Playing without looking at your fretting hand

[includao]

What does that mean? It means that your "muscle memory" has already absorved all the moves and you don't have really to think about what you need to play(at least consciously)? For really fast stuff, sure...

Some players don't look too much at their hands while they're playing but they do watch their hands when they are playing slower passages and licks...

When you are playing, which are the moments you feel you need to observe your hand/technique? To reforce your mental visualization on the scale you need to play?

 

[Seven]

I suppose it means what it says on the tin. I never usually look, when you learn something over and over I usually don't feel like I need to look.

 

[Naren]

I only look when I'm not singing. And, if it's a really hard part, sometimes I'll look even when I'm singing (granted, I'm only half looking at it, because I have to keep my mouth in front of the microphone). Depending on how hard the song is, I'm not gonna look at all. For example, if it's all open chords, I don't bother looking. If it's a complicated lead, you can bet your britches I'm lookin'.

But, yeah, it's mainly about how well you know the song. And "complicated" is relative. There is this one song where I don't look at the fretboard through the entire song except during my solo near the beginning. And, to other people, what I'm playing might be complicated, but, to me, it's not and there's no need to look.

 

[Scott]

I can't look at my fretting hand when I play. I have to look away because of the blinding light produced by the sheer speed of my right hand.

 

[dpm]

@ Scott

I sort of stare at my fretboard, but it's more of a vacant thing. Still do the same when the lights are out, which is a bit weird (sometimes I play guitar in bed while my girlfriend is sleeping)

 

[Mastodon]

Hmm...I look when I'm doing solos, whether they are fast or slow.

I also look if I have to remove my hand from the fretboard and jump to the other side, I don't have to look when I'm doing slides, but I do look if it's a different chord, just to make sure I'm not off by a half step or something.

 

[Chris]

I tend to screw up more, especially if I'm playing fast/soloing if I look at my hands, because I start to notice patterns in my fretting and try to mix them up on the fly by looking at my fingers instead of considering the note placement.

It never really works out.

 

[Leon]

if it's a scale i know, i don't need to look. if it's one that i'm kinda learning, i'll look.

 

[keithb]

I tend to look, but it's more habit than necessity. When playing live I always make it a point to look at the crowd, etc, and only glance at my fretting hand when I need to make a big position shift, etc.

 

[Black Watch]

I got into the habit at an early age and it took too long to break. At this point I only look at my fretting hand if I accidently hit something wrong that sounds good and I want to know what the hell it is. If you play live, looking at your hands is a lot less fun than scanning the crowd for attractive young ladies (if you are so inclined), so it can be a real draw back. Of course playing metal in a kilt can cause you to have other thoughts and concerns as well.

I do notice when I go to shows that I am constantly watching "the other guy's" hands to see what on earth they are doing during the really nifty bits.

 

[Nik]

I tend to screw up more, especially if I'm playing fast/soloing if I look at my hands, because I start to notice patterns in my fretting and try to mix them up on the fly by looking at my fingers instead of considering the note placement.

It never really works out.

Hm, that's weird, but in a good way. You know, I've never really thought of playing without looking at my hands as a way to free myself from some of the visual patterns... whoa, I'm gonna go try that now

I personally can play perfectly fine when looking and not looking at my hands; generally, when playing in front of other people, I look at my hands for the more difficult things I play. It's not really necessary, but it's like an extra safety precaution that keeps me from screwing up.

But I can play fine with a blindfold, if necessary. I'd say it's about 40% muscle-memory, 60% following my ears.

 

[jarrydn]

I look, probably 90% of the time. It's definitely neccesary. I'm probably the least disciplined guitarist on this messageboard

The only time I don't look, is if I'm playing a lame palm muted riff on the first four frets

 

[All_¥our_Bass]

I don't look a lot, here and there. But when I do big position shifts or slides, I really really don't want to miss my target note/position, so I look.

 

[JoryGriffin]

I can't look at my fretting hand when I play. I have to look away because of the blinding light produced by the sheer speed of my right hand.

hahaha

I dont really notice to be honest.... i look if im not too busy cancelling those who i proclaim false and administering other metal actions i guess

 

[nitelightboy]

If I'm sitting in my room jamming, I look alot. But if I'm jamming with some buddies or on stage, I pretty much never look. Times when I do:

Big Shifts
Really comlicated passages
Super clean stuff

 

[Korbain]

I more just randomly look everytime, its more a "yep everythings where its supposed to be i can look away now" thing. I try not too look, unless i am trying to perfect a riff or something, i sing and play guitar so i try my hardest to never look. All you need is ears to make up riffs, so i try n stick to that. I've also been playing guitar for many moons as most of you, and you sorta can just tell where your fingers are meant to be. Your brain like puts a visual of the fretboard for your fingers and they end up there. Whats hard is, singing, keeping time, remembering how many times to play through each riff, and not looking lol. I can do it, but i'll never say i find it pissy easy, soon i hopefully will be able too