Digging into the Fretboard

[Studiobuddy]

i remember years ago my guitar teacher said you dont want to press to hard down on the fretboard and you want to be light on your fingers...but i dont get feeling unless i dig into that fretboard and sometimes digging the pick into the strings...am i playing wrong by playing hard?

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Digging into the Fretboard

You need to have control when you play. Pressing too hard into the fretboard can make chords sound funny (because you pull the strings a little out of tune), and hitting the strings too hard usually causes buzzing (unless you have very high action). Your hands will also hurt much more if you're constantly grinding the string into the fretboard. Try forcing yourself to loosen up whenever you notice that you're grinding into the fretboard, and in a couple of months you'll be playing lightly without even thinking about it.

Dynamics and feel seems to me to come more from the amount of pick you use (Just the tip, slightly angled pick, picking deep into the string) to hit the strings than the amount of effort you use to slam into the strings. That said, make sure that you get your guitar set up to your liking - I find it easier to play with .11s and medium action.

 

[innerdreamrecords.co]

Re: Digging into the Fretboard

A light touch just behind the fret gives the best intonation. That said dig in as an effect, just one more thing to practice.

 

[shogunlegend]

Re: Digging into the Fretboard

there's really no need to dig in unless you're going for a particular tone. maybe you need higher output pickups or something. hell, get a scalloped fretboard or jumbo frets. i read somewhere that you should press as hard with the fingers as you would on a baby's arm or something like that. you really shouldn't have to dig in to get solid tone and good sustain. maybe your frets are too low.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Digging into the Fretboard

i know for a fact that i am entirely too heavy handed with both hands ... i try to work on playing with a lighter touch in practice, but it hasnt really carried over yet to my gigging ... i do think that a portion of my overall 'tone' comes as a result of this as it generates a bunch more output when my RH is aggressive - so when i do play with a lighter picking attack, it gives me a chance to create dynamic variety ... i also know that LF aggressiveness seems to improve articulation and evenness in my legato hammering/pulling ... but i know my speed suffers as does my ability to play without cramping up or just tiring out in the left hand ...

t4d