Taming non-compliant fingers

Chiefbigeasy · September 2014

As I make my way toward thinking and phrasing like early Django, I find that many of the solos he played are not particularly intuitive as to how they work out on the fretboard. (I'm imagining knowing smiles and chuckles.)

I'm aware of Django's physical limitations, and some practitioners have suggested fingering in his two-finger style for insight as to how he constructed his solos. But, I think, only the most dedicated--perhaps obsessive--players will consider to continue to play this way constantly. (It reminds me of my argument against two-person volleyball: sure, you can do it, but why?)

So, I guess what I'm asking is, how do most of us approach these classic solos when the use of 4 fingers, at times, seems actually more difficult and less intuitive?

There are, for example, some passages in Django's early (or only) versions of "Honeysuckle Rose" and "All of Me" that require cross/backward/descending arpeggio-like runs that positively leave my fingers in a tangle. This includes the self-imposed requirement to use gypsy rest-stroke picking, including downstrokes when moving backward from the higher to lower strings. I have worked out some strategies that employ two-string finger roles/bars in the middle of the solo, slides, bends, etc. I have been able to play them slowly, but rarely at full speed.

I've watched videos of great players like Stochelo Rosenberg and others master these solos and create their own (although Stochelo admits to preferring using primarily only 3 fingers to fret). I don't think I have enough life left in me to approach his technical mastery, however.

So, I guess the question is this: how do we mere mortal train our non-compliant fingers to do our bidding. I imagine the first answer will always be to practice, practice slowly, practice with a metronome, etc. I'd be interested in how others have spurred progress, broken through ruts and seeming walls of limitation, seen development over time.

jazzygtr · September 2014

I break everything down into phrases or sentences, like learning how to speak (this is how I went after Giant Steps a few years back), and then use my looper to loop a few bars of the progression that would go under these phrases, and just play with them non-stop at whatever tempo makes sense at that time.

So small segments or phrases, use looper to loop the underlying chords, and just keep adding from there.

Now more specifically to the fingering... this looping exercise allows me to play the chords at whatever tempo I need to experiment with different fingerings. So right now I am working on some Django, and I start by looking at where the two fingers makes sense for me, and then just play around with adding that third or forth finger when it makes sense for my hands.

This may or may not be enjoyable to others, but I love learning this way. Eventually when I have a phrase down I will even create other exercises out of them. Such as committing to playing the note-for-note lick two times, and then improvise two times, repeat, etc. I really really enjoy doing things like this, and it helps me to learn, be inspired and creative all in one session.

I hope that helps.

Jazzaferri · September 2014

Many years ago I spent several years on scales and Sal Salvador's single string studies, using classical fingering methodology. ... Three fingers to pick with four fingers to fret with....

While for the most part it has been very useful, occasionally there are some phrasings in GJ that I have to really think about how to finger. So not classical scale friendly.

Practice really slow and relaxed to start with so the muscles get it right from the get go. Speed up when you can do so without creating tension.

Django had two fully functional very long fingers. My stonemason like big palms and short large boned fingers are not two finger friendly. I have seen one person tape their third and fourth fingers. Me...I think it best to go with what works best for you. If you have fingers like Django, give it a whirl. If not, you may find more frustration than success.

The important thing is to hear the music in your head. If your fingers can play the notes you hear, in the wY you hear them, it doesn't matter how you do it.

pickitjohn · September 2014

@Chiefbigeasy

I love what Jay said...

If it's not in YOUR HEAD how can it ever make it to YOUR HANDS

you may find the following youtube video helpful...

i'll see you in my dreams - Christophe Lartilleux

pick on

pickitjohn :peace:

jazzygtr · September 2014

Great video. I've seen a few of these online (two finger approach on Django tunes) and I love watching them.

Michael Bauer · September 2014

Christophe played that for us at Django in June in the Hot Club one night…on a vintage di Mauro! It was really something to watch from a few feet away. He just nailed it, even better than his famous video. Christophe told me it is really hard on the left hand to play that song. You can see him use it regularly for certain passages when he plays. There are a number of licks that I have tripped all over myself on, using four fingers…even three, that just make perfect sense using only two. For Django it wasn't a parlor trick, it was how he had to play. As Jay said, he went with what worked for him. For us, it's intellectual curiosity most of the time. But there are licks that Django played that still work best played with two fingers, even for us.

crookedpinky · September 2014

I agree with M Bauer, try to work out with two fingers even if just for fun. My playing is not up a great standard but when I cut back to two fingers I notice there are fewer but more relevant notes, it becomes more musical and a wee bit closer to Django than it is with three or four. I have a bent, short and weak pinky on my left hand so curling the middle finger and pinky back and under the neck is natural and easy for me and actually frees up movement in my left hand. I don't know what it;s like for people with a "normal" left hand - might be harder to keep the middle finger and pinky out of the way. The one thing that is definitely difficult is the coordination between fretting consecutive notes, string changing and picking on chromatic runs. There is a video Django doing that somewhere on Youtube - it may be him playing J'attendrai - but that's worth watching to get an insight into how he used his two "good" fingers

husy · September 2014

@Chiefbigeasy I have a feeling you'd find Ben Givan's book interesting.

Matteo · September 2014

you may find the following youtube video helpful...

Very interesting! I'm trying to learn I'll See You In My Dreams myself and have tried the two-finger technique to understand how Django played it. But I seems I have made a few different fingering choices compared to Mr Lartilleux. I must study the video closer. He plays some parts in a way I never thought of. Thanks for posting it!