Pinky Control


celmore10
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Joined: 01/03/22
Posts: 2
celmore10
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Joined: 01/03/22
Posts: 2
10/01/2022 10:33 pm

I realized I have a bad habit of having my fingers too far from the fret board during my dexterity exercises. My pinky will retract to my palm as I'm going down the fret board and my middle finger isn't where I'd like it to be (it sometimes hovers a little high when I try to control my fingers to stay closer to the frets). Does anyone have this problem and ideas they used to try and solve it? Currently I've been forcing my fingers to stretch out across the frets, but I can feel my hand naturally try to go back to the old habits.


# 1
snojones
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Joined: 04/17/13
Posts: 694
snojones
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Joined: 04/17/13
Posts: 694
10/01/2022 11:14 pm

Unfortunatly, it all comes down to "Rinse and Repeat".  So you are on the right track....  Keep at it and you will eventually get those fingers under control.


Captcha is a total pain in the........

# 2
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
10/02/2022 2:50 pm
#1 Originally Posted by: celmore10

I realized I have a bad habit of having my fingers too far from the fret board during my dexterity exercises. My pinky will retract to my palm as I'm going down the fret board and my middle finger isn't where I'd like it to be (it sometimes hovers a little high when I try to control my fingers to stay closer to the frets). Does anyone have this problem and ideas they used to try and solve it? Currently I've been forcing my fingers to stretch out across the frets, but I can feel my hand naturally try to go back to the old habits.

It's hard at first but you have to make a conscious effort to keep your fingers close to the fretboard.  Like any repetitious manual dexterity task, the more more you do it, gradually the more it becomes automated & you don't have to keep reminding yourself & forcing your fingers to get in line!


I developed this tutorial to specifically to work on that issue.  It can applied in many ways & of course to all fingers.


Building Pinky Strength & Dexterity


https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/1292


This tutorial is aimed at overall finger strength & dexterity.


Trill Drills


https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson/22705


Hope that helps!


 


Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor

Christopher Schlegel Lesson Directory
# 3
celmore10
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Joined: 01/03/22
Posts: 2
celmore10
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Joined: 01/03/22
Posts: 2
10/03/2022 12:40 am

Thanks for the tips and the links. I'll keep working at it over time.


# 4

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