One Finger per fret..How high up?

[stickyfiddle]

Hi guys.

I had a pretty sh*tty day on the guitar today. During the week, I have been practicing Major scale patterns, in any given key via the caged system, up and down the fretboard.

Question is: How high up the fretboard can you keep it to one finger per fret, with the major scale?

I am not counting Pentatonic as it's common to use fingers 1-3 or 1-4 or 1-2-3, if you get what I mean.

I'll give an example of G Major. When I get upto Position 5(E Natural Minor). I struggle with 1 finger per fret,BUT, If I do pos 1 in the upper register (15th fret) I don't struggle as much as I do with the Pos 5.

This may be down to the fact that I am more fluent with Pos1, I don't know. At some point though, I do find it a bit easier when up at the 15 fret and higher to use just 1-2-3 fingers.

I varies with which guitar I use also, the Wolfgang has a little better access to the higher register than my Strat type Guitar.

Another niggle is that I like to mix pentatonic with the relevant Major scale too, this requires readjusting the position of the thumb. Simple example is the thumb tends to come over the top on Pent most of the time and that does not always suit major scale phrases and patterns. I don't mind developing my own way, but sometimes you just have to do things the orthodox way to make it less painful.

Am I being overly paranoid about these things?

Thanks.

Does it sound good?

[Bellycaster]

Does it sound good?

Hi

I can play stuff that sounds very nice, it's not that I'm chomping at. I am still in the earlyish stages of learning "Lead" Guitar(2 years 1.5 hours a day average) and a lot of that is learning solos and not what a teacher would call "Proper Practice". I've played guitar for years but I have to admit I just tossed it off in the earlier years, but I wasn't a bad Rhythm player.

I'm aiming at knowing the fretboard inside out. I usually play to youtube backing tracks in different keys. I notice I can play slightly faster using fingers 1,2 and 3 in major scale passages higher up the fretboard. I can live with that but would like to at least try to do it the orthodox way, just to say I can.

I was wondering even with some well known players, they tend to resort to whatever is more comfortable. Then you have your Vai's and the like who can probably use 1 finger per fret right up at the 21st - 24th fret.

I don't really want to be a super fast shredder, although I can appreciate it and like listening to it, I'm a bit more mellow, although I like to use interspersed faster licks and that's why I am chomping at the technique thing.

Using the 1 finger per fret method also means being more aware of and adjusting your thumb position. I guess I'm just adapting to trying to play quicker and realising the things I have to overcome.

Cheers

[stickyfiddle]

What I really meant, but wasn't up for typing at the time, was "don't worry about it too much".

It's a useful thing to be aware of - particularly being able to use your pinky and not completely ignoring it. But that's not to say that you should spend every waking moment "fretting" about it. It's more important to think about what you're playing than how you're playing it, imo

[Bellycaster]

What I really meant, but wasn't up for typing at the time, was "don't worry about it too much".

It's a useful thing to be aware of - particularly being able to use your pinky and not completely ignoring it. But that's not to say that you should spend every waking moment "fretting" about it. It's more important to think about what you're playing than how you're playing it, imo

No problem, thanks for your time. I usually end up stewing with things sometimes. Thing is, I don't know anyone else who plays and I end up having to find advice on here to take weight off the ol' shoulders.

I need to find some guys my age with a band or to jam or something.

Meanwhile, this backing track is a beauty. I don't know your level, but this is sublime to play to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ3A_DHtLQU

[daveyh]

I spent a *lot* of time back in the day working on the one finger one fret thing, I was pretty dedicated to the Vai 10hr thing ( I did do the 10hrs). I could play right up to the 24th using it, but as time went on I found that I would switch between the 1f1f and 1-2-3 without realising. I think that's what's important, having a technique at your disposal doesn't meant you should always be using it.