# Fretting pinky training?



## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

Is there any way to train the fretting pinky both muscle-wise and dexterity-wise? 

I have very little issues with the other fingers, but the smallest one doesn't cooperate. I assume we just don't use it as much. 

Any ideas greatly welcomed. 

Thanks


----------



## keto (May 23, 2006)

Play bass for 20 min every day


----------



## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

I'd hook you up with my buddy Kamil if you were in Ottawa. He uses his pinky like any other finger. He does bends, vibratos, and some pretty damn fast hammers/pulls. It's kind of crazy to watch.

I did finger independence exercises for ages and found they helped quite a bit. Boring as heck to do though...

What style of music do you play?


----------



## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Replace your ring finger with your pinky for a few weeks.


----------



## Jim9guitars (Feb 15, 2016)

I used to warm up by starting on the top string open, then, using alternate picking(also a good technique builder), play through the first four frets of each string using the corresponding fingers so the pinky plays the 4th fret every time. Also, when playing scale patterns make the pinky do it's part, such as, the first two notes of one of the most common pentatonic patterns: Top string 5th fret = 1st finger, top string 8th fret = pinky......


----------



## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

cboutilier said:


> Replace your ring finger with your pinky for a few weeks.


That's what I started to do, but figured there might be other exercises. 





jbealsmusic said:


> I did finger independence exercises for ages and found they helped quite a bit. Boring as heck to do though...
> 
> What style of music do you play?


What are those finger independence exercise you are talking about? 
I use a computer keyboard daily and likely gained muscle and dexterity on the other fingers that way, but the non-writing-hand pinky just has no strength.


Style wise... I am still new so exploring what I can and like to play?






Jim9guitars said:


> Also, when playing scale patterns make the pinky do it's part, such as, the first two notes of one of the most common pentatonic patterns: Top string 5th fret = 1st finger, top string 8th fret = pinky......


I may have to look up those scale patterns...


----------



## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

It's not magic. Your dexterity/muscle strength develops based on use/need. You want to develop the pinky? Start using it. Look for songs with chords that REQUIRE pinky use.

Another option, when you're using open chords, look for somewhere to drop your pinky to alter the chord. You might find some interesting sounds that you can later use as embellishments when you get more comfortable. With many open chords, the pinky often sounds good dropped on the 1st or 2nd string, 2nd or 3rd fret.


----------



## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

There are good finger exercises on youtube. I no longer need them (I can easily bench two pounds with my pinky).


----------



## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

The more you use it the easier it gets. When I started it would hit the board like a club ,now just like any other finger. Learn to play Dream On by Aerosmith.


----------



## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Distortion said:


> The more you use it the easier it gets. When I started it would hit the board like a club ,now just like any other finger. Learn to play Dream On by Aerosmith.


And the outro solo for Sultans of Swing.


----------



## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

Thanks for the tips. I know it won't come on its own, that's why I am looking for training for it. 
Oddly enough, my right hand pinky is stronger.


----------



## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

Play 14342434 on each string then move half a tone everything until you reach the end of the fretboard and go back. Playing this once a day did it for me.


----------



## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

amagras said:


> Play 14342434 on each string then move half a tone everything until you reach the end of the fretboard and go back. Playing this once a day did it for me.


That's exactly the kind of thing I'm referring to. Patterns like that, but also in multple variations. Up and down the fretboard, across strings, skipping strings, etc. Your hand will never be more sore.


----------



## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

I also started using my pinky for making big bends, and that helped reign it a little bit.

Also try some Brad Paisley style chicken pickin, without his G bender. You will be doing all kinds of obscure things with you pinky, thumb, and wrist trying to mimic his bender licks


----------



## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

The key is consistency. Whatever you decide to do, use a metronome and try to play every note with the same clarity. Speed up gradually every day/week/whatever, as long as you're still playing every note consistently. Depending on your goals of course.


