# retarded 4th finger (pinky)



## XxJoeBlowxX (May 22, 2008)

does this happen to everyone who starts off: my pinky is angled inward (when my fingers are curved), which is really annoying because going from the third finger to fourth, I can't even go one fret (example third finger on 3rd fret, my pinky cant reach the fourth fret easily.

Is the only way to fix this with surgery or will my finger gradually go straight?


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## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

I'd say most people start out like that, it just takes practice to get your fingers stronger and more dexterous. My pinky was pretty useless for the first couple of years, but now I use it constantly.


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## GuitarSkater (Nov 17, 2008)

when i was playing for about 2 years, my brother accedently broke my finger, and when i got the cast of that happened to me (but instead my pinky would bend the other way;lol), and after like a year, it got better.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

You should be fine with practice, but just out of curiosity, what is the angle of your wrist and the rest of your hand relative to the fretboard? If the back of your wrist is pointing 45 degrees away from the fretboard to your left (if you're a righty), then try to keep it more perpendicular to the fretboard, that will free up some more movement in your fingers.


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## MaxWedge (Feb 24, 2006)

If you are playing in a seated position. Try resting your guitar on your left knee (assuming you play right handed). This will help position your wrist properly.


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## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

At 1/2 an hour practise a day it will take 6 months(or less) for your pinky to smarten up and do what it's told.........about the same length of time to train a puppy....lol


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## Coustfan'01 (Sep 27, 2006)

Playing scales definitely helps. Like 

-8-7-5---------------------------------
------8-7-5-----------------------------
------------7-5-4-----------------------
------------------7-5-4-----------------
-----------------------7-5-3------------
------------------------------7-5-3

Going up and down. Plus, it's pretty fun.


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