Left Hand 134 vs 123 fingering

[Kean]

Which fingering is easier / cleaner / faster / more natural for you for 3nps stuff? 123 or 134?
Try playing the 6 note Yngwei chunk on a single string in A minor on the Hi E string using fingers 134:

-8-5-7-8-7-5------|-8-5-7-8-7-5------|  repeat...
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Now play it again using fingers 123.

Now do the same two fingerings for this standard lick:

-8-5-7-8-7-5------|-8-5-7-8-7-5------|  repeat...
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How did both fingerings compare?

I really struggle with 134. The accuracy, synchronization, endurance, ease etc. all goes out the window. I find 123 the easiest for these type of 3nps sequences whether they are part of a greater lick/scale on on a single string. Perhaps it might have something to do with my pinky being under used during the early years of my guitar learning as I started off playing 3 finger Blues rock like Hendrix and SRV.

Does anyone else have the same issue with 123 feeling / sounding better than 134? or the other way around! Has anyone overcome this? How did you do it?

[tommo]

I’m the opposite, I much prefer to avoid stretches whenever possible, so I would stick to the canonical 1-finger-per-fret posture (134)!
But I can see how many people would prefer 123, since these fingers are in general stronger (and someone in this forum also mentioned that they are mutually independent tendon-wise).

[Prlgmnr]

I stuck to one finger per fret for years and now I’m trying to work on 4nps stuff or 3nps pentatonic reaches or other spread out stuff it’s holding me back a bit.

I haven’t watched loads of players but looking at Guthrie Govan it seems to me he uses 123 the majority of the time and saves 4 for the bigger reaches.

[ASTN]

When playing halftone-wholetone or wholetone-halftone I use 124 or 134.
When playing wholetone-wholetone…It depends on many factors.

I tried 123 on halftone-wholetone. It’s really easier to syncronise, more stable and consistent. But when playing more than one string it becomes a problem, because I have to change position of my wrist a bit. From the other side, playing with 134 is harder for me (especially considering the fact that my pinky is deformed) but I feel like it’s more correct for me when playing passages involving more than one string.

[Squeaks]

It’ll be the other way around for finger independence, the 2 3 being least independent. If you place your hand face down keeping the fingertips touching the surface and try and raise each finger individually you won’t be able to lift the ring finger all the way without lifting the middle finger. Suppose 1 2 3 fingering helps keep the fingers from flying away from the strings when not being used though, could help with speed I guess.

[aliensporebomb]

For me, weirdly, the very fastest of my playing is 1 2 4. My pinky plays a critical role in the very fastest playing I do although I’m trying to do more 1 3 4 and 1 2 3 4.

[jzdunegan]

I actually have been working on this very thing. I take the approach of working on 124, 134 and 123. I find it easier on some licks to use 123 in the frets above the 12th, especially since I play a Les Paul.

[BlindGuitarist]

Hi. I may be wrong, but fingers 3 and 4 apparently share the same nerve, or is it tendon? Anyway, that’s always been the weakest part of my fretting hand… not 1-2-4, that’s fine, but specifically 3-4 things.

I think I should work on exercises that target 3-4 more, but then I think “shit, I don’t want to one day wake up with focal dystonia!”. So, I’m not sure whether or not to fixate on it.

I favor 1-2-4 for 3-note-per-string things, that’s for sure.

[aliensporebomb]

If you want a challenge try doing 234 (omitting 1) going up from the first fret of the high E ascending to the 12th fret and then descend back to the first fret. Then do that on all strings. Then keep doing it.

I realized over the years that nearly every line and run I ever did began with 1. Gives you some strength and endurance to execute lines in a different way. When I first started doing that it was like I was a beginner again. Took about a day to make it feel natural.

[JakeEstner]

Not scientific, but a lot of blues and rock players do the thumbwrap thing which pushes the pinky out of position a bit, making it more practical sometimes to just use it less. If you’re in more of a classical stance, each finger has more so equal access than the thumb wrap rock thing.

I’m a ‘one finger per fret’ equal opportunity pinky player, but I’ve found the issue to be more nuanced than I originally thought. I think there are some practical advantages to being more 3 finger oriented. Lots of pros and cons and of course depends what it is your’e actually playing.

[jzdunegan]

I have had the same issue. Years ago I fell and damaged the Ulnar nerve. I actually could not play guitar for almost 2 years. This was back in 1995 so the nerve has healed. But the residual damage was a weak 3rd and 4th finger.

Now, daily, I do fretting/picking exercises to strengthen those fingers. Basically, one string, 3 note triplets with a metronome. I try to put a little force in each finger as I do the exercise. Once blood flows to my hands and I’m warmed up a bit, it seems that it becomes easier and less clumsy. I am noticing that speed is coming. I’m kinda in that place where breakthrough is close. It can get frustrating at times but that is part of the building process. I’m not convinced anymore that there is a holy grail “aha” moment in one’s playing. Maybe for others, but hasn’t come for me. Mine has been more progressive. I’m noticing, for instance, when I practice Eric Johnson’s “Western Flyer” lick, where once I was clumsy and slow, now I’m moderately faster and pretty accurate. Doug Aldrich does a “go to” lick that is in the first “Betcha’ Can’t Play This” video on Youtube. I have been working on this lick for 5 years. Where once I could only play this lick at 90 bpm or so, I now can comfortably play it at 105-110 bpm when I’m warmed up. This lick puts the 3rd finger to work for sure. I once felt some numbness feeling at first, I’m sure due to the injury. But lately, I don’t feel it as much and some days not at all.

So to me, the barriers we experience as guitar players may not be all that physical, but more mental. Try visualizing play some licks. At first you won’t be able to do it naturally. But, with mental practice, you’ll put it together. When that happens, play the lick!