My Pinky.. - It almost does nothing..

MrBungle · #1 04-22-2002, 10:22 PM

Ok..I been playing guitar for a while and I don't consider myself amatuerish in any way but I need help excercising my pinky. *Its frustrating trying to hit a few notes that is destined for my pinky but it just feels limp. *Does anyone have any techniques to bring my pinky to life?
All my other fingers are great running up and down the neck. *Its not like I broke it or have carpultunal or anything. *Just looking for some good excersies.

Thanks alot everyone

yurich · #2 04-22-2002, 10:36 PM

if you play metal, here's the best thing to do: play all power chords using your pinky instead of the 3rd finger. I too try to use it as much as possible, this really strenghtens the pinky

jem7vwh · #3 04-23-2002, 12:01 AM

ahh...the pinky. *My old friend and enemy. *It's important to try to work up your strength in your pinky. *Try a few exercises

[font=courier]
e-18-14-16--18-16-14
B-------------------
G-------------------
D-------------------
A-------------------
E-------------------
[/font]

pattern is pinky, first, middle, pinky, middle first.

Alternate pick and move this all the way down the fretboard.

additionally, play the Pentatonic but add higher notes with your pinky for starters.

darren wilson · #4 04-23-2002, 12:18 AM

Nah. I wouldn't bother.

Thanks to evolution, in a few dozen generations we won't even have pinky fingers any more. Why fight it?

jem7vwh · #5 04-23-2002, 01:07 AM

Darren, hopefully you're joking

*If you're not, I pity my great grandson's typing speed

Kev Brigden · #6 04-23-2002, 05:08 PM

I've not been playing long (year and a half) but my pinky is actually quite strong... I think this is something that as mentioned above you should spend loadz of time doing exercises to strengthen (like left hand strength with legato)

e------------------------------
B------------------------------
G---9--------------------------
D------12---10---9---10---12
A------------------------------
E------------------------------

Alternate pick at first... then... when you are feeling frisky... try playing the notes on the D string in a kinda legato techinque... I hamer on and pull off each note at least three times when possible. repeat add nauseum, make sure that every time u come round to the D on the 12th (octave), use your pinky and as my teacher would put it:

"NOT YOUR 3RD FINGER DAMMIT!!!"

I remember him telling me that these are what Paul Gilbert does or summink... I dunno...

I've got loadz of others if u are interested...

Kev

MrBungle · #7 04-24-2002, 02:28 AM

Very Interested Kev..Thanks

7 Dying Trees · #8 04-24-2002, 10:55 AM

Ones that I tend to do for fun:

E 1-4--------------------------------------------------5-2-3-6-etc
B -----1-4----------------------------------------5-2------
G ----------1-4------------------------------5-2-----------
D ---------------1-4--------------------5-2----------------
A --------------------1-4-----------5-2--------------------
E -------------------------1-4-5-2-------------------------

This one is like the chromatic one, except I tend to play the ful chromatic up and down the neck a few times, and then specifically this one just to make that little finger work up it's stamina. Do some string skipping with as well so the little finger has to travel across the strings occasionally.

Then I also learnt to play a few runs i commonly use with my little finger etc. In the beginning it's not nice and a bit clumsy, but it does pay it's dividends...

Also use pinky for power chords, think up some chords or find some that require your pinky to hold them down (nice big stretch ones that you wouldn't be able to play otherwise)

Power to the pinky!

jem7vwh · #9 04-24-2002, 11:29 AM

pinky killer chords (courtesy of the Police)

[font=courier]
e-1-4----
b-1-4----
g-1-5-10-
d-5-8-8--
a-3-6-6--
e-1-4----
[/font]

nickelsack · #10 04-24-2002, 02:12 PM

Hey at least you people have a pinky, I lost mine when i was three, not to evolution but to a tricycle! I guess that doen't really help anyone but all this pinky talk i figured i had to get involved.

Mr Orange · #11 05-30-2002, 06:13 AM

Just to add late to this pinky discussion:

Observe that many technically accomplished players & shredders (Vai, Keneally, Montgomery, Benson, Beach, Malmsteen, Petrucci...) use mostly the three fingers in the left hand. Why? There's only three tendons for four fingers in the human arm (pinky & ring use the same one, I've been told). So don't use the pinky unless it's absolutely necessary and feels right. Many fingerings become a lot easier using only the three main, which means faster execution, which almost everyone here seems to strive for.

Of course the are other schools, like Holdsworth & friends who use pinky all the time. But when they do, there's less usage of ring finger...

The point is, like Dave Fiuczynski said, that you play the line, not how you play it. (Goes for picking issues, too. Free your mind and your axe will follow.)

Anyway, to activate your pinky check out classical guitar stuff.

Texter · #12 05-30-2002, 08:14 AM

There are a lot of mind numbing excercises out there...and Mr. Orange...DUH!

The utterly most important thing that you've absolutely GOT to keep in mind is that you really really need to be warmed up before putting a lot of stress on that little pinky of yours.
If your hands get cold...don't stress it!

Mr Orange · #13 05-31-2002, 04:19 AM

Texter: Watch how the greats play. They don't use pinky unless they have to. Let's say Vai should play a g-a-bb-b line at 12th pos, g-a-bb on 3rd and b on 2nd string. He will not fret it 1-3-4-1, but 1-2-3-1.
Observe it, and you see it's obvious. Especially with the jazz guys.

I'm not saying one shouldn't use the pinky, heck I use it all the time. But when I can choose, sure as an eskimo I use ring finger.

Texter · #14 05-31-2002, 07:05 AM

There's a guy outthere who wants to develope his pinky...that's what this thread is about. Not if it's desirable or not. I believe you absolutely got to have a 1st to 5th position spread on the 7th string on a UV even with small hands...and don't start talking about "greats"... that's no argument...those are people that play all the time...and thus have a cutting edge...Ordinary mortals such as the likes of us, who have to go to work and do other things, therefore need effective excercise in the scarce free time we have. No need to amputate a healthy finger.

BrianH · #15 05-31-2002, 07:52 AM

want ur pinky as good as your other fingers? here ya go... no excuses, you should be able to pull off these excercises as fast as with any other two and three fingers.

Triplet Feel... Use last three fingers for this...
1. play this with all hammer ons, play it, then reverse it, but keep hammer ons. Move up one fret each time and do it all over again. Go to the 12th fret with this. Use a metronome.
2. same as above but use all pull offs.

E-----------------------------------1-2-3-
B----------------------------1-2-3--------
G---------------------1-2-3---------------
D--------------1-2-3----------------------
A-------1-2-3-----------------------------
E-1-2-3-----------------------------------

this isn't easy at first and doubtful you'll be able to complete one round the first time trying it, your hand will probably get very tired and kinda hurt. I'll get stronger.

Final excercise... Use last two fingers for this.
play much like the previous excercise(not triplet pattern tho).
1. all hammer ons. Move it like I said for the one above.
2. all pull offs.
E-----------------------2-3-
B------------------2-3------
G-------------2-3-----------
D---------2-3---------------
A-----2-3-------------------
E-2-3-----------------------

good luck....