One of the weakest aspects of my playing is my 3-2 pull off (the 3 to 2 on the third string which forms part of the tag lick) I have have been putting in extra work in this department lately and It seems that I have been having more success using my ring finger for the pull off rather than using the middle. It seems to sound cleaner with more of a distinct note seperation. My question is this... If this works for me, is this a good way for me to keep practicing the lick OR am I getting into a bad habbit by not using my middle finger for the pull off? Anyone else out there grab the 3 with your ring finger rather than your middle? Any advice or thoughts on this subject would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Snap

www.myspace.com/snapjacksonmusic www.myspace.com/thesecondstringquintet

Posted - 11/03/2009 :  18:49:26    

It is an individuals choice, the only thing is what notes follow the lick and which technique leads to a smoothier transition, many folks can do the lick both ways depending on what follows,if it sounds good it is good.

Posted - 11/03/2009 :  19:21:33    

You can do it both ways. either way that is easier. but there is another lick that that is closely related, jd crowe uses it alot and earl scruggs used it on at least earls breakdown, it is the 2-3 2-3-2 lick on the 3rd string. if you get really used to only using your 2nd and 3rd finger in that area, you can never ever really do this lick as strongly as it should be done. so do the pull off however it is easier and sounds better but dont neglect practicing stuff in that area using your 1st and 2nd finger.

Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
God is good.

Posted - 11/03/2009 :  19:49:12    

I ALWAYS use my ring finger for pull offs and hammer ons.

Posted - 11/03/2009 :  20:10:21        

Jim Mills does it both ways. I picked it up from watching him on his video and it works well for me.

--Dorse

Posted - 11/04/2009 :  05:58:31  

Whatever works for you, do it. I usually use the ring finger for pull offs because it sounds cleaner and clearer and it is just easier for me.


Let's Pick!
Texas Banjo

Posted - 11/04/2009 :  09:36:38      

I don't think I ever use my ring (3rd) finger for hammer-ons and pull-offs for the lick(s) being discussed. Pretty sure it's always my middle (2nd) finger. About the only situation I can envision using the ring finger is when the hammer-on or pull-off spans two frets, as in a first position D chord lick where I would hold the 3rd string/2nd fret with my index finger and maybe need my middle finger to reach the 3rd string/4th fret with a hammer or pull and then to finger 4th string/4th fret.

Ken

Posted - 11/04/2009 :  10:06:25  

I use my ring finger for pull-offs, including tag licks, and my middle finger for hammers mostly.

RICH
Pleasanton, CA

The truth is a moving target... perception is more important than reality... everything is relative...

Posted - 11/04/2009 :  10:18:33            

Use either one and don't think about it any more; it's not important.

Posted - 11/04/2009 :  11:12:52    

snapjackson: if the pull-off is only the standard 3-2 on the third string with open strings before and after, then usually (but not always) whichever fingers you decide to use does not create a bad habit.

However, there can be many situations where -- if one can only use the ring finger to pull off, then something else suffers. This is the bad habit, so to speak, creating a lack of strength and flexibility in the other fingers when you need them. Think of phrases in "Earl's Breakdown" or "Flint Hill Special" or "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms," where it might be advantageous for the middle finger to slide from 2 to 3 on the third string, and then stay down until the pull-off on 3-2 -- if the middle finger is lifted up so that the ring finger can do the pull off, this will affect the sound.

If one is playing higher up the neck, then the ability to do decent pull-offs between any two fingers is a distinct advantage for efficient fingering. True, some fingers will still be stronger than others, but a decent, distinct note up high is sometimes all you need (versus the JD Crowe or Doug Dillard firecracker on 3-2 frets ).

Alex Z

Posted - 11/04/2009 :  11:15:55        

I can do it with either finger BUT the pull-off sounds a lot crisper when I use my ring finger. So, I use my ring unless whatever I'm playing forces me to use my middle finger.

