Right hand fingerpicking technique: all five fingers

Scott Frans · #1 11-07-2002, 01:59 AM

I've started trying to fingerpick the correct way (I was resting my hand on the bridge before, now i'm trying to hold my arm the right way). I'm not sure if I'm doing it just right, but it seems to work great for my thumb and first three fingers, but my pinky is now rendered useless. It was never good before, so I'm wondering if it's just really weak now since I've never had to hold my hand up before, or if I'm just using the wrong angle. Any advice or good pictures showing proper technique? Michael Queen showed me the correct way at the NC workshop, but I'm afraid I'm still not doing it right...thanks

meridian · #2 11-07-2002, 09:18 AM

Without any instruction I just started fingerpicking on my own.

I then saw really good players like Artie Traum and my friend Linda (Wu Lin) placing their pinky on the guitar top.

So I thought I was doing something wrong! But Linda tells me my technique is correct! Ha! Who knew!

To your question, my pinky has never been all that useful as it doesn't seem to have very independent motion. But I notice that my LEFT pinky is definitely more articulate than the right and I have to believe that it is because it gets used up on the fretboard.

So my guess is that your right pinky and mine both need to go to the pinky gym!

Guitar Dad · #3 11-07-2002, 10:47 AM

1. I'm a big believer in having the right pinky OFF the soundboard, as it creates sympathetic tension in the right hand. Stefan Grossman keeps his right pinky planted on the soundboard, and you can almost see the tremor in the hand from the tension. For some it works ok, but IMHO, it's a bad idea.

2. OK, so what to do with the right pinky? Nothing! Thumb and three fingers (p-i-m-a) is more than sufficient. I know there are some very advanced players who use their right pinky, and I would ot necessarily discourage its use. But, with the right thumb focused on the bottom three (E A D), the other three on the top (G B e), you'lll have plenty of fingers to play just about anything.

3. GO TAR HEELS!

min7b5 · #4 11-10-2002, 10:21 PM

I encourage students to do as Guitar Dad says and not plant the pinky of the right hand. However, I personally have a hard time practicing what I preach. My right hand just seems to do it. I try not to, but after 30 years of playing this way I get more tension trying to not do it.

anothersmith · #5 11-11-2002, 06:31 AM

I bought a weird little thing called a "Twanger" that I saw advertised in Acoustic Guitar. It's a piece of wood about 4 inches long, the width of a guitar neck, with six strings on it, and it's attached to a belt. You can use it to practice right-hand fingerpicking technique while watching TV (it makes very little noise). I've found that practicing with it has made it much easier for me to fingerpick without anchoring my pinky or the side of my hand to the guitar. Here's the website, if you're interested:

www.twanger.com

UncleMeat · #6 11-11-2002, 08:44 PM

All the classical buffs will make fun of you for using your pinky... but I started as a bassist, got in the habit of playing with all my fingers, so whenever I try to play fingerstyle, I usually end up bringing out the pinky.

Whatever works I say. If you can play profficiently in time and make it sound good, who cares if you're using the "correct" fingers or your toes and tongue. The latter at least makes for a good show.

meridian · #7 11-11-2002, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by UncleMeat
who cares if you're using the "correct" fingers or your toes and tongue. The latter at least makes for a good show.

Toes, tongue and teeth!

But NO pinky!

Red · #8 11-12-2002, 11:37 AM

I'm a strange one in that one of the first things I learned on the guitar was how to fingerpick. It's funny because I totally sucked (still suck) at the guitar but people thought I was good because I could finger pick fairly well. I started out using the common technique of thumb on bass strings and pointer, middle and ring on the G, B, E strings. I still use that if the entire song is to be finger picked but I've found that most songs sound better using a combination of strumming and finger picking.

