Training my fingers?

[Azvareth]

Well, since I'm playing guitar it's important to be equally fast and have good coordination in all your fingers. Right now, the only ones that can be considered fast and coordinated is my index and long finger -- my ring finger is getting there as well, but it still needs to be a whole lot better. The finger that troubles me the most, however, is my little finger. It's just bad. No need to go into details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, I'm wondering what the best way to train both my ring and little finger would be. Should I just use them as much as I can when I play? Should I only play with those two fingers for a while? Or is there a much more efficient way to train them, that doesn't require a guitar? Because it can feel a bit frustrating and hopeless trying to train them when one of the fingers just refuse to work properly. :P

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All tips are appreciated!

[Rizla]

Just practise scales and patterns that require using your pinky a lot. Practise really is the only way, unless you fancy getting a gripmaster.

[assassin_696]

Well i have the exact same problem. On the classical guitar my teacher told me i should do loads and loads of scales and arpegios with the fingering weighted towards the ring and little finger. I know you play the electric but it seems to be transferring to my electric quite well. The only problem is i still dislike using them. Maybe try using them in day to day life as well a bit more or something, like when typing.

[Azvareth]

Riz: yeah, that makes sense. I'll mess around on the 12+ frets a bit. As for the gripmaster thing, that actually looks pretty cool and it seems to work. :P Not sure if they sell it anywhere in Sweden though. I'll look around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assassin: I tend to drum a lot with my fingers, but usually with the index and long fingers. Perhaps I could begin doing it but with the little and ring fingers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the advice.

[Matthius]

I know this sounds painful, but learn to start stretching your fingers apart. Take your fingers, and just pull them away from each other until it hurts. until it feels like the middle part is about to rip down the middle, and hold it there. Good stretch excersizes... and do what Rizla said. If you practice the scales over and over, good stuff.. see how fast you can do the scales, and then go faster.

[insane]

For your ring finger:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you're looking to increase your accuracy, for hitting the right frets, I try putting my fingers in a dominant 7th bar chord (for example)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

3

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and just slamming them down on the fret in the right locations, after a while, your accuracy really improves. I also hit frets without strumming, and since i have an acoustic, it makes a sound so I can tell if I'm doing it right (if I hammer hard enough - the harder you hammer, the more sound it makes and the harder it is to be accurate).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or for your ring and pinky, try this dominant chord.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

4

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and see if you can hear the G string after your hammer your fingers on. (if you aren't accurate one of your "4th fret fingers" (ring/pinky) will be resting on the G)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basically I just make things hard for myself and eventually it becomes easy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also - I just realized that I play the blues scale with my index and ring finger - try that - playing the base note with your index and hammering two frets about with your ring and moving up the strings.

[Escape5]

My friends friend (lol) plays bass, and sometimes he only "plucks" with his ring finger and pinky finger to train them. To train his left hand he plays complex stuff that involves all 4 fingers to fret.

[Azvareth]

Hehe, what do you know, my sis just happened to own a gripmaster. So I'm using it right now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insane, thanks for writing all that. Will surely be useful!

 

 

 

And yeah, the blues scale would be good, how come I didn't think of that?

[Danabis]

Chromatics are the best way to improve your finger strength and speed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A  -----------------1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4



E  --1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

... and so on. (number refer to fingers, not frets)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or to focus on your ring and pinky fingers alone, just work your way up and down the strings just using them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You're far better to practice on the fretboard than to use the gripmaster.