Right. Just to clarify my previous post for everyone else, it was a switch I chose to make. To be honest, I was reluctant to try using 4 fingers because I had been learning for a year using 3. But I felt I owed it to myself to give it a chance. By the second week it was very clear to me that using 4 fingers worked much better for me than 3.

Jim

I'm certainly not anywhere near as adept as Greg & Steve (who is??), but I played with both of these methods before settling on one and sticking with it.

Using 4 fingers certainly made more sense to me, as you just assign a finger to a fret and don't have to worry about as much lateral movement. Technically, to me, this is the most logical approach.

The problem I continually battled with (with guitar as well), is a strength issue with my pinky. Granted, playing Stick generally requires a light touch, one of the beauties of the instrument, as it allows one to really be expressive with dynamics. I tend to like to use a lot of bending in my playing, and regardless of whether I tried bending with an up or down motion, I couldn't get comfortable bending with my pinky. Because of this, I chose the three finger approach, and once I made that choice I eventually got comfortable with the extra lateral movement necessary.

Kris

Bending with the pinky alone is indeed difficult. No strength. I suggest all the fingers be on the same string behind the pinky to give the bend support.
It's like, if your car breaks down and you solicit other guys/gals to help you push instead of being that pinky yourself.

Pinky Lee (from way back)

And then there are those like Bob Culbertson who use all 10...Yikes!


Dave
http://www.ambientstickist.com

Indeed!

Check out Steve's latest DVD. You'd swear he's using more than 10.

Jim

I really like using my pinky particularly for chords and multi-tonal segments in the right hand. I also really believe there is allot of merit in the big muscle movements of Greg's technique. I am specifically trying to gain the benefits of both though my practice.

I am a total newbie with just over 300 hours of practice but I have decided that all too often especially among newer players focusing too much on "economy of motion" can lead to largely using finger energy which I would think would be more facilitative of injury as playing times increase and the years pass.

My 2 cents,

Curtis

Most injuries come from not practicing properly, not from using 4 fingers over three. If you know how to properly develop motor and muscle memory it doesnt matter what technique you choose or how many fingers you use.

Josh

Interesting - I have always used 4 fingers, because that's how many I have on my right hand over the frets. Not sure why you would not use something that's sitting right there...
Randy

Less strength and sharing a tendon with the third finger. Neither is a real issue but I guess different people have different problems. As with most things in life it's just personal preference. Either won can work fine.

I may be wrong here, and I'm sure Greg will correct me if I am, but I think one of the big selling points for Greg and the 3 finger posse is the ease for beginners to grasp the instrument and move forward.

In the end, none of it really matters. Go with whats comfortable to you.

Josh

If that was in anyway understood from my post then perhaps I communicated improperly for if I believed that 4 finger technique caused issues I certainly would not be using 4 fingers myself.

From piano (using all fingers) most teachers would tend to also encourage big muscle usage rather than stationary arms and hard working fingers. I should have been more clear. I meant that sometimes a beginner could misapply the concept of "economy of motion" causing them issue in both damage and development.

I am in the middle of the road on the 3 vs. 4 finger question seeking to gain the advantage of a well developed pinky and arm energy and motion.

Sorry for the unintended implication.

-Curtis