Annoying left hand pinky strength-related issue.

[Dr. Overtones]

I just noticed that whenever I slide down a couple frets with my pinky, my other fingers lift high off the fretboard to compensate for how tiny and weak the pinky is. Because of this, I can't quickly slide down to a certain fret with the pinky, and then go on to fret another string with my ring finger without my pinky losing its force on the string and preventing the note from sustaining.

Suggestions? I'm going to construct a couple exercises to strengthen my pinky, but do any of you have any ideas or pre-constructed exercises that I could use? Also, is there a certain posture my hand should be in to apply proper force with the pinky? Thanks.

[mmmaak]

I just got up (6am here :D) so off the top of my sleepy head, I think repeated hammer-ons/pull-offs using the pinky are a very simple yet effective way of building strength. Keeping other fingers planted while doing so may gain you some independence as well.

[Dr. Overtones]

Great idea! Thank you.

[ljguitar]

I just noticed that whenever I slide down a couple frets with my pinky, my other fingers lift high off the fretboard to compensate for how tiny and weak the pinky is.
Hi DR. O...
Without seeing you play, I cannot advise you as to strength versus just coordination between fingers exercises. It could be one or the other - or a combination of both. Without watching you play, I'm not sure what the other fingers lifting involves...

Here is my suggestion as a teacher for exercises which should improve your playing either way.

Practice with only the fretting hand (without the picking/strumming hand). Just practice putting the pinky in place and then lifting it very deliberately while holding a chord form loosely (like a D to Dsus) until the other fingers when relaxed decide not to follow it.

At first very slowly and then with a bit more speed till it works naturally. Then practice other chord forms which involve the pinky. You need to develop some new muscle memory...which takes time and relaxation.

Then practice placing the pinky on the fret, lift it and replace it, and then slide it up one more fret and then return it to it's original fret (while keeping the other fingers loosely in place)...then repeat a few dozen times. Focus on keeping all fingers relaxed.

Stretching while fretting is a matter of relaxation more than strength. If you are starting to force the fingers, consciously relax them, and try again. If your guitar is setup properly, it doesn't take much force to press a string to the fret wire.

Just focus on the left hand at first (I'm assuming you play conventionally) - you can add plucking or strumming later. It's easier to only deal with one issue at a time...

[Dr. Overtones]

I can easily do something like a switch from a D to a Dsus. That's second nature at this point (though barre chords are another story, haha) It's when I have to keep enough pressure on the pinky to keep the note sustaining while sliding, and THEN fret with the ring finger while holding the note under the pinky that I begin to have problems.

Also, I play a mixture of conventional fingerstyle and "unconventional" touch style.

[TBman]

I just got up (6am here :D) so off the top of my sleepy head, I think repeated hammer-ons/pull-offs using the pinky are a very simple yet effective way of building strength. Keeping other fingers planted while doing so may gain you some independence as well.

Yep, +1 on that.

[gagibson]

I agree that you should try some combination hammer-on/pull-off exercises with all your left hand fingers. It's a great way to build endurance and co-ordination.

[Bern]

I just got up (6am here :D) so off the top of my sleepy head, I think repeated hammer-ons/pull-offs using the pinky are a very simple yet effective way of building strength.

From my experience the hammer ons/pull-offs never worked for me. Actually, to do those doesn't really take to much strength, if your guitar responds well, of course.
I've created my own exercises by playing melody lines and short scale passages with my ring and pinky fingers which I would have normally played with my index and middle fingers.

[mmmaak]

From my experience the hammer ons/pull-offs never worked for me. Actually, to do those doesn't really take to much strength, if your guitar responds well, of course.
I've created my own exercises by playing melody lines and short scale passages with my ring and pinky fingers which I would have normally played with my index and middle fingers.
Why would playing melody lines be more effective at building pinky strength than hammer-ons/pull-offs? Don't they both involve fretting? (the ho's/po's can always be done on open strings so that the pinky isn't "assisted" by the other fingers).

I could be wrong, of course. Personally, I've never had the patience to do most of the exercises that I recommend! Building strength, in my case, was simply a result of playing a lot :D

[Bern]

Don't they both involve fretting? (the ho's/po's can always be done on open strings so that the pinky isn't "assisted" by the other fingers).
Usually hammer ons/pull offs are not for a prolonged time, unless you play trills for a measure or so.

I could be wrong, of course. Personally, I've never had the patience to do most aying a loof the exercises that I recommend! Building strength, in my case, was simply a result of plt :D
If you never had any weak pinky issues, I'm sure your method seems fine. :D

[mmmaak]

If you never had any weak pinky issues, I'm sure your method seems fine. :D
What did you do to my post when you quoted it? :roll:

My strength-building "routine" is more "madness" than "method". Heck, I've never even learned how to play scales other than C major in open position.

My left-hand pinky seems quite satisfactory for now. It's the right-hand pinky that's an absolute pain to train!

[Dr. Overtones]

I was having trouble making my own exercises, so I told my teacher about it and he gave me some apreggios and hammer-on/pull-off exercises to try. So basically what you guys said except I have the actual exercises now.:)

Thanks everyone!

[Chicago Sandy]

When I was learning to play bass, my teacher had me do one-fret-per-finger chromatic "crawls," with my trailing fingers staying anchored to the notes just played, from string to string. It's called the "crab walk" because that's what it resembles.

There is also a training device that has four spring-loaded white buttons (tension can be set independently from high to low) that can be pushed independently, one per finger. You can start with low tension and press down each button, keeping it pressed as you press the next (starting with index finger). The goal is to depress each button to the same level and keep it there, in sequence. Gradually ramp up the tension on the pinky till you can keep all four fingers depressed to the same level at high tension.

[TBman]

My left-hand pinky seems quite satisfactory for now. It's the right-hand pinky that's an absolute pain to train!

Gee, I almost never use my right hand pinky. Now I'm worried. :D

[mmmaak]

Gee, I almost never use my right hand pinky. Now I'm worried. :D
Nothing to be worried about. I'm simply overcompensating for my other fingers being not good enough!! :p

[Hardwired Flaws]

A couple weeks of finger exercises on a bass will fix that!