Rethinking Fingers, Frets & LOOKING

Subject: Rethinking Fingers, Frets & LOOKING
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 03 Apr 00 - 12:45 PM

Well guys, though I learned a great deal from everyone who contributed to the Fingers, Hitting Frets, & Not Looking thread, I have now started to rethink this approach to learning the fretboard.
After my last banjo lesson with Rick I realized not looking at the frets can run me into some major problems when trying to become familiar with the fretboard.
I am not at the stage where I can naturally and easily find the fret and string I want without looking. So I fumble, missing the string or fret and playing poorly.
By forcing myself to look where I want to place my fingers, and with persistence, I do start hitting the correct fret more consistently.
Add a lot of practice, and I get that clean crisp tone I am looking for.
Kind of opposite to what I said before about playing better without looking.
I think I have 'changed my tune'(get it?)
Personally, I think not looking at the fretboard was actually forming at bad (beginners)learning habit.
It was just so much easier on my neck not to have my head continously turned left and having my neck feeling wrenched & sore. Playing a long neck banjo does not help matters, but now I keep the capo on the second fret and I find the wrenching tolerable.
Maybe there is a happy medium of looking and not looking at your fingers while learning?
M. Ted had some very good points about the cognitive portion of the brain not being able to analyze things as quickly as they are happening with my fingers.
Although this is true, I am now seeing the benefit of developing an eye-finger coordination.
I guess what I am saying now is, that I can see the benefits of forcing myself to look at the fretboard, though at first I fumble with my coordination, it seems worth pursuing.
Maybe once I feel comfortable with the skill of looking at the fretboard, then I will gradually start not looking at my fingers with confidence due to my developing skills.
As Charles Seed and others have suggested, ultimately I will want to be able to play while looking at my audience or at whoever is playing the lead, rather than at my hands.

I would appreciate if someone could blue clicky the thread Fingers, Hitting Frets, & Not Looking to this thread for the benefit of others who may not have read it.

Little Neo

Subject: RE: Rethinking Fingers, Frets & LOOKING
From: Áine
Date: 03 Apr 00 - 12:55 PM

Click here for the previous thread mentioned by Little Neo.

-- Áine

Subject: RE: Rethinking Fingers, Frets & LOOKING
From: Easy Rider
Date: 03 Apr 00 - 03:32 PM

Well, Little Neo, take my advice.
Looking at your fingers is quite nice.
Soon you'll be older and your eyes won't see close.
You won't see your fingers, though they're under your nose.
Your arms won't be long enough to hold your banjo far,
And your bifocals won't help, no matter how thick they are.

EZR ( [=O=)===={:::]

Subject: RE: Rethinking Fingers, Frets & LOOKING
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Apr 00 - 03:40 PM

There's learning a tune, there's practising a tune, and there's playing a tune.

?

Look when you're learning it, sneak the odd look to check while you're practising it, and look at other people while you're playing it.

Unless Rick says do it some other way, in which case take his advice...