fingers close to frets

[lalatingstrings]

ive been playing for ten years.when i first started playing i would put my fingers like right in between the two frets,now i play with my finger almost touching the highest fret.say if i am doing a G on the first string then my finger is right behind the 3rd fret,almost touching it.i find that the tone is so much better this way.alot of sustain,a really sweet sound.as opposed to just fretting anywhere between the two frets.does this make sense to anyone??????touch your frets and see.

[JasmineTea]

It's called "fretting deep in the fret" and it's the right way to fret.

[Herb Hunter]

I just tried playing the third string at the fifth fret by placing two fingers there. One against the fret and the other behind it. I struck the string and then removed the finger closest to the fret and struck the string again. I noticed a change in pitch.
Playing farther from the fret flattened the note.

[Dave W.]

Originally posted by Herb Hunter I just tried playing the third string at the fifth fret by placing two fingers there. One against the fret and the other behind it. I struck the string and then removed the finger closest to the fret and struck the string again. I noticed a change in pitch. Playing farther from the fret flattened the note.

 

 

Playing close to the fret stretches the string a bit more than fretting in the middle, particularly if you use heavy finger pressure and or have high frets.

 

Dave

[Misha]

This is how I have been taught to play either bass or guitar!

[bbarkow]

Originally posted by Dave W. Playing close to the fret stretches the string a bit more than fretting in the middle, particularly if you use heavy finger pressure and or have high frets.

I know what you meant, but you said it exactly backwards...

[Dave W.]

Originally posted by bbarkow I know what you meant, but you said it exactly backwards...

Herb said he felt the note was flatter fingered away from the fret, which would mean it was sharper close to the fret. I said fingering the string close to the fret stretches it more than fingering in the middle. Stretching the string makes it sharper, thus close to the fret = sharp, away from the fret = flat. I think that is what I said.

Dave

[bbarkow]

Originally posted by Dave W. Dave

Sorry about that...

Here's what happens. Any time you fret a note, you will bend it slightly sharp - it's physically impossible to bend a note flat.

The further from the fret you finger the note, the sharper it will be because the pressure from your finger bends the string down into the space between the frets. So if you have tall frets and are heavy-handed, you'll bend the note audibly sharp if you finger the note dead center between the frets.

In fact, if you have very tall frets you can produce a small amount of vibrato by fingering the note midway between the frets and rhythmically varying the pressure on the string.

[Dave W.]

Originally posted by bbarkow The further from the fret you finger the note, the sharper it will be because the pressure from your finger bends the string down into the space between the frets. So if you have tall frets and are heavy-handed, you'll bend the note audibly sharp if you finger the note dead center between the frets.

 

 

 

Sorry Troop, I disagree. Fretting a note close to the fret makes the string travel a longer distance as it has to sharply bend downward to the fretboard, then bend sharply again to resume it's path to the nut. Fretting in the middle is a more gentle bend and does not stretch the string (sharp) as much as close to the fret. This is my theory and I am sticking to it;) at least till I get home tonight and try it out. I have a tin ear, but a very good tuner. If I am wrong I will fess up promptly tomorrow, no internet connection at home.

 

Dave

[Herb Hunter]

Note that I said the pitch dropped when fingering further from the fret.

Has anyone noticed a change in sustain or tone which was the original question posted by lalatingstrings?

[bbarkow]

Originally posted by Dave W. Fretting in the middle is a more gentle bend and does not stretch the string (sharp) as much as close to the fret. This is my theory and I am sticking to it;)

 

 

That could be true if you have a very heavy left hand. At any rate, I'll be interested to hear your results...and I'll try it myself.

[clef360]

Originally posted by Herb Hunter Note that I said the pitch dropped when fingering further from the fret. Has anyone noticed a change in sustain or tone which was the original question posted by lalatingstrings?

perhaps the pitch dropped because you used 2 fingers to fret it, negating the advantage of fretting it only close to the fret.

I drew a diagram showing what happens when you fret next to the fret and when you fret in the middle. When you fret right in the middle between frets as opposed to right next to the fret, you must bend the string more or else the string will buzz against the fret. Notice how the string only touches one fret in the top figure and how the string touches both frets in the bottom. Also, notice the bend in the string between the frets in the bottom figure. It should be fairly clear why fretting in the middle will make the note sound more sharp.

[Dave W.]

Originally posted by bbarkow That could be true if you have a very heavy left hand. At any rate, I'll be interested to hear your results...and I'll try it myself.

 

 

Tried it last night and I couldn't tell any difference, I have a Boss TU-15 tuner, not a strobe, but pretty accurate. However, this was on a nylon string guitar, will have to try it again on a steel string.

 

Dave

[jasevenny]

Try putting a capo in the middle of 2 frets and then just behind a fret. The capo will exert the same force at both positions. I find that putting a capo just behind a fret makes the guitar sound more in tune where as putting it in the middle of the frets pulls the strings sharp.

[lalatingstrings]

TOTALLY!!!!!!!!!

[Herb Hunter]

Originally posted by clef360 perhaps the pitch dropped because you used 2 fingers to fret it, negating the advantage of fretting it only close to the fret.

 

 

The pitch drops even if I slide my finger away from the fret. I used two fingers in order to play the second note as quickly as possible to make the difference more obvious. Also, by using two fingers I reduce the possibility of inadvertent bending between the first and second note.

[bbarkow]

Originally posted by Herb Hunter The pitch drops even if I slide my finger away from the fret. I used two fingers in order to play the second note as quickly as possible to make the difference more obvious. Also, by using two fingers I reduce the possibility of inadvertent bending between the first and second note.

 

 

Now that's just weird. Sure you're making the string longer, but it shouldn't matter if the string is resting on the fret.