Do your pinky get stuck with your ring finger?

matakazer

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My pinky is like so useless right now as it can't seems to stretch apart from my ring finger and it doesn't have enough strength to fret down the strings.

For example I need my pinky to fret the 1st string 5th fret while maintaining the G chord normal hand position. But it just ain't stretching out. I have a hard time stretching a fret distance from the ring finger.

I just wanna know if this is a physical disability or I just need to practice stretching?
 
I suggest practicing your stretching by first: putting your pointer finger on the 2nd fret 4th string and then putting your pinkie on the 1st string 3rd fret then after one strum move it up one fret and so on.. :) i got this form one of the uu vids, after awhile finger stretch will be no problem :)
 
It is not a physical disability. If you look at how you use your hands in every day life, you'll notice that there are only relatively few situations where your fingers act independently (especially small finger and ring finger -- there are more uses for just the middle finger :) and the index finger). It's something you can practice and improve with finger exercises, like Adrian mentioned. Here's a good video:



You'll notice improvements quickly, within just a week, if you do it a few minutes every day.
 
Thanks for putting up mikes video mivo. I detest exercises, but this is one that I will do. I really need greater strength, control and dexterity in my fretting hand and this seems like an easy exercise to commit to. Maybe scales next, who knows?
 
Alright, shall start practicing now! It's really discouraging and disappointing to have a useless pinky right now as I can't play a lot of stuff with it!
 
My pinky is like so useless right now as it can't seems to stretch apart from my ring finger and it doesn't have enough strength to fret down the strings.

...

I just wanna know if this is a physical disability or I just need to practice stretching?

As others have said, it's all down to practice. I've strummed and picked chords on the guitar since the mid '60's, but it's only since I took to playing melodies on the ukulele and mandolin in recent years that I've found I NEED that little finger to earn it's keep ... we're getting there ... low string tension and a low action help a lot ;)
 
Using a stress ball is also a good way to improve finger and hand strength. They're fun, too!
 
This is a common problem, and a lot of people avoid using the pinky. I suggest using the pinky as much as you can. One thing I do to keep it working is - play single melody songs using the pinky to play the notes rather than the pointer finger. Over time this will strengthen the pinky.
 
Thanks for the vid and reminder. I'm going to incorporate this one as I likely would benefit. I've got those old creaky fingers. Actually considering how much my hands hurt on some days I'm impressed at how much better my fretting hand has gotten.
 
My pinky is like so useless right now as it can't seems to stretch apart from my ring finger and it doesn't have enough strength to fret down the strings.

For example I need my pinky to fret the 1st string 5th fret while maintaining the G chord normal hand position. But it just ain't stretching out. I have a hard time stretching a fret distance from the ring finger.

I just wanna know if this is a physical disability or I just need to practice stretching?

I find i can mostly use my pinky except in certain positions, for instance going from G6 to G7, it gets stuck behind my ring finger, eg. In Dr.uke's "raining in my heart", where I end up awkwardly sliding my ring finger down instead:
 
G6 which is a Em7 0202 to a G7(0212) is rather easy? you just add ur index finger to the 2nd string to change from G6 to G7?
 
It is not a physical disability. If you look at how you use your hands in every day life, you'll notice that there are only relatively few situations where your fingers act independently (especially small finger and ring finger -- there are more uses for just the middle finger :) and the index finger). It's something you can practice and improve with finger exercises, like Adrian mentioned. Here's a good video:



You'll notice improvements quickly, within just a week, if you do it a few minutes every day.



My pinky was pretty useless as well. And of course, there is no easy way around it...you have to practice! I avoided the dexterity exercises as well and just did not progress like I should have or could have. There are other video's out there as well, but I came across this one from Mike as well and gave it a try. Guess what he was right! When he say's that he promises if you do this simple exercise you will improve...I did and you will.

It didn't take long before I saw some real improvement and I now continue this one and others as often as I can. Building muscle memory and dexterity simply requires practice time. How much, well, we are all different but it is well worth it.
 
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