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#1
11-05-2010, 11:16 AM
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Picking Fingers
I find my right ring finger is very dumb. I could say banjo picking doesn't involve that finger so...........
Can you pick effectivley using only your thumb, index and middle finger or should I work harder to get my ring finger involved?
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1964 Yamaha Classic (Beach Guitar) 1981 Horugel 5-string Banjo 1996 Mitchell D-100 2010 Taylor NS-34-CE 
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#2
11-05-2010, 11:39 AM
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In my experience, it's going to depend what sort of music you hope to pick. If you're just picking along while you sing or something like that, you can probably survive without the ring finger. If you're going to get into playing some real classical arrangements, you'll want that ring finger to be moving along pretty well, as most classical stuff that I've seen is arranged for thumb and 3 fingers. You can do without the ring finger altogether, if you have to; some guy named Phil Keaggy lost his ring finger a few years back, so he uses his pinky instead. He's not what I'd call a classical guitarist, though...
 [edit: now that I think about it, it was probably his middle finger that he lost, so that bit of comedy isn't as relevant as I thought at first!] If I were you, I'd keep at it with the ring finger, it will come around eventually. There are probably loads of internet tutorials/arrangements you can download if you want to run practice exercises to strengthen or loosen up that finger (I did my basic training back before there was internet, so I don't know what's out there anymore). Good luck!
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Yamaha Pacifica 512, Yamaha APX6, Alhambra 7c, Taylor 110 (w/upgraded Taylor gold tuners!), Alhambra 7p, Yamaha CS-40, Samick Corsair Pawn-Shop Special Bass Last edited by dosland; 11-05-2010 at 11:40 AM. Reason: Fact checking error...
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#3
11-05-2010, 06:13 PM
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I am working out my ring finger every day; basic, top of the neck scales plus blues and pentatonic scales. My ring finger is getting a little smarter but it is a slow learner.
I haven't held a pick in 10 days!
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1964 Yamaha Classic (Beach Guitar) 1981 Horugel 5-string Banjo 1996 Mitchell D-100 2010 Taylor NS-34-CE
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#4
11-05-2010, 06:55 PM
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Little different by related, Django Reinhardt only fretted notes with his index and middle finger. His ring and pinky fingers were burned in a fire and remained in a "frozen" state from age 18. That guy played a lot of music with 2 fingers.
Tom C.
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Guild Mark VI, Hoboken 1968 Guild Mark V, Hoboken 1966 Guild Mark IV, Hoboken 1970 Herk Favilla Mahogany Classical, 1960's Alvarez Yairi CYM 95, 2004 Dauphin DS65CE, 1992 Last edited by silverfox103; 11-05-2010 at 07:01 PM.
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#5
11-06-2010, 12:21 PM
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Just do scales using middle (M) and ring (A) fingers only. Pluck some four note chords using p, i, m, and a fingers. It'll soon come around.
Heck, that's what playing guitar is all about - one new problem after another, that's the fun and challenge of it. It's never finished. It NEVER works to figure out ways to avoid the challenges, like the kids who want a "classical" guitar with a narrow fret board like their "other" guitar, or those who try to find flat-wound classical strings to avoid string noise - just bite the bullet, learn what you have to. You'll be the better player for it, and may I add, the better adult too. T/
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Goodness had nothing to do with it. Mae West
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#6
11-06-2010, 06:47 PM
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Work on arpeggios to get your anular finger working. Start with something like Romanza. The ladies always love it.
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