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Original message:44 days 14 hours 26 minutes ago

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Member: Rion Hakiwai

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Hey, so i've been playing guitar for a few years now and I'm yet to get a definite answer on what fretting fingers to use on the high register of the electric guitar. I know your ''supposed to'' use 1,3 and 4 for gaps of a tone but when you try to do from the 13th fret onwards it starts to feel a little awkward. I've seen many great guitarists change to 1,2 & 3 in the high register and sometimes completely throw out their pinky (Petrucci, Slash, etc), Does anyone have any advice or tips on this?

Reply:44 days 12 hours 59 minutes ago
Member: ibzRG

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Your pinky is the weakest and clumsiest finger and is used mainly to reach for frets that are a stretch from your current hand position or in providing assistance when the other 3 are not enough. So, if you can play something without using your pinky, there is no reason why you shouldn't do so. You have better control of the other fingers.

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Reply:44 days 8 hours 21 minutes ago
Member: geetarjim

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I still use the pinky for stretches of 4 semitones.. when i dabbled in classical i learnt to play "in position", ie have each finger 1 fret up from the finger before.. and i still do that on most of the neck just out of habit. past the 15th fret though they start to get a bit too close! i wouldn't stop using the pinky altogether, if you keep it in use you can get some pretty cool stretches when you're up there

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Reply:44 days 6 hours 2 minutes ago
Member: eds1275

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Where is this information coming from!?!?!?!?!? I've been playing for 15 years and my middle finger is the clumsiest, but not by much. You need to work that pinky so it's as useful as the other three. If you don't use it, it's like losing 25% of your abiity. I urge you to use it as much as possible when you practice to build strength and dexterity, and then integrate it into your playing slowly as you jam and gig.

Reply:44 days 6 hours 2 minutes ago
Member: eds1275

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And I also use my pinky on the right hand while fingerpicking.

Reply:44 days 6 hours ago
Member: siddp

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How do you do that?

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I want to write something funny and/or deep here, but my wit seems to have deserted me

Reply:44 days 5 hours 33 minutes ago
Member: eds1275

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How do I do what??? Fingerpick using my pinky? I just reach down and pluck a string with the nail, like I do with the other four. Most often though I hybrid pick, which is holding a pick with the thumb and first finger, and fingerpicking with the middle, ring and pinky fingers. Lots of people don't use their pinky, but I figure it's there to be used and abused.

Reply:44 days 3 hours 9 minutes ago
Member: evol666

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You have a pinky for a reason, so use it. There is a whole realm of tasty chords and cool hammer ons/pull offs that require the use of your pinky.

Nothing annoys me more than watching some malaka wank away with three finger technique.

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One thing you don't do is let the singer have creative input on any fucking thing, because they're useless - Noel Gallagher

Reply:44 days 2 hours 31 minutes ago
Member: bachmirage

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i use my pinky constantly. i use it for the 2 finger power chords as well. the more you use it,the more natural it will feel. most ppl tend to overuse the 3rd finger for everything. and becuse of the stretch between middle and third, performing detailed 3 finger runs up and down often sound clumsy and slow-ish. by switching to the pinky, those runs get faster and smoother.

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Reply:44 days 2 hours 20 minutes ago
Member: Ben Moore

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I never thought of not using my pinkie...it seems pretty natural to me. but this thread seems to answer Rion's question. do what you feel comfortable with that's seems to be what everyone else has been saying just around the bush

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Reply:44 days 36 minutes ago
Member: SATAN

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hey, ben moore... i have to be honest.... you need a new avatar. i think yours is the only one that actually annoys me when i see it.... diddnt you have a different one before?

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Run for thine therapy transition meeting!!!!

Reply:44 days 1 hours 24 minutes ago
Member: pinsone

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I know this is not what you want to hear buteo whateever you want

Do whatworks for you if you got small hands use the 1st and 4

If you got big hands use the third and the fourth

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“music is not the meaning of life life is the meaning of music”-Joshuah Pinson

Reply:43 days 17 hours 3 minutes ago
Member: this dying soul

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I use my pinky all the time now, used to be just there. I'm of the opinion "use it or lose it"...losing it seems too painful, so I decided to use it.

I've been fretting notes with my pinky for both chords and solos for years, lately I'm pushing myself a bit more and starting to do the occasional bend with it too. Pinky bends are tricky at first, but as it gets stronger the bends get easier. There are several of the big boys out there doing it...Joe Perry, Eric Johnson, Eric Clapton and Steve Vai to name a few.

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Reply:43 days 17 hours 2 minutes ago
Member: Ben Moore

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sorry Satan it used to be plain black...this is actually a pumpkin of my face my bro in law made. I thought it was pretty sweet cuz it is actually pretty close to what my face looks like maybe I'll change it just for you.

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Reply:43 days 15 hours 2 minutes ago
Member: Rion Hakiwai

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Wow i wasn't expecting so much help! thanks guys it's really helpful!

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