So I see two approaches on this slide and I’m not sure which is better.
I started off grabbing the 8th fret with my pinky and sliding it up to pinkie at the 3rd fret, then using the rest after the slide to reposition to index on the 3rd fret so I can reach the 5th fret.
I’ve also tried grabbing the 8th fret with my pinkie but moving the rest of my fingers to the E string along with it and then sliding to index on the 3rd fret and timing the lifting of the other fingers off the string smoothly during the slide.
How would you do it? Do you always go from starting fret to target fret with one finger during a slide or do you ever try to change fretting fingers during a slide?
I never thought about this but I’ve come across several of these before and it actually ended up being pinky down slide start at 8 and I ended with index or even middle finger on 3. most of the time you don’t really need to drag the entire range especially for quarter note or less.
I’m a firm believer and whatever method works for you is the method that you’re supposed to do. I tend to stay away from my pinky cause it’s relatively useless compared to the other three.
That is why you should use the pinky. Mine was great in the 80’s but lost its ability to have meaningful use until I went and took the B2B just to get back into the joy of playing music again. Now I have full range if notion and strength once more. Definitely worth getting it stronger.
It’s hard enough for me to play music with four fingers, I can’t imagine trying to do it with three. That means I’d have to either stretch farther or shift faster. Those are hard enough as it is. lol
I make slides with the pinky, but the sound of the slide is better when I do it with one of my other fingers, in my opinion. In this case above, I would quickly shift my index to the C on the 8th fret, and do the slide with the index finger. This way the hand would also be in a more convenient position when it gets to the 3rd fret.
It can also work sliding with the ring or middle finger from the 8th fret, up until the index finger reaches the 3rd fret. It would be a slightly shorter slide, but barely noticeable.
This is a practice issue and not playing issue. Just slowdown and play the notes the way your body feels. Once the notes are ingrain then you are note bound and not so much position bound. It would come naturally.
The more you master the fingerboard the more places you’d be playing and not knowing it. I was taught to fret every notes and avoid open string because the lack of control, but I later found that it’s ok if not good to play open strings but sometime on stage I found myself playing the path I did not practice, because that’s where the notes lead.
I find that I tend to do a lot of muting with my fretting hand (other than laying my palm against the E and A when I’m playing on the D and G). I also find it easier to mute fretted notes than open. So I tend to prefer fretted notes to open strings because its easier to control.
It’s gonna make Hooky’s basslines much, much harder in some cases
Disorder is a good example. Probably twice as hard or more without open strings.
Plus, it sounds off if you avoid the open G string on that one.
(I just tried it both ways and the timbre change if you go to the D string there is just offputting for that bassline IMO, and it’s even worse if you go to the A string).
I would do the slide with the pinky, supported by all the other fingers, when the index reaches the 3 fret just in time to fret the note I lift off the other free fingers and fret the note, so basically what you also tried.
Sounds good enough to me
The 5th fret on the E string afterwards I would normally fret with the pinky, but as there is the D on the A string right afterwards (also 5th fret), I would fret it with my ring finger, so I can use the pinky for the next note. I’d have a hard time here to get a finger roll with the pinky consistently.
I often do slides with all four fingers if the riff allows it. I have more control that way and I also don’t have the load only on one finger. I had a blister once while practicing Bullet with Butterfly Wings all day. If you feel your finger getting sore from practicing slides, give it a break, or else you might not be able to play for days.
Sounds way better to me with open strings and definitely flows more naturally. It’s also how both Hooky and Jack play it.
Also that bit at the end - it’s kind of weird all around. You could also just fudge it, there’s no rule that says you need to play it exactly the same as the original.
The perk of open string is the additional time it gives. If there’s a path to put an open string note I can use that 8th note to move my hand up the neck
most of the time you don’t really need to drag the entire range especially for quarter note or less.
