# - G - C# - D - G# - A. Do this nice and slow and watch your fingers carefully as you play, keeping them as close to the fretboard as you can between each pair of notes. Do this for maybe a minute or two every 10 or 15 minutes while you practice, and you should gain some good control of your flying fingers.

[fatt-dad]

how you supposed to hammer if you don't have any height?

f-d

[Pete Martin]

how you supposed to hammer if you don't have any height?

Good tone in a hammer on is more about power, precision and percussiveness than it it height off the fingerboard.

[OldSausage]

how you supposed to hammer if you don't have any height?

f-d

Yeah, Pete's right, you don't need room for your fingers to 'pick up speed'. The closer they are, the faster and cleaner they can hammer on.

[August Watters]

flying fingers?

[Mike Bunting]

And magic fingers.

[roysboy]

Man....that video is just something to behold when it comes to a display of great technique . Thanks for posting.

[CSIMelissa]

Well apparently everyone's advice here helped and I've been practicing my finger positioning nearly every night for a week and.... Problem solved! Now I can continue on with the fun.