4 notes per string

[Devon8822]

I have recently been expanding my fretboard knowledge and experimenting with 3 nps patterns and also 4 nps patterns (I have worked on it with slides and without slide too). Anyways, so I noticed a good increase of speed when i switched to the normal box patterns to the 3 nps patterns. But when doing 4 nps patterns everything slowed down (obviously It takes time, but this is after almost mastering the 4nps). NPS string seemed to have advantages in helping you understand a wider stretch of the fretboard, but what im wondering about is speed... are 4 nps pattern "supposed" to be able to achieve more speed than 3 nps scales? Thats what I always thought... that if ur hands would allow the 4 nps you could acctually gain more speed than with 3 nps. but you always here 3nps patterns being the "speed" pattern. So what I really want to know is... are 4 nps patterns the fastest? or are 4 nps patterns supposed to be good for other reasons? I hope you understand what Im getting at. Any comments would be great! thanks:p

[LaughingSkull]

Interesting question. I would say I play MUCH faster with 3 nps that 4 nps, but I think the greatest and very important benefit of 4 nps is as you said:

... seemed to have advantages in helping you understand a wider stretch of the fretboard, ...

That being said. I do play harmonic and melodic minor and diminished scales with mixture of 2, 3 and 4 nps, as I found this suits best to my playing abilities.

[Devon8822]

bump?

BTW Laughingskull, thats was a helpful answer, i just want to hear from a couple people. thanks

[Jed]

OK then here's another opinion:

The guitar, as laid out in 4th's - puts 3 notes per string under the hand. For the sake of argument ignore the 3rd between G & B strings for now.

3 notes per string in one hand position means that 3nps forms offer some of the most efficient fingerings for melodic patterns (no positional shifts).

All other notes per string patterns require positional shifts which are slower and less efficient than forms with no positional shifts.

The first scale patterns I was taught were what I know as the "Berklee Forms" (not their real name, but the forms used in the Berklee method books), that involve 3nps with the exception of the 2nd & 3rd strings which between them cover 5 notes. These forms result in no positional shifts within any of the 7 forms, resulting (presumably) in optimal efficiency and hence greater speed overall.

I've got nothing against positional shifts (some of my best friends . . . ) but they do take time and require special handling to avoid slurs and get each note to ring out with the same authority.

cheers,