Tyler

Posted - 11/04/2009 :  13:56:25    

quote:

---

Originally posted by snapjackson

One of the weakest aspects of my playing is my 3-2 pull off (the 3 to 2 on the third string which forms part of the tag lick) I have have been putting in extra work in this department lately and It seems that I have been having more success using my ring finger for the pull off rather than using the middle. It seems to sound cleaner with more of a distinct note seperation. My question is this... If this works for me, is this a good way for me to keep practicing the lick OR am I getting into a bad habbit by not using my middle finger for the pull off? Anyone else out there grab the 3 with your ring finger rather than your middle? Any advice or thoughts on this subject would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Snap

www.myspace.com/snapjacksonmusic www.myspace.com/thesecondstringquintet

---

Posted - 11/04/2009 :  14:13:22    

Hi. I'm Garry and i'm new to this Banjo Hangout, About the 3-2 pulloff i always use my ring finger but, my problem is when i have to use my index finger on my right hand for this pulloff it sounds terrible, if i use my thumb for it, it's not great but it sounds a lot better, just my thoughts.

Posted - 11/04/2009 :  14:33:45            

I'd like to see a video of that

Posted - 11/04/2009 :  20:09:15  

wow, I never even considered using my ring and I just tried it and it sounds a lot better. Thanks!

Posted - 11/04/2009 :  20:26:43    

Thanks for asking this question. I was just thinking about it tonight. I've had a terrible time trying to do the 3-2 with my middle finger - to be honest I've been avoiding it lately, so I'm going to concentrate tomorrow on how it sounds with my ring finger. Hopefully then the second note will ring out a lot louder (read "some") and be more distinct.

Jason

Posted - 11/04/2009 :  20:34:32    

The ring finger is much "stronger" for hammer ons and pull offs.

Posted - 11/05/2009 :  03:42:46    

Hey snapjackson. I do the pull off both ways, there is really nothing wrong with either one. Some people's fingers are more comfortable doing things slightly differently.

Although not a pull-off, if you watch Sonny Osborne, sometimes he plays the 2-3 hammer-on with his middle and ring. JD Crowe also hammered on with his ring on the "Old Home Place" opening break while coming out of the IV chord ("C" position). Earl, however did it with his index and middle.

Keep pickin!



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Posted - 11/05/2009 :  07:41:45            

When you see what's-his-name play that pull-off with just a thumb and a knuckle, you might start thinking that your issue is not very significant: you can do it with either middle or ring and still wish you could as well as that really good banjo picker with no fingers.

My own preference is ring finger. But that is because my index finger and ring finger exactly line up with the right frets (the middle finger is right in the middle).

Posted - 11/05/2009 :  12:23:50        

I thank all of you for the feedback thus far. Snap

www.myspace.com/snapjacksonmusic www.myspace.com/thesecondstringquintet

Edited by - snapjackson on 11/05/2009 13:56:11

Posted - 01/23/2010 :  12:21:31                

i think either way works as long as its crisp

Posted - 01/23/2010 :  16:44:17      

It seems this topic has again just reinforced that in most cases with respect to how to perform these tasks, there is truly no "wrong" way to perform these tasks, just do what works best for you personally.

Posted - 01/23/2010 :  16:47:49        

I have found that most prefer the comfort/ease of using non-adjacent fingers, ergo, index and ring.
~Julio

Posted - 01/23/2010 :  20:03:04      

Why not just do a slide? Gonna give the same tonally and may be easier for you to do. Grant it a slide will not work in every circumstance, but where possible use what you can.

Posted - 01/24/2010 :  06:23:25        

I initially tried using the middle finger, and not being very successful. So I moved to the ring finger and was having better success but still not well, I went to a banjo clinic with Ross Nickerson and someone ask about the 3-2 pull off and that they couldn't do it, and Ross stated that they do a 3-2 slide, it's the same note, which I used almost exclusively for a while, albeit this was somewhat clumsy at times in certain licks, but I found it even more clumsy when I used my ring finger to get from a 3-2 slide to a 2-3 hammeron as in dueling banjos, then while using a Murphy Method DVD I was watching her use her middle finger and have been using that method now and I do find it to work more fluently when moving between certain lick sections, It takes retraining, but at this point am finding that it has worked better in licks, like many, I have previously always used my ring finger to hammer on, but even now with FMB I find that the middle finger does work better for getting to a 3-2 pull off from the 2-3 hammer on.