Some beginners, especially kids, can’t remember the fingering solutions I try leading them through. Like it might be E F# G# and I want them to go THUMB INDEX MIDDLE but perpetually they forget. They try same finger all three times, might be very inconvenient. I say “no do it this way”, and show them the easier fingering, or I take their hand and place it over the corresponding note or I touch the finger they should use for each note at each instance. Make that relay happen between their brain, the note and the finger and yet sometimes it isn’t connecting. Of course it will work in the long run through forced repetition but sometimes I think of Hendrix and how I don’t think I ever saw him using his pinky in his soloing the way a studied guitarist probably would and yet he pulls off a lot of velocity and accuracy. Can’t really criticize Django Reinhardt for his technique can we? Plus in my heart of hearts I think it is about intelligence. At a certain point the brain sees this way would be easier for fingering. The brain just can’t see it yet so no point forcing it. There’s enough guilt trips out there about how to learn, most are nauseating. Wish I could interrupt the 6 ft. tall tired father in the family locker room at the Y, whose tiny 5 yr old daughter is crying because she can’t zip up her bathing suit, “Maria you said before you weren’t going to cry!” I don’t like his technique. Not only not helping her real problem but inserts future mind loops so she’ll remember she’s a bad girl. He’s so lucky I’m only 5″5.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"