Finger Flapping (Jul-10-05)

[moved from old forum:]

Ok, I am staring with all of my fingers in a gentle curl 1" above the sixth string and lowering them one at a time on the string for the finger flap. I don't think this is working the way this is supposed to work since my fingers are moving all over the place. Am I supposed to be "all aboard" and then lift my finger 1" above and let it fall to the string or am I doing this right in the first place?

-Bill

[moved from old forum:]

Yes, start out with the fingers all aboard, just lightly resting on the strings (butterfly). That gives the other fingers a little bit of help in remaining quiet as you flap one. All remaining quiet and hovered above the strings is harder (as you have found) and you are working towards that. Lightly resting on the strings also gives you a very clear way to tell if they are remaining quiet. If the other fingers lift off their string or mash their string half way to the fingerboard, they weren't quiet. That gives you a clear goal and test.

-Tom

[moved from old forum:]

Ok I have corrected the problem about being over the strings. Now I can not lift my ring finger more than 1/32" off the string no matter how hard I try. My index and pinky move fine and my middle finger moves up about 3/4". Does anybody know what causes this?

-Bill

[moved from old forum:]

There are two reasons.

The anatomy of the tendons and muscles makes it harder for some fingers to move independently. Some of the tendons that move the fingers up are shared between the pinky and ring finger. Your index finger gets two tendons of its own for the same function.

The second and more important reason is that you have probably spent most of your life NOT using the lifting function of your ring finger independently of your other fingers. You have to train under-used and under-developed little muscles all throughout your hand for the guitar. In addition, you need to release tension in a lot of muscles that are used to making your fingers work together, not separately. The foundation exercises in the book will help you to train the proper muscles and release tension in others. So just keep plugging away and it will get easier over time.

-ckriefall

[moved from old forum:]

"The anatomy of the tendons and muscles makes it harder for some fingers to move independently. Some of the tendons that move the fingers up are shared between the pinky and ring finger. Your index finger gets two tendons of its own for the same function."

Thanks for the anatomy lesson. While I was aware something had to be different, mechanically, I didn't know what.

For those early in the finger flapping exercise, I can attest that frequent flapping activity (I flap everywhere will gradually enable more finger independence and range of movement).

-GeneP

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My own education was quite unintentional. About 20 years ago I had an accident and cut both tendons that raise the index finger of my left hand. Then I had the privilige of watching the surgeon fish out both ends of each one and stitch them back together. I have had a ball of scar tissue on the back of my hand ever since. One of the reasons I picked up guitar three years ago is because it is an excellent way to keep my hand stretched out and loose. A nice contrast to tapping on a keyboard all day.

-ckriefall

[moved from old forum:]

I'm a newb to the principles and tried finger flapping, as well as finger push downs today.

As for finger flapping, I cannot move my fingers completely independantly. I've noticed that this exercise is nothing but easy to do.

But does it really matter if they aren't completely independant right now, can I just do the exercise with all my attention and they'll get more and more independant?

Now onto the string push downs...

Keeping all fingers above their respective fret, 1/8 inch close to the string is completely impossible for me, I feel like my index and ring finger are like magnets being attracted to each other. And my pinky is always far behind and can't make it close enough to the string.

About that exercise... the book says "do this", but does it mean I actually have to do it, or just try to do it?

Cause I do my best and can't achieve it, so should I set mysel the objective of being able to actually do the exercise right in the first place? Will I be able to do it right if I practice more, or, since I don't do it right in the first place it's not going to work?

-Popo

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Now for the "all aboard".

Everything goes fine, until the pinky. Yes, tension is everywhere. I try and succeed to reduce part of it, but my pinky is totally unable to touch the string when the other fingers are there!

-Popo

[moved from old forum:]

Congratulations, you have reached step #1 of working with the principles Now you can proceed through the next 11.

Jamie does really mean "do" the exercises, not to just "try" them. BUT, you must also carefully read (and listen if you have the DVDs) the words where she says "do this every day and you will gradually get better and better at it". This to me is the part of Jamie's work that is most encouraging of all. Here is a master teacher who is not just admonishing you to do something and reprimanding you if you can not, she is explaining that you gotta work at it and it is an extremely gradual process.

It doesn't happen on the first day. It might not even happen in the first week, but if you go through lots and lots of postings on this board and read about Donna's experiences teaching total beginners, you will realize that the principles are essential, that they are doable, and that they do lead to great playing abilities.

Do not get discouraged. The exercises are showing you what you need to work on, not criticizing you as a person, not mocking you, or anything else negative. For me it was (and still is) a big wakeup call that explains WHY I can not play all of the really cool music that I want to play. But every 5 minutes that I practice, I get 5 minutes closer to being the guitarist I want to be.

Read carefully the essays about how Jamie deals with beginners. Use ALL of the tools in the book. Do not dismiss the value of doing things like simply posing in the proper position for all aboard. Use your other hand to place your fingers in the right position if necessary. Do the no tempo, super-slow movement that Ney describes. And realize that this is a spiral process. You will come back again and revisit the foundation exercises after you have gotten to the point where you can "do" them. There is always more to learn.

Good luck,
Dave