Do you use you pinkie finger of your fretting hand? Are you not supposed to?

I use my pinkie finger for a lot of things.

Thanks for asking.

_________________
Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

i use mine when ever possible, awkward at first, if you can lean to use it, it will really benifit you in the long run

edit: i use my thumb too, its the same thing as the pinky, it is awkward to learn but comes in handy sometimes

_________________
Paddle faster! I hear banjo music!

Hey, thanks for the feedback. I'll start using it more. I'll have to work on the thumb technique as well.

Yep, always have. I hang my slide on it too.

Yes, definitely use it.

_________________
Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

Constantly on guitar; how to chord or reach 4th fret in any position without it?

Not much tho when playing electric bass.

I'm sorry - I wasn't specific enough... I meant to say using pinkie while soloing.

Well, yeah. I use my all the time: chords, scales, runs, everything except bends, though some people use them for bends as well.

Watch a violin or cello player. They have much stronger pinkies than your average guitarists, and do some great runs and wicked pinky-only vibratos with them. I consider most guitar players hands to be pathetically weak compared to good string players, and it shouldn't be that way. Just hearing grown men whine about the strings on an acoustic being too thick, or putting 8's on an electric because it's "easier" to play makes me sick.

So yes - if you can use yours, use them to the max, and then some. Having good strong hands to play can only help make it easier to get those crazy musical ideas in your head out.

Any suggestions (devices or exercises) for strengthening the pinkie that have worked well for others?

If you dont use your pinkie your taking away a quarter of your ability,and you will not be able to solo outside of the pentatonic scale unless your creative about it. Get that lil guy in there right away but also take it easy as your other fingers are going to be much stronger and have much more stamina. Here are some exercises you know how each finger has a number index-1middle-2 ring-3 pinkie-4 start on the low E first fret and go 1-2-4 all across each string till you end on the high E than drop to the second fret and run across and so on until you hit the twelfth and work it all the way back to the first. If you feel you cant go back up after reaching the twelfth then stop till you build the stamina. Then apply this to 1-3-4 the same thing.Then as you get stronger do it legato which means you just pick the first note and let the other fingers hammer on or pull off.You can use your first finger on the 5th fret high E and your Pinkie on the 8th and trill for as long as comfortable take a minuete rest and repeat go back and forth trilling between E and B .Also use it in place of your third finger in a lot of the licks you know already that stretch 2 frets. Just take it slow because after the first day you will probably be to sore to use it the next as it has a lot of catching up to do but before you know it it will be as strong as any finger. Like dgonz I also dont use my pinkie to bend but thats the only thing I dont use it for. KEEP ON ROCKIN

I taught myself to play with my pinky finger, so I never really had a problem using it. It comes in handy for some of those long stretches and you can hardly play any metal or classical music without it.

_________________
Website: http://www.rebeccalaird.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccalairdmusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/beckslaird
Instagram: http://instagram.com/beckslaird

Yep, I was taught to use it from the beginning when playing patterns (aka soloing, the Early Years

If speed is your thing, using the pinkie will help, but it also improves smoothness and gives you a cleaner attack than if you're sliding another finger or having to move your hand more. The same is true on bass, where I also use my pinkie.

On guitar, but even more so on bass, I was taught to limit hand motion as much as possible and that's always been my technique.

(And if you're ever in a snooty restaurant where you have to raise your pinkie, you'll be able to raise it with authority!

I use my pinkie as much as possible, can't really bend that well using it but I'm fretting as much as possible with it. And like some other said I use my thumb to get the bass notes all the time

trick question , right? ok , tape 'em together pretend one of them is damaged and tape it to the other one let us know if you need your pinkey after that.

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.