----------



## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

jbealsmusic said:


> The key is consistency. Whatever you decide to do, use a metronome and try to play every note with the same clarity. Speed up gradually every day/week/whatever, as long as you're still playing every note consistently. Depending on your goals of course.


Or just use lots of gain. 

I got away with murder when I played higher gain settings in the 80s and 90s. When I 'cleaned up my act' and went bluesier and more classic rock, I noticed my old tricks weren't flying so good anymore. Made me work a bit on consistency and accuracy. Not to say playing with lots of gain is a bad thing, but the compression seems to make hammer-on and pull-off stuff just work so easy without any notice of one or two duff notes here and there.

Or maybe I just a lot drunker and higher then? That is a distinct possibility.


----------



## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

If you don't use it you lose it!


----------



## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

All of my scales are played using four finger technique, so I just naturally put the pinky to use all the time.


----------



## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

Merlin said:


> All of my scales are played using four finger technique, so I just naturally put the pinky to use all the time.


That's what I am trying to do lately, play something that uses the four fingers, on purpose. 

I also try to play LA bamba without the index finger, to force myself into developing the pinky more.


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

You could also use one of these when you have some idle time.

D'Addario Planet Waves Varigrip Hand Exerciser


----------



## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

Steadfastly said:


> You could also use one of these when you have some idle time.
> 
> D'Addario Planet Waves Varigrip Hand Exerciser


Hey I like that idea. Thanks.


----------



## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

Steadfastly said:


> You could also use one of these when you have some idle time.
> 
> D'Addario Planet Waves Varigrip Hand Exerciser


Looks like a great way to develop RSI.

Wanna strengthen your pinky for guitar play? Play more guitar with your pinky.


----------



## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

Merlin said:


> Looks like a great way to develop RSI.
> 
> Wanna strengthen your pinky for guitar play? Play more guitar with your pinky.


RSI ? 

Régime Social des Indépendants? 
Régime social des indépendants en France — Wikipédia 


Roberts Space Industry? 
Roberts Space Industries

Relative Strength Index? 
Relative Strength Index (RSI) Definition | Investopedia

Sorry, my English sucks. I have no clue what you're talking about. 

In addition to playing it, that exerciser seams like a good asset.


----------



## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

Jamdog said:


> RSI ?
> 
> Régime Social des Indépendants?
> Régime social des indépendants en France — Wikipédia
> ...


Repetitive strain injury - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

Merlin said:


> Repetitive strain injury - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Ah! 
Occupational Overuse Syndrome! 
I could see that. But not without overdoing the exerciser. Like anything, abuse is bad. 

Thanks for the concern. I'll keep that danger... I will likely get one to leave at the office as a stress ball to use when thinking, wouldn't get too much use in that situation I believe. 

If I can avoid carpal tunnel syndrome on my right hand (also an Occupational Overuse Syndrome) I should be OK to train the left pinky without too much issue.


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

[/QUOTE]

I guess you could if you used it every day for hours and hours. It is an exerciser for your fingers, not something you spend 8 hours a day, 5 days a week with.


----------



## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Exercises like this can be helpful. There are many more variations but once you've started you can more or less make up your own.


----------



## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Here's another page.


----------



## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

Great to see that exercise there Mooh. I've been doing variations of that with all the fingers involved since about 1987....but my guitar teacher that showed me those only jotted them down in a note book. I think I may have mentioned something along those lines somewhere on this site at one point. They're great chromatic and string jumping exercises as well. And you can do them during ads if your watching the tube. But I haven't tried the #19 down to the bottom of the page. Will have to devise a few like that as well!


----------



## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

How is #19 even done?


----------



## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

In measures 20 you can mute string 4 with your 3rd finger (it's on string 5 anyway). In measure 21 you can allow string 4 to be fretted by the bar at fret 3 as that note is the 7th anyway. Like this:


----------



## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

See if you can get in touch with this player and find out his daily regime. He is in your neck of the woods. That's a strong pinky!