Since I couldn't get comfortable strumming with just my index nail, I set out to figure out a way to hold a pick and still finger pick like I used to. I now will hold a pick like normal with my thumb and index finger to hit the bass strings and use my middle, ring and pinky to finger to pick the G, B and E. It took a little while but now my pinky is just as coordinated as any of my other fingers and I can finger pick identically whether I have a pick in hand or not. It has completely opened up my style cuz I can do a nice finger pick intro, go into a nice rythm strumming part and still have the pick in hand for lead or filler portions.

It sounds more complex than it is but I've only been playing for a few years and can assure you that it isn't tough. You'd be surprised at how strong and coordinated your pinky becomes even after only a few weeks of using it. Rock climbing probably didn't hurt either!

anothersmith · #9 11-12-2002, 02:26 PM

Thanks for that tip, Red! I've noticed that some of my favorite acoustic performers, including David Rawlings and Richard Shindell, use this hybrid picking/fingerpicking technique, and it does lend a depth and complexity to their playing. I have some doubt in my ability as a mere mortal to emulate them, but your post has me thinking I might try it.

Red · #10 11-13-2002, 12:10 PM

anothersmith

Give it try. On a good day, I'm average at best so either this is the one guitar technique that comes natural to me or it's really not that difficult. It is weird at first because the pinky seems so lame and uncoordinated but it really learns quick when you show it a little love and use it more often.

Muggy · #11 11-17-2002, 12:59 PM

When you are using your pinky ,does any part of your hand rest on the guitar?I have always planted my pinky on the guitar.I usually use my thumb,pointer and middle,course I dont play classical.Mostly blusey stuff.I know my techniqe sucks but it is ingrained.

Muggy

Noflatpick · #12 11-17-2002, 01:08 PM

Exactly how I play it, Mug. Breaks every fingerstyle rule in the book, but it doesn't sound too bad (my opinion) and it's too late in the game to change now.

Muggy · #13 11-17-2002, 01:15 PM

I've always been good at breakin the rules

Muggy

Red · #14 11-20-2002, 10:08 AM

Since I was a self taught guitarist and finger style player, I used to plant my pinky as well. When I was jamming with my wife's lead guitarist (who is so insanely talented that I can't even believe it) there were two suggestions that he gave that have revolutionized my playing. The first was to stop playing with my thumb wrapped around the neck (except for bends and when I need it to fret the 6 string) and the other was to stop planting my pinky. The thumb rule was a no brainer because all of a sudden I could hit all of these extended jazz chords that I had been muting and basically sucking at for a long time. It still took some getting used to and I still can't play for a long time without my hand getting tired.

I was really torn over the pinky thing and still am not sure what I'd recommend for people just getting into fingerstyle playing. In the longrun, it's definitly better to not rest anything -hand or pinky- on the guitar at all so that you have more dexterity and speed. BUUUUTTTTTT, it sure as heck made it easier to learn having that pinky as an anchor/reference point. If I hadn't used it, I may very well have gotten frustrated and said screw fingerstyle. So using my pinky got me good enough to be able to make the switch. I now use a combination of styles so planting the pinky is not an option. Sometimes I'll use all five fingers for blazing arpeggios or to hit 5 notes of a chord simultaneously, other times I'll hold a pick with my thumb and index and use the other 3 to pick, etc.

My personal suggestion would be to try to avoid planting your pinky from the beginning. If you are disciplined enough to be able to say, I'll start out using the pinky but once I get comfortable, I will force myself to abandon the pinky plant, that you could do that as well. But be forewarned that it is difficult to see the benefit of abandoning it once you get could at playing with it planted. As I said above, I'm only a medicocre guitar player but I can fingerpick insanely fast even with my pinky planted. BUT, I could do so much more than I ever dreamed once I stopped planting it.

Scott Frans · #15 11-20-2002, 11:12 AM

I've never once planted my pinky, probably because i've always played with my wrist planted on the bridge of the guitar. Realized this kills tone, as well as locks my hand up. Since then, I've made progress switching, but my hand does get tired from not being used to holding it out more. Luckily though, I have avoided any problems with planting the pinky.