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Y’all got any of those…

Firsty Lasty

New Student
Nov 11, 2019
278
284
First, my background: I’m a mediocre guitarist, but this happens to hit on a strong point of mine.
Pinky “strength” basically comes down to just one thing: your body knowing when and how to relax and when and how to Go! In other words, practice accuracy without accumulating tension. You know how people without hands get absurdly good at using their toes as if they were fingers? It’s exactly that. Anyone who is basically healthy does not lack muscular power for their pinky; it’s only clumsiness and tension that makes things weird.
The tricky thing about muscular tension is that most of the time you will NOT feel when your body starts to habitually tense up. This is why so many people develop problems with their with back and shoulders. You want to actually use your hand to grab your muscles and feel for places that are trying to ball up. So before practicing your pinky exercises, and frequently during the practice time, grab your forearm (both the front and back! don’t forget the back!), curl and uncurl your pinky a few times, and massage the area that you feel the pinky activates. I would bet cash that you will see and feel an immediate obvious improvement in economy of motion if you do this.
 

Jamie London

GYNNER
Staff member
  • Nov 11, 2019
    840
    1
    2,033
    31
    California
    synner.com
    12
    Thank you both! In the years I’ve been playing I’ve just never been able to get it up to par with the other fingers, it’s always annoyed me haha. Especially lately, I’ve been trying to really dive deep into learning the playing of one of my favorite guitarists, Nick Drake (which is difficult enough as it is) and he uses a lot of pinky. Really good info and exercises here 😁 If anyone else has anything they’d like to add feel free!
     

    The Raven

    New Student
    Nov 11, 2019
    78
    30
    Ids advice is the same as mine. I struggled to play with it at all so I started doing all my ring finger hammer-ons with it to strengthen it. Improved very quickly for me. Then I moved on to playing basic notes.
     
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    Calvin Phillips

    Music Theory Bragger
    Nov 11, 2019
    2,588
    1,988
    When I learned g minor all over the fret board my pinky got stronger. It also alternates from 124 to 134 as you go up the strings. I still refer to my ring tho as I go further up the fret board but that’s out of habits. Old habits die hard.
     
    Synner Endless Summer Collection