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Author Topic:  Can you suggest an exercise to correct a bad habit
Jan Dunn

 

From:
Union, NJ USA
Post  Posted 7 Aug 2022 9:20 am    
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And yes I should be able to figure this out on my own but here goes.

I think I picked this up from Jeff Newman videos but I always play 2 string combos with my thumb and middle finger. Now my first finger seems as useless as an appendix. How do I get all three fingers able to play 2 string combos. Someone must have a helpful exercise or approach to fix this deeply embedded habit.

Thanks in advance.
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John McClung


From:
Olympia WA, USA
Post  Posted 7 Aug 2022 12:59 pm    
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Jan, take any 3 note grip, and play it arpeggiated, thumb-index-middle, ascending and descending.

Then take any two note grip, use nearby strings 3 and 5, 4 and 6, or even adjacent strings, and arpeggiate using thumb-index, forward and backward.

Finally, to really teach that index finger how to earn its keep, try playing an open position major scale, doing a thumb-index-thumb crossover (see second screen shot).
Learn how to cross over with thumb to strike string 6 after playing string 7 with index. Final note on string 4 should be either thumb or index, the latter puts your fingers in a better position for the same scale descending.

A lot of us abandoned the index finger under Newman's strict order to simplify picking patterns to just 2 fingers, which does make a lot of sense as far as keeping fingers from getting all tangled up. But today's style of playing, especially with pick blocking, pretty much requires heavy use of the index finger.

Here's a couple of screen shots from one of my E9 101 lesson plans showing a couple ways of playing the ascending C major scale:







Good luck! I teach lessons on Skype if you'd like personalized coaching on this or any other technique or song. Contact via email is preferred.

John McClung
steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net
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E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net
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