Improving pinky on fretting hand

[tbirdman]

I’ve been playing for 1.5 years. The pinky (4th finger) on the fretting hand is an interesting character.

Does better fretting ability (speed, accuracy tone etc)come with experience or are there technique exercises are should try?

[Brent Hahn]

It will want to stick up. Try not to let it.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by tbirdman

I’ve been playing for 1.5 years. The pinky (4th finger) on the fretting hand is an interesting character.

Does better fretting ability (speed, accuracy tone etc)come with experience or are there technique exercises are should try?

The pinky is important (especially for fingerstyle melody lines) and the extent of your reach for many chord shapes.
Also of course scale passages. Bunch of exercise suggested in online videos worth some of your time. Finding tunes
you like that make good use of the pinky is more fun than exercises though.

[Gordon Currie]

Good of you to pay attention to this. The longer you play, the harder it is to incorporate the pinky.

Interestingly, while going through some physical therapy for my left hand years ago, I discovered that the pinky finger has more ligaments attached than the third finger.

It is quite capable of both fine motor control and repetitive actions.

It can be really difficult to start training your pinky, as there is relatively little in general life that requires it.

I would start with chord voicing that use four fingers. And be careful not to overdo it at first.

[TBman]

Back when I cared more I would practice 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 on each string. I should go back to this warmup/exercise. Its very helpful. Don't race, but as you get familiar with it your speed will naturally increase. I would move it up the neck too. Sometimes I would go across the strings first then up, other times up the neck and then down the next string.

[tbirdman]

Originally Posted by TBman

Back when I cared more I would practice 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 on each string. I should go back to this warmup/exercise. Its very helpful. Don't race, but as you get familiar with it your speed will naturally increase. I would move it up the neck too. Sometimes I would go across the strings first then up, other times up the neck and then down the next string.

I found a video regarding a very similar exercise. You do 1234 on the low e string and then repeat down to the high e string. You then move down one fret and work your way up, but you move one finger at a time while keeping the rest of the fingers on the previous string. Do this to about the 12 fret and then head back.

Since I play both classical and steel string guitar, I’m doing the exercise on both guitars. Just started this today.

[tbirdman]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

The pinky is important (especially for fingerstyle melody lines) and the extent of your reach for many chord shapes.
Also of course scale passages. Bunch of exercise suggested in online videos worth some of your time. Finding tunes
you like that make good use of the pinky is more fun than exercises though.

I play a lot of finger style and classical where it’s crucial that I develop the pinky. I’ve gotten better as an example I discovered not to long ago I can use the pinky to play the alternate bass such as the C chord and F chord while keeping the triad fingering in place.

[jasperguitar]

I was watching a video of the folk singer Melanie, who performed at Woodstock, and her pinky was up in the air, it was obvious that she had trouble controlling her pink finger. Made me feel better .. ha ha ha .. now I've got a pair of roller skate, and you have a brand new key.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by tbirdman

I found a video regarding a very similar exercise. You do 1234 on the low e string and then repeat down to the high e string. You then move down one fret and work your way up, but you move one finger at a time while keeping the rest of the fingers on the previous string. Do this to about the 12 fret and then head back.

Since I play both classical and steel string guitar, I’m doing the exercise on both guitars. Just started this today.

Good for you, that should help a lot.

I have to get back into doing it once in a while too. I also would do 1 2 3 4 3 2 1, 2 3 4 5 4 3 2, 3 4 5 6 5 4 3, etc up to the 12th and down on a few strings.

[Kyle215]

You want to pay attention to where your thumb is - leverage is important. If your thumb is behind the neck and more or less even with your middle finger, it’s much easier to fret cleanly with your pinky.

[brad4d8]

This is a good exercise for finger independence and strengthening the pinky:
https://www.thisisclassicalguitar.co...ider-exercise/

[tbirdman]

Originally Posted by Kyle215

You want to pay attention to where your thumb is - leverage is important. If your thumb is behind the neck and more or less even with your middle finger, it’s much easier to fret cleanly with your pinky.

My instructor is constantly on me for proper posture and thumb position especially since I also play the classical guitar. I'm getting better but that thumb wants to wander!

[tbirdman]

Originally Posted by brad4d8

This is a good exercise for finger independence and strengthening the pinky:
https://www.thisisclassicalguitar.co...ider-exercise/

If I only has fingers as long as his. I need to try this exercise. He had good tips on technique.

[David Eastwood]

Stop drinking tea in porcelain cups with matching saucers.

[rick-slo]

One from Pete Huttlinger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsk40DWuAcw