The arc of the pinkie knuckle

[alanfc]

Ha -THIS is whats been holding me back these last 24 years ! I've just decided. But really, I've just realized this...I've always used my pinkie naturally on every type of lead and scale. But for some reason now that I've moved up a gauge in strings I 've noticed I can't just 'make it happen' with bends and other stuff with my pinkie like I could with the lighter gauge.
Looking more closely - its the knuckle....on my other 3 fingers I have this nice arc at the last joint, and my finger points straight down to the fretboard. The pinkie however,,, its coming down at an angle. And the string is under the fatter part of my finger instead of closer to the tip like my other fingers. I tried some s-l-o-w scales with my Pinkie in this straight-down angle and surprise- clean, perfect.
So,
whats some grueling cardio I can do on my pinkie that'll make this angle more second nature?. Beyond my usual messin around with slow scales and all. (I know its mostly just repetition)
thanks

[Dave B]

Try this: http://www.planet-waves.com/ptoolsdetails.aspx?ID=6. This allows you to isolate each finger. You can use either your flat part of your last finger joint, or the tip, which is what you are asking about. Of course, play two hours a day too!

[KRosser]

I don't have anything to add to this, but I just wanted to say that thanks to your poetic thread subject, I now have a title for my first CD, should I ever get off my duff and make one...

"The Arc Of The Pinkie Knuckle"

Beautiful...

[alanfc]

Try this: http://www.planet-waves.com/ptoolsdetails.aspx?ID=6. This allows you to isolate each finger. You can use either your flat part of your last finger joint, or the tip, which is what you are asking about. Of course, play two hours a day too!

OK thanks this looks interesting.


Mr. Rosser- I'm Honored :rotflmao

[alanfc]

btw-
I've now been obesessing/tinkering with this a few hours,
and I've come to the conclusion that a slightly higher position of the guitar strap is helping

[alanfc]

OK I'm back into this

any more exercises/ideas?
thanks

[boobtoob]

OK I'm back into this

any more exercises/ideas?
thanks

I try to strengthen my pinky by doing the beginning of "Purple Haze" with it for as long as I can. You know, the fast hammer on - pull off. It gets the pinky a good workout.

:BEER

[brad347]

i've been exploring the finer details of hand position as it relates to fourth finger technique lately myself.

I find that the position of the thumb on the back of the neck matters. On the highest frets sometimes I pull it out completely and just let the pressure from my fingers do all the work. I also like to keep my palm more-or-less parallel to the line made by the bottom of the fingerboard (if that makes any sense). Like "flat" below the fingerboard. I have had a bad habit of angling my whole hand downward with the pinky-side of the palm farther away from the fretboard.

[bbocaner]

stretching the other joint in the finger (the one closest to the nail) will help. hold the knuckle joint still and bend the top joint as far as it will go and hold. repeat this around 10 times a few times a day.

[alanfc]

thanky

[brad347]

also, if you practice sitting down, position the 'curve' of the guitar over your left knee rather than your right. Let it angle downward a little almost like a classical player would. This helps your hand get into the natural position.

I also have experimented with putting a piece of painter's tape on the bottom half of the back of the neck, and my thumb must always be contacting it at least a little. That's a fun exercise.

[brad347]

stretching the other joint in the finger (the one closest to the nail) will help. hold the knuckle joint still and bend the top joint as far as it will go and hold. repeat this around 10 times a few times a day.

I think Schumann ended his career this way! :jo

[tonefingers]

Everyone talks of squeezing, applying pressure to a note.

But it's the release, getting the finger off the note that slows many
people down.

Any exercises for releasing the fingers from strings.

Ie: rubber bands?

I know you got comments on this.

Edumacate me. :puh

[tonefingers]

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/images/buttons/edit.gif (http://www.thegearpage.net/board/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=2050182)

[alanfc]

Everyone talks of squeezing, applying pressure to a note.

But it's the release, getting the finger off the note that slows many
people down.

Any exercises for releasing the fingers from strings.

Ie: rubber bands?

I know you got comments on this.

Edumacate me. :puh

YES !!!!
this is it

[alanfc]

oh dear
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOFpQd7aJ9U&mode=related&search=

I don't see him using his pinkie on the fast runs do you? Just curious. And it looks like some of the time he's using index to middle finger for 2 fret stretches in your typical penatonic. Does he have long fingers?