Guitar Finger Positioning Troubles!

[Nitefly]

Ahoy there ocuk, I am having ample positioning problems.

For a good few weeks I have been absolutely slaving to play the Racer X song Scarified (Which I'm positive anyone who is into their widdling will of heard of) and whilst I havn't learnt all of it or got hardly any of it up to speed, i have got the verse up to a moderately respectable 125 bpm compared to the originals 137

However, I have reached I dilema. I have realised that when the 'second possitioning' of the verse comes in I am struggling to avoid note bleed. Whilst I'm never going to be as good as Mr. Gilbert, obviously I want to keep this to a bare minimum. So far, I had been learning this section with this positioning:

But having watched a few videos of Paul in action its clear he is playing it like this:

I think that the second version lacks the firsts more awkward positioning of notes, but obviously I have put so much effort into getting the former up to speed that I don't want to have to put effort learning the second method if I don't have to.

Is the second positioning clearly better than the first? Or is it possible to play the former just as clearly with equal effort?

By the way, I know I'm never going to be able to play this song (Don't even get me started with those impossible assending runs at the end of the solo and the end of the song!) but please don't be patronising if you can play this beast! Thanks

 

[Andelusion]

http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/5573/scarified1ss2.png
Which bar is this by the way? I learnt Scarified a while ago and this doesn't sound right to me, maybe you're playing the lower harmony part? I learnt the higher part, anyway.

I'd play it, using fingers:

2-3-1-3_2-3-1-1_4-3-4-1_1-1-1-2

I've seperated each group of 4 rather crudely with an underscore To play it cleanly you've really got to perfect the finger lay-over technique here being utilised by the first finger during the half beat of the 2nd group of 4 and the first 3 16ths in the last group of 4.

Both methods have their difficult parts, the first uses more of the lay-over technique but the second covers more strings, I'd play the first as you should pick it all anyway for the correct articulation imo.

 

[banja]

I don't want to have to put effort learning the second method if I don't have to.

This is your problem. If you ever want to master the guitar, this attitude needs to go. For example, imagine you are in the middle of a song during a gig, and a string breaks - you need to be able to switch and move around your fret board as necessary.

Learn both. Then choose which you prefer. Or mix them up to suit your style. You don't have to replicate what other guitarists do EXACTLY. After all, they are playing in a manner that maximises their style. Hendrix commented that a lot of guitarists he saw who'd copied him, even copied his mistakes

And remember this sage piece of advice: Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you never get it wrong.

 

[Nitefly]

http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/5573/scarified1ss2.png
Which bar is this by the way? I learnt Scarified a while ago and this doesn't sound right to me, maybe you're playing the lower harmony part? I learnt the higher part, anyway.

Not sure why you are linking to that, its the exact same as what I have in my post

Its the 19th or 43rd bar, as its in the song twice, and the following several bars follow the same general pattern. Its deffo right, but I'm tuned to E flat if that makes a difference. I've heard several recordings of paul playing it in Standard, E flat or even the super heavy tuned to D version, so I'm not sure what the original recording was but thats definatly what he plays live. I think the harmony of the original recorded version sounds rubbish.... like a big mush :/

Yeah I have been using that fingering too, the bits where I'm struggling is that jump from the G string to the A string and those 12th fret notes at the end. You are right, it does require a lot of good lay over technique, which is an absolute git!

And remember this sage piece of advice: Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you never get it wrong.

Bah, if I practise any more I'm going to fail my degree