I have a problem with my little finger (4) and lack of independence between it and my ring finger (3), that is on my left hand - my fretting hand.

I have great independence between 1 and 2, 1 and 3 and 1 and 4,
independence between 2 and 3, 2 and 4 is also great.
independence between 3 and 4 is very poor to nill.

Human anatomy and ability varies from person to person. I was wondering what the predominant ability was amoungst the stratophiles here.


I am naturally right handed and if I had to do it all over again I would play right hand fretting. My independence is better on my right hand in all respects

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I remember when we were free!

I'm left handed and use left hand fretting. I was fortunate in that my first teacher demanded I use my pinky only saying "you'll thank me later", he was right. It was difficult at first; basically using chromatic scales alternating between the different fingers. Now its second nature.

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The mind is like a parachute; it doesn't work unless its open-FZ

I tend to not use my little finger too. I am working on it again.

I have decided to try piano/keyboard to help develop some finger dexterity.

Try this: http://www.bluesjazzpiano.com/five-fing ... cises.html

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

I use all my fingers too. I use my little finger a lot, but it and my ring finger like to move in unison. Perhaps I did not phrase my question too well, I will try again:

Are all of you fingers on your fretting hand equally independent?

It's hard to pick up my ring finger from the fretboard and leave the other 3 down. The pinky wants to follow along with ringie.

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I remember when we were free!

Hello!

This should be (or has been), an issue for most human players. I believe its the muscle groupings in the hand and lower arm which make your little and ring fingers want to move together.

From knuckle to finger tip your little and ring finger have smaller muscles than the other two. But from knuckle to elbow the muscle groupings for these two fingers are larger and closer together than those used for your index and middle fingers. They are also slightly more elongated and run further down your arm. If you can put your left hand on your left shoulder (palm side down) and look down your arm you'll see that the muscles on the inside of your arm almost reach your elbow.

Various Martial Arts exploit this particular muscle grouping, for example: in Aikido, only those two fingers and the thumb are used for grips and grabs

The grip used to fire a pistol is also reliant on this muscle grouping with the index finger free to operate the trigger.

With practice you can to train them to operate independently on the fret board. Relax your fretting arm to ease the process. I'm sure there are loads of other techniques for this, wrist angle, thumb placement, Chet's on to a good thing with the piano. but I reckon practice on the board followed by more practice with a side order of practice will do the trick

Hope this helps

Andy

(Edit: This is the last time I make a post via my Iphone!)

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Pending Greatness

My pinky is a clumsy ox!
I do my best with the first 3 fingers.

Django Reinhardt played with two fingers after an fire accident that
damaged his ring pinky. So I've heard.

Here he is playing Minor Swing which is a signature tune for him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEzsPGHsi90

I have problems with that as well, but it has improved since I've begun working on spider exercises.

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I really like all them "Aster" guitars. You know, like the Stratoc, Telec and Jazzm.

I have learned to use my "pinky" and it was one of the more difficult things to learn. I have small hands, My index to little finger (spread) is just over 6 inches. So it was pretty important to get it in the "mix"

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Hey, Boy Blue is back!

I use all my fingers, but my pinky gets used the least. I play right handed (fret with my left). I am am one of the few people who can do just about anything with either hand, except write and play guitar.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

Scales and stretching exercises as well as anything where you just move the little finger by itself and then move the third finger, the middle, the first-like maybe one of those old fashioned finger strengtheners! Just kidding, but you get the idea. sit at a desk and try to move the little finger by itself. I have always used my little finger when chording or playing notes. Now I admit it is not as STRONG as my other fingers, but I also know that with practice will come strength.

I suspect as much for you as well. Good luck in your exploration.

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So heres to your survival, swimming up the stream, crossing over one dam after another till we get to Rock and Roll Heavens Gate!

i found practising major scales was good for getting better independance.

Scales and stretching exercises as well as anything where you just move the little finger by itself and then move the third finger, the middle, the first-like maybe one of those old fashioned finger strengtheners! Just kidding, but you get the idea. sit at a desk and try to move the little finger by itself. I have always used my little finger when chording or playing notes. Now I admit it is not as STRONG as my other fingers, but I also know that with practice will come strength.

I suspect as much for you as well. Good luck in your exploration.

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So heres to your survival, swimming up the stream, crossing over one dam after another till we get to Rock and Roll Heavens Gate!

Howdy all,

The pinky is actually the 5th digit, the thumb being the 1st. Every chord chart is thus wrong if we were to follow accepted anatomical/medical terminology.

The 4th and 5th digits (ring finger and pinky) are of course shorter and weaker and provide functional assist to the other stronger digits and the thumb. They allow us to stabilize objects that the longer, stronger digits grasp. It is more natural and more functionally beneficial to flex them straight into the palm.

Our limitations in stretching, or to 'adduct' the 5th digit come naturally. Exercise is the key...

n.

Considering people with true disabilities have become more dexterous as a part of playing guitar its unlikely that you are any different to the rest of us who had the same problem to some degree.

All you need to do is practice simple scales. You just put in lots of 1-4 2-4 3-4 in the middle of the neck initially. While being sure to kept you other fingers hovering and try not to press too hard which make your fingers fatigued and operate less independently. Then move towards the nut when you have that mastered and it will get increasingly harder.

A few weeks of drilling a few 10 minute sessions a day and you should notice an improvement and once you see that its possible then you know that repetition can perfect it.

Hi oneal: I absolutely get what you are talking about, but it interests me how many people who've posted here have talked about their pinky, rather than the ring finger. That's not right or wrong - but it is different than my experience, at any rate.

Far as I'm concerned this is all about the ring finger. Following on from what Andy is saying about muscle groups, the simple fact is my ring finger has far less independence than any of the others. I had assumed that was the same for everyone - but perhaps not?

Here's a little test. Try resting you palm on a table top and tapping the surface as fast as you can with the first finger. You can probably tap just as fast with the second finger, and possibly with the fourth as well (I can tap as fast with my pinky as the first two). But get to the third/ring finger and not only can you not tap so fast, it is also hard to do so without the fingers beside it moving as well.

Or that's my experience, anyhow.

Cheers - C

PS Congrats on making a thread that's a bit different than the usual round here.