# Legato on higher frets



## Luan (Jul 4, 2007)

It is possible or I suck?


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## Jongpil Yun (Jul 4, 2007)

If you have big fat sausage fingers like Gambale it's possible but harder. For me it's easier on the higher frets.


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## TomAwesome (Jul 4, 2007)

Try lighter strings maybe?


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## Desecrated (Jul 4, 2007)

I have pretty big strings and I think legato works better on the high frets then on the low. 

maybe I´m just doing it wrong


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## Roundhouse_Kick (Jul 4, 2007)

I've always struggled a bit with legato on the high frets, it is possible but requires more accurate and pronounced hammer/pull offs!


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## Luan (Jul 4, 2007)

I use .09, but my guitar doesn't have jumbo frets, may the problem be that?


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## Metal Ken (Jul 4, 2007)

My UV has medium frets and it seems to be no issue. How high are we talking?


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## distressed_romeo (Jul 4, 2007)

Often when I'm playing legato at the high end of the neck I find myself switching from standard 1-finger-per-fret fingering and using mainly the first three fingers of my fretting hand, only using the fourth for 4NPS stuff. I find my fingers aren't cramped together so much that way, which makes it easier to get a good legato tone. Oh, and I've got pretty thin, spindly fingers.


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## Tymon (Jul 4, 2007)

distressed_romeo said:


> Often when I'm playing legato at the high end of the neck I find myself switching from standard 1-finger-per-fret fingering and using mainly the first three fingers of my fretting hand, only using the fourth for 4NPS stuff. I find my fingers aren't cramped together so much that way, which makes it easier to get a good legato tone. Oh, and I've got pretty thin, spindly fingers.



Same here... and on top of that it enables you to play some cool Allan Holdsworth like stretches  But yes, it is harder at the high notes.

The best tip I ever got for practicing legato is to play straight 8th notes for 10 minutes or 15 minutes at a slow tempo, non stop. Just try to play through some cool licks and scales and phrases and try to connect things up and never pause. Sounds like a stupid exercise but try it for a few days, suddenly your fast legato technique gets MUCH better!


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## noodles (Jul 4, 2007)

Remember, up high you don't want to worry about fitting your whole finger inside of the area between the frets. Just worry about landing your finger right behind the fret. Some guys with big fingers grab two frets a time when they are above twenty, but that is perfectly all right.

This is one of the reasons I really like V's. I can come straight down on top of the frets, without worrying about the back of my hand nailing a horn.


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## Luan (Jul 4, 2007)

Can you do this on the high frets?

---------------15h-17h-19p-17-15h-17h-19p-17-15p-------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------15h-17h-19p-17-15h-17h-19p-17-15

Etc etc?
(i'm not good tabbing, i prefer standart notation..)


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## Tymon (Jul 6, 2007)

Sure, I would use my first 3 fingers...


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## Luan (Jul 6, 2007)

It is possible using 1, 3 and 4 fingers?
Or 1, 2 and 4?


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## noodles (Jul 6, 2007)

I still use fingers 1-2-4 for that. You just need to practice slowly to learn accuracy. The higher frets have no room for error.


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## newamerikangospel (Jul 6, 2007)

Yeah, that is my "sweet spot" for legato. As for fingering, i would say if that is all you are practicing, do 1-2-4 and 1-3-4. If there is more, or you were moving that pattern down the neck, my fingering would be dependent on what the fingering following down would be (that pattern could either be an e minor or e dorian, or whatever the modal equivelent would be).


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