#1
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Need help with stubborn pinkie
Friends, I am working on open chord transitions. I find it a challenge to go from open C to open G with the G formed using the pinkie on high E and ring on the low E. The pinkie just don't want to go. I have no issues with the index/middle/ring form. But that form seems uneconomical when going from C or F to G. I do have a bit of arthritis in my fingers, which likely contributes to the problem. But mostly, I think the pinkie and ring have separation anxiety.
Any suggestions? Many thanks. David |
#2
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Keep the ring and pinkie in place (muting the A) for your G then simple ADD your index and middle fingers for the C chord. The pinkie g sounds just fine. You can also get a nice hammer-on effect (from G to C) this way. Classic stuff.
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#3
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Thanks, mate. See if I got it. So, form the C with the pinkie on the high E, and keep in place while transitioning the other fingers off the G to form the C?
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#4
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I can tell you from nearly 40 years of teaching guitar that 'taming' a pinky involves teaching it to relax so you can move it to where it should be going. The more you force it, the more stubborn (and less flexible) it becomes. Whenever a student was doing battle with certain fingerings which involved the pinky, I had them slow down and resist the urge to 'push' the tempo, or speed of the thing they were attempting to master. I've seen student's pinkies lock up when attempt a fingering, and I'd have the player reach over with the other hand and lift it so it would bend, and then relax and try it slower. I recognized it because my pinky used to lock up when I was pushing things… With the two finger G (pinky on 1st string, ring on 6th), and learning to be comfortable in it's role/place…you can work on it by playing a D, then Dsus (with pinky on 6th) and leave the pinky in place and drop the ring onto the 6th string in a gentle fashion. After a few hundred times, you will learn to relax it into fingering patterns. It's almost like the pinky learns it, but it's really your brain/muscles learning it and letting the pinky think it's controlling things. You are right about the efficiency of the two finger G chord. And it's a more balanced chord as well. The pad of my ring mutes the 5th string. The old-school three finger G is out of balance because it doubles the third of the chord (which weakens it). Both the two finger G and four finger G remedy that. 2 finger G…only fingers 4 & 3 touching stings… 4 finger G… |
#5
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Larry, many thanks for your time and generous effort.
I am afraid that you give me too much credit when you assume I knew that there actually is a two finger G form. Actually, I had no idea but now see how easily it can be done by muting the 5th string. Muting is a new concept for me. Truth be told, I seem to unintentionally mute the A string anyways when trying to make the stretch. And now I see how that can work on purpose. Very cool. Agree that relaxation helps enormously. One of the things I am working on is the conscious relaxation of my neck, shoulders on down. As I am new to the guitar, my body tends to stiffen when frustration sets in. Forcing the pinkie into position does not work. But it is counter-intuitive to relax to achieve an unnatural position. When I remember to relax just at those moments, my fingers are more pliable and responsive, just as you say. Thank you very much for the D to Dsus to G drill that is a great one to train the brain. Larry, you gave me a good lesson for which I am grateful. You are a very good teacher. You don't happen to live in Maine, do you? Cheers, David Last edited by Deliberate1; 12-29-2019 at 05:03 PM. |
#6
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I use both forms, BTW, depending on what I'm playing, but I am much faster and economical with the ima form. If the ima form is what works best, that's what I'd use. |
#7
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Morris W-35, Washburn Rover |
#8
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Almost. With my approach, you "lose" the root of the C chord, as the a string is muted by your ring finger on the E string (at position 3-G). So form the G with ring finger on E string at three and pinkie at e string on three, muting the A sting with your ring finger. 3x0003. The the C is adding the index and middle fingers, but not the ring finger in the A string, 3x2013.
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#9
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I also bring that perspective to the guitar Consequently, it became apparent to me that an open C to G is most economically achieved with the use of the middle and ring fingers, shifting them both just one string over to the A and E strings, rather than moving the index finger all the way over from the B to to the A string which may be "uneconomical," depending on the next transition. It is good to have more than one tool in the chest, as you point out. I am in the process of making them. Cheers. David |
#10
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Most things get better with more practice.
1. fingernails very short (non-existent white). 2. Try perhaps as a warm-up: strum the C chord, the move pinky to first string/third fret while keeping the other fingers where they were and then play just the first string, then while holding down the first string move the other fingers to the G chord position and strum the G chord. Note that on the G chord the third fingertip can be placed partially off the fretboard (gives you more room to not mute the fifth string). --0------3-----3 --1------------0 --0------------0 --2------------0 --3------------2 --x------------3
__________________
Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love To be that we hold so dear A voice from heavens above |
#11
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Hi David
No, but I feel like it today. We had about 5" of snow with 45 mph winds and snow drifts everywhere yesterday. You are welcome… |
#12
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First off, roger on the nails - they are very short. I like your drill. Especially because it gets the pinkie down on the high E string early, before the transition. I have found it difficult to coordinate a simultaneous move of the pinkie to string 1 and ring to string 6. Working on it, though. This will help. Cheers. David |
#13
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#14
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Practice. No, really. I remember when my teacher first asked me to play the G chord that way, my response was, "no way, that's insane!" I didn't see the benefit, either. But on his insistence, I begrudgingly agreed and practiced it. And practiced. And practiced.
I think it took me weeks, if not months, to finally be able to do it. And then something very interesting happened: What I had dreaded as the most ridiculously convoluted way of fretting a chord became my go-to, all-the-time-I-fret-my-G-this-way chord shape. To the point where fretting it the old way became cumbersome and uncomfortable. But again, on the insistence of my teacher who stressed that I needed to be fluent and comfortable with both shapes, I practiced both. Now, years later, I just laugh at myself, because of course my teacher was right. I can play the G both ways just fine, but there simply is no shortcut.
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"I've always thought of bluegrass players as the Marines of the music world" – (A rock guitar guy I once jammed with) Martin America 1 Martin 000-15sm Recording King Dirty 30s RPS-9 TS Taylor GS Mini Baton Rouge 12-string guitar Martin L1XR Little Martin 1933 Epiphone Olympic 1971 square neck Dobro |
#15
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Cheeers. David |