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..of my middle finger of my left hand (my fretting) hand yesterday while being over caffeinated and trying to cut wire and change a track at the same time . It's nothing too bad, but it's going to take at least two weeks for me to use it to play guitar again, so I figure, "fuck it- now's as good a time as ever to get my pinkie up to par with the rest of my digits..." Anyway, I can use my little finger for fretting things like barre chords and simple harmonics, but I really have no where near as much control over it as my other fingers, so I'm asking - Does anyone have any practice tips beside "practice, practice, PRACTICE" such as specific exercises for making pinkies a little less worthless in regard to playing guitar? Or, is that really all their is?
And, also on the subject of pinkie playing I was trying yesterday melodic runs with my three remaining fingers and after a few minutes of using my pinkie for things like bending and hammer-ons it would start to cramp up- any advice on avoiding that?

Thanks, all

Skarrgus wrote:practice tips

Sorry, it's just ironic.

I actually think it's funny. Mostly because I just joined a doom metal band, and the whole Tony Iommi thing... All though I have a huge bandage hindering a lot of my playing for now.

Just mess around with some chromatic stuff going 1,2,3,4 or even just using 1 other finger + pinky

You also might have to adjust your thumb...a lot of people who don't use their pinkies have their thumb positioned to where it makes it very difficult to use your pinky even if you wanted to.

morningstaru wrote:Just mess around with some chromatic stuff going 1,2,3,4 or even just using 1 other finger + pinky

You also might have to adjust your thumb...a lot of people who don't use their pinkies have their thumb positioned to where it makes it very difficult to use your pinky even if you wanted to.

I was doing the 1,2,3,4, though it's hard with the lack of my middle finger. But, it's extremely easy running up and down pentatonics with just my forefinger and pinkie.
And, you're right about my thumb placement, actually... It only cramps when I'm standing, but not while sitting. Guess I'll have to adjust all of my straps.
Thanks!

Just check out some footage of Django Reinhardt for inspiration.
He only had 2 usable fingers, the other two were paralyzed in a fire.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UVw5C0SDkc[/youtube]

Lulz I just realized the silliness of recommending that when you just chopped off part of your middle finger

FuzzyWuzzy wrote:Just check out some footage of Django Reinhardt for inspiration.
He only had 2 usable fingers, the other two were paralyzed in a fire.

It'd hard for me to even try doing his simplest lick though, as my hands are huge, so I have to twist them awkwardly to replace my middle with my ring finger. He's a great player, though. But, he was one of the first things I looked up, actually

Just check out some footage of Django Reinhardt for inspiration.

That's like one of my fave things on YT,but way out of my reach
It looks like limitations,be it the lack of the fingers,forces some people to reach the place that most 'able' people will never reach.
The power of human will...the most powerful thing there is.

C W Y wrote:It looks like limitations,be it the lack of the fingers,forces some people to reach the place that most 'able' people will never reach.

I always liked that, that's how I approach the drums.