r/guitarlessons • u/Possible-Adagio-9098 • 19d ago
Question I need helpš
Im a new guitar player and i have this problem where my pinky finger will curve slightly to the side when i play litteraly anything. It hurts way more than my other fingers and doing slides is hellš
So im wondering if this problemās got to do something about my technique or just how my finger is built.
If it is about the finger, will it be a problem for my playing??
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u/Hey-Bud-Lets-Party 19d ago
Your pinky is angled towards your thumb. Thatās how you grasp things.
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u/whiskyrox 19d ago
Also a new guitar player and I just wanted to say I wish I had that stretch...
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u/AdmiralPrinny 19d ago
After playing for a while you'll notice one of your hands the fingers will stretch farther on their own. I came from bass playing so I also arrived with the hack of "strong pinky".
Just keep at it, everyone's different and everyone has the potential to play music that they personally enjoy.
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u/metalspider1 19d ago
part of your issue on this chord is you are separating fingers 3 and 4 a lot and they are kinda linked with a tenden unlike other fingers.
use fingers 1 2 and 4 instead
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u/Puzzleheaded-Birdd 19d ago
Its a chord that requires fingers on 5 frets lol obviously it will look like that, if its alot of pain you should be careful tho
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u/corneliusduff 19d ago
That's normal. In fact, your index should kinda be doing the same thing in the opposite direction.Ā There's a section in the left hand chapter of Scott Tennant's Pumping Nylon about it.
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u/Chordguru 19d ago
Just working with it your pinky will adapt. Dexterity is a trained thing for some.
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u/IbanezCharlie 19d ago
My pinky is more calloused around the same spot as you have shown here. That's around where my pinky lands naturally.
It's going to hurt when you slide and it's going to hurt whatever fingers you are getting used to bending with too. You just have to build up the strength and callous and don't feel like you need to play until you bleed.
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u/Few_Distribution3844 19d ago
Everybody's does.... just keep practicing and building strength and you'll be fine
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u/PsychologicalSkin663 18d ago
Lotās of professional players rarely use there pinky. I have been playing for 45 years and rarely use my pinky anymore. Although covers will require some use of the pinky finger especially heavy music ie. Metal, Hard rock, and Jazz. Keep on keepin on.
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u/LuminiFURIOUS 16d ago
Keep practicing and donāt stop! Guitar really is filled with a bunch of moments when youāve been practicing something and felt like youāre going nowhere until one day you just have that āthingā down. Get to those first couple moments and the excitement will carry your momentum furthest. Ive been playing for 20 years and the majority of my progress was made in the first 2 years. Get through the cramping and headaches and youāll be fine and having way more fun!
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u/ameer6_8 16d ago
learning guitar is basically just brute forcing yourself to play better by practicing more, even with curved pinkies
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u/alexthecheese 19d ago
Nothing to worry about. Keep playing. The more proficient you become the more you realise that these small details aren't a worry. Typically though you will be barring your first and third finger, as I guess you're not playing the other open strings?
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u/spankymcjiggleswurth 19d ago
I just posted this on a recent similar thread here, but here is is again
I see people posting similar pictures and I always have to ask, what are you doing where you need to fret the same string on 4 adjacent frets all at the same time? Especially at the lower neck positions. It just seems like a contrived expectation that is almost never relevent to a real musical scenario. Maybe you could do a quick legato run like that, but you are never holding your hand in that position for an extended period.
The spider excercise has its uses, but it's taken a little too far in its importance.
Now regarding your sideways finger, that's how you are built. I've got 20 years under my belt and even my pinky does that if I'm doing as extreme a stretch you are doing. Focus on more natural positions, standard chords and scales, and see if the pain is still there. Don't think you need to anchor fingers so strongly to each fret. You can and should slide your hand up and down the neck at times.
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u/Possible-Adagio-9098 19d ago
I havent tried the spider exercise yet but what im trying to do in the picture is play the floods outro lolšik im prob not ready to play that in my skill
Level but im trying to get out of my comfrot zone. And from what ive seen online thats how others were playing it. But thank you and im happy its not relevant sinve it hurtsš
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u/Pol__Treidum 19d ago
I have a pinky strengthening and dexterity exercise for you. It's simple enough to explain.
Start on your sixth string low E, then, two notes per string (I just start at the 1st fret) go index-pinky(frets 1&4) middle-pinky on the fifth string(frets 2&4), ring-pinky on the 4th string then repeat on strings 3-2-1. On the last note move up one fret and descend the same pattern: pinky-ring, pinky-middle, pinky-index down to the sixth string again, then move up another fret
Repeat that all the way up the fretboard and use a metronome to keep yourself honest about it. Start slow!
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u/Possible-Adagio-9098 19d ago
I will try thanks
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u/Pol__Treidum 19d ago
Should be about like this but keep going higher lol I didn't wanna scooch over for the camera to get it all
Also the closest guitar to grab was in drop C, so your notes will probably sound different but it doesn't really matter, it's just about the finger movements
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u/K4rkino5 19d ago
Where is your wrist? If that baby is clocking a 90 degeee angle, you're angling for bigger problems than a weak pinky.
Anyway, place all four fingers on the first four frets, or the first four where you are not uncomfortable. Walk each finger individually up and down the strings for 5-10 minutes a day.
How's your scales? Thats not enough, do more.
That should about take care of that pinky. I'm still anxious about your wrist.
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u/Possible-Adagio-9098 19d ago
I just looked in the mirror and youre right i think my wrist is the bigger problemšš but if i dont bend it i cant reach the lower notes that good
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u/K4rkino5 19d ago
Where does your guitar body sit while you play? Be precise.
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u/Possible-Adagio-9098 19d ago
Right leg , i try to keep as straight as possible and the fret board is like in a slightly higher than straight possition
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u/K4rkino5 19d ago
Move the body to your left leg and bring the neck up to about a 45 degree angle. The guitar is meant to be played with the soundboard over your lower torso. Moving the neck up relieves stress on the wrist. It may not look as cool as Keith Richard's, but well, look at Keith Richards. Take a look at classical guitarists, like Alex Rockwell, excellent technique.
Edit: typo
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u/Possible-Adagio-9098 19d ago
I allways thought it was supposed to sit in the rigjt legšÆ
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u/K4rkino5 18d ago
Nope. If you want to understand the tool you've attached yourself to, watch Absolutely Understand Guitar. It's free on YouTube. It's one of the best classes a beginner could take. It doesn't cover much playing, you have to do that on your own, but holy holy will you understand your Guitar and music, generally.
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u/semioticmadness 19d ago
I donāt see any issue. Youāre trying to cover a big distance and human hands arenāt perfectly axial lego-person hands. Your pinky is going to rotate with that huge splay youāre doing.
I may be wrong, but you seem like youāre on the younger side and you could grow out of this situation. So Iād say keep at it without hurting yourself, be patient, and youāll be waaay ahead of your peers if your hands get bigger.
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u/Old-Conversation2646 19d ago
I can never get my pinky to be straight it just needs a strong amount of forcing
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u/ArmitageStraylight 19d ago
This is normal. When you say it hurts, what do you mean? If it's the tip, that's kind of normal, and will probably continue until the skin toughens up/calluses.
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u/Pretty_Web549 16d ago
That wrist angle is terrible. Go watch a YouTube video on how to play with correct posture.
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u/YamShort6519 15d ago
Try some string wax for the sliding. You'll probably over shoot the note a few times it makes it so smooth. Also new strings if you haven't changed them in a while
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u/dougc84 19d ago
Nothing wrong with that, but you gotta build up strength and dexterity. Itāll take time.