Fingers, Hitting Frets, & Not Looking

Subject: RE: Fingers, Hitting Frets, & Not Looking
From: GUEST,Bill in Alabama
Date: 13 Mar 00 - 09:35 AM

Li'l Neo--

I like what Easy Rider said--There are no set rules. I prefer not to look at either hand; I prefer to look at the audience instead.

Bill

Also--pay no attention to the banjo-bashers. Go for it.

Subject: RE: Fingers, Hitting Frets, & Not Looking
From: Amos
Date: 13 Mar 00 - 09:34 AM

I think I hear you saying you are teaching your left hand to think for itself. If that's the case then looking at it just adds an extra circuit to the process and interrupts the natural flow of smart fingers. Let them be thegeniuses they are :>), Knowing the neck in Braille will only make you a better player, IMHO.

A

Subject: RE: Fingers, Hitting Frets, & Not Looking
From: Midchuck
Date: 13 Mar 00 - 09:02 AM

"And I would also like to know if I am going to run into unforeseen problems in the future if I continue to learn to play the banjo this way."

The answer to your question is "yes." But the words, "this way" in the question are surplusage.

P.

Subject: RE: Fingers, Hitting Frets, & Not Looking
From: Easy Rider
Date: 13 Mar 00 - 08:56 AM

Neo:

You must bear in mind that there are no rules. When you have a new or particularly hard position change or fingering, you look at your Left hand. Whe you have a particularly hard picking pattern, you look at your Right hand. If you don't know the next phrase, you look at the music sheet. When you can play a piece well, try closing your eyes and playing it. When you play a wrong note, you will hear it.

Subject: Fingers, Hitting Frets, & Not Looking
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 13 Mar 00 - 07:31 AM

Though I tend to bring this question up to Rick Fielding at my next lesson, I wanted to toss it out to any Mudcatters too.

When learning a new tune, after being shown where to place my fingers on the fret board, I find it much easier to learn the tune by not looking at the fret board and just feeling where my fingers should go.
I tend to keep my eyes focused on my right hand while picking. This helps improve my picking technique.
But the minute I start looking at my left hand, I start making mistakes. I do not make mistakes with my right hand picking, I make mistakes with my left hand positioning when I look at what I am doing.

I could force myself to learn to play the tune while looking at where my left hand fingers are on the fret board but it feels like I would then be adding one more additional skill to learn on top of all the rest.

This seems to only happen when I am shown a new tune. If I am trying to figure out a tune by myself, I do look at my left hand and once I have learned the tune I may or may not look thereon after.

I would appreciate some insight into why I seem to learn best by not looking at my left hand and just sensing where my fingers should go.
And I would also like to know if I am going to run into unforeseen problems in the future if I continue to learn to play the banjo this way.

Little Neo