Flying Fingers

[Rich]

I believe my speed is now as fast as I can get it until I break a very old bad habit, flying fingers. My left hand fingers come further and further from the fretboard the faster and faster I play! Does anyone know of some good exercises to help break me of this problem? I'd really love some help. I've been playing for 10 years and I'm afraid this may be hard to cure.
Thanks!

[ShaneJ]

Try practicing scales and arpeggios with a twist--as you go up, keep your left hand fingers down where you put them until they MUST move to play the next note. Have them all planted on the scale positions as you come down and pick one up (just enough to get a clean tone) at a time. Do that with a metronome at a slow speed and gradually increase speed.

I've done that (not enough), and it's helped me to keep my fingers lower. I need to practice some more to get even better, but it's a start.

I'm no instructor, so I'm sure someone else may have an even better suggestion. Good luck!

[Jonathan James]

That is great exercise. My instructor calls it "Keep'em Down" Really frustrating at first, cause that ring and pinky fingers always want to pull off...

[Rroyd]

I've had a few students with that problem that had some success dealing with it by practicing with the left hand positioned close to something solid, like a wall or the side of a desk, to restrict the outward movement of the fingers, forcing them to play with less motion. Ten years is a lot of habit to break, but keep at it. Also, if you work on songs that you can literally play in your sleep, you can concentrate more on controlling the "flying fingers" than if you are having to think about how the tune goes. It might take a little time, but if you can successfully and consistently play a few tunes with the "restricted" left hand position, try moving away from the barrier and see if you still play them without the "flying fingers" happening again. Good Luck.

[Ted Eschliman]

This may take you into some keys you never dreamed you'd play but if you do it right, you HAVE to keep your fingers down, especially in string crossings:
Guides and Gravity (http://www.tannah.net/ted/proof/g&g4.pdf)
If it's overwhelming, just start by practicing in two measure chunks only.

[Brad Weiss]

I'm trying this "keep 'em down" method, and I find I can't even play notes on the D string while my fingers are in position on the G- they just end up damping the D...

This is a big problem- I find it makes it hard to co-ordinate left and right hand when my fingers fly- my right hand picks just a tad before I fret and it sounds pretty muddy.

Any more help?

[John Flynn]

Hey, I have heard this "keep your fingers down" mantra for a long time, and I don't disagree with it. However, I see a lot of great players having thier fingers flying all over the place. Also, you need to let the fingers fly for hammer-ons. I guess what I am saying is that there are no absolutes. It is like pick direction and using the pinky. There are "rules" but there are some notable people who have learned to play really well ignoring the rules.

[batman]

take a look at Wayne Benson picking fast. It's like his fingers hardly ever touch down for very long. They are really flying all over the place. I think whatever works for you is the right way. Don

[Atlanta Mando Mike]

To be truly efficient you have to cut your extra movement. All movement and energy must be used for the goal you are trying to achieve-in this case speed. Case in point Chris Thile, Andy leftwich, Tony Rice. Watch tony's left hand and try to figure out what he is doing-it barely moves. However, look at grisman-not super effecient, but he has emotion and drive and isn't as worried about technique. It's all aboit what you want out of your playing.

[Brad Weiss]

I fully appreciate everyone's points- good technique is not always necessary to achieve the results you want. #BUT many of us aren't fully achieving the results we want, and here is where I think technique could make a difference. #Like any other actvitiy - especially a physical one- you can hit on a method that works for you and craft it into real excellence (see Benson, Grisman- it looks to me like Mike Marshall's fingers aere jumping too - or for that matter Arnold Palmer's swing or Bjorn Borg's tennis strokes- all unconventional but amazingly effective). #But if what you're doing isn't working , and seems to be hampering you, then simplified form (not "proper form" since it isn't about good or bad but effectiveness) is the best habit to cultivate. #And I thank everyone who's made suggetions for how to achieve it. #Plus, I have to say when I watch, for example, Doc Watson pick it just blows my mind since it looks like his left hand doesn't even MOVE. #It seems so effortless, and that freedom must make it in some way easier to concentrate on making music, since he's hardly thinking about moving his hands at all.

[AlanN]

Start slowly. Play an ascending D major scale on the D string. Should be open, 2nd fret, fourth fret, fifth fret, seventh fret. When you hit the seventh fret (A note), all four fingers should be planted on their appropriate frets. Then walk it down to the open D. Repeat ad nauseum, changing strings and positions. This will help, and good luck!

[Ted Eschliman]

If the style of music you play requires hammer-ons, pull-offs, and relies on many open string drones for an overall "sustain" you actually want "Flying Fingers." It's the only way you can get the kinetic energy to drive the sound with the left hand as well as the pick.
However, if you play more in closed positions, jazz, choro, classical, as is my personal preference, a "Stealth" left hand gives better control and ergonomically efficient fingering for speed.
Check out the new addition to John Baxter's fabulous website www.mandozine.com for an exercise that addresses this:
Lydian DUDU (http://www.mandozine.com/index.php/techniques/techinfo/Lydian_Scale/).