80's inspired guitar solo (shred)


----------



## DeSelby (May 4, 2016)

As others have said, practice and more practice. For chords unavoidable. But for single line stuff I don't think there is a given recipe. A couple of weeks ago I went to a workshop with Peter Bernstein and Mike Rud. One of the questions that was brought up was the difference in their techniques. Peter mostly uses 3 fingers and Mike uses 4. Both of them are great players. Mike did say that he was taught that way and being a dutiful student applied himself to that end but was not convinced that it was the only way to go. Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery were both 3 finger players. It may be that for some of the intense legato things people are doing these days, 4 fingers are a requisite. But, and to show my colours, I find much in that vein to be technique at disservice to music.


----------



## bluebayou (May 25, 2015)

I use a variation on previously mentioned practicing techniques. I will go 1, 2, 3, 4 on each string from low E to high e and then reverse it back down, 4, 3, 2, 1. Do that several dozen times then switch to 1, 2, again from low E to high e and then reverse it back down 2, 1. Then 1,3 up and down, forwards and backwards. Then 1,4, then 2,3 then 2,4, then 3, 4. I do that for 1/2 hour before switching to another execise., usualy scales. 
I have only been doing it for a week but already notice the fingers getting better at fretting and more independent of each other.


----------



## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

I didn't change much, but made a point of adding exercise that uses the pinky. 

While not pinky expert, I can say it makes a difference already. 

Thanks again to all who posted tips and tricks.


----------



## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

Tape the tip of your index finger. Take it out of the mix. You'd be surprised how quickly the pink comes around. I have a skin issue most summers. I can't really use the index. I'm bending with my pinky.


----------



## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

sambonee said:


> Tape the tip of your index finger. Take it out of the mix. You'd be surprised how quickly the pink comes around. I have a skin issue most summers. I can't really use the index. I'm bending with my pinky.


Interesting trick! 

I'll try with a band-aid!


----------



## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

OK I've reduced the playing for a couple weeks while working on the guitar, and I notice the pinky is again too weak for my tastes. More exercising required...


----------



## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

To be fair, I play a lot and have played music for 35 years (since age 7). I also have always been an efficient player (always only moving my hands the minimal amount to get the desired result. ) 

I also think that having started with piano have all my fingers dexterity and strength. and going to guitar at age 15 my hands were ready to "obey" my mind. And also to note, I'm left handed and I play right handed. Rick Emmett has said on occasion that having you dominant hand as the fretting hand also gives quite an advantage for precision and strength. 

I agree that the overall demand is greater on the fretboard rather than the picking hand.


----------



## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

The idea is to use four fingers on each string, the last one on each string being the pinky.


----------



## Jamdog (Mar 9, 2016)

Mooh said:


> The idea is to use four fingers on each string, the last one on each string being the pinky.


Thanks! I think I prefer this one!


----------



## DeSelby (May 4, 2016)

sambonee said:


> To be fair, I play a lot and have played music for 35 years (since age 7). I agree that the overall demand is greater on the fretboard rather than the picking hand.


Not to diminish the importance of dexterity on the fretboard but all aspects of rhythm, colour, tonal expression come from the other hand. Whether it be a flatpicking master like Tony Rice or a rock icon like Jeff Beck, the artistry lies somewhere in the interplay between both hands and the mind that had the thought. As players we tend to focus on the demands of technique. But the impetus of artistry will always focus on expression, whatever the technique. John Lee Hooker and Miles Davis. For what it's worth, I use the round edge of the pick.


----------



## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

DeSelby said:


> ..... For what it's worth, I use the round edge of the pick.



Me too 85% of the time


----------



## DeSelby (May 4, 2016)

sambonee said:


> Me too 85% of the time


Love it that you love Jimmie. 'Family Style' is one of my favourites and par to none, he was the Fab Thunderbirds. I caught Stevie in Ottawa before he became 'yuge'. Killer concert for ~350 people. The opening act was Robert Cray. What a stone cold soul singer.


----------

