# Flying pinky. Good exercises?



## drunkuilled (Nov 17, 2011)

Hi all,

Everytime I play I notice the pinky is somewhere else then the fretboard. It doesn't matter when I play slowish, but when I want to get faster - it really makes a lot of trouble.

Do you know any good exercises to keep it down to the fretboard? 

Cheers


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## Konfyouzd (Nov 17, 2011)

Force yourself to use your pinky more. Use it when you would normally use your ring finger. That might help to speed it up. Or come up with etudes that force you to use all your fingers instead of just the first three.

For instance...

Starting at the first fret, I [now] typically play a 1 3 4 pattern using my first three fingers. However, I used to play it using index, ring and pinky respectively. As a result, it's made things a bit easier when I need to throw my pinky in. 

Another thing you might want to try is playing a bunch of 1 2 4 and 1 3 5 patterns and try moving them around. I always use my pinky when playing these patterns and forcing yourself to play them over and over might help to get your pinky up to snuff.

Try using a metronome and playing things at a speed where you can hit every note cleanly and in time w/o straining yourself and go from there. If your pinky is weak it's just going to take time and patience to get it to be as proficient as the rest of your fingers.

Good luck, homie.


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## Solodini (Nov 17, 2011)

Reposition things you already play so your pinky plays the frequent notes which your index/middle finger would otherwise play.


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## MulletBurden (Nov 17, 2011)

This is something that I always notice when i watch a video of a guitar player and it annoys the shit out of me. That said, there are a lot of guitar players who do it and still slay. I found Michael Angelo's tip on the Speed Kills very helpful it's a pseudo classical approach with the left hand, make a concious efford to keep it within a half inch (or as he says 1/4 inch) from the fretboard ready to attack. Do the exercises above, and then try the 1234 with permutation exercices and try to keep all fingers as close to the fretboard as possible. Then run through scales doing the same, with enough effort it should become second nature. Good Luck!


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## Demeyes (Nov 17, 2011)

I would just try and incorporate your pinky more into your playing all the time and you'll find it less of a problem. If you are playing scales or exercises and not using your pinky very often, re-work them so you do something with it.


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## brutalwizard (Nov 17, 2011)

steve vai ten hour workout

learn it, love it, and the pink will be prepared for real application afterwards


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## freepower (Nov 27, 2011)

Watch this and do it about 10 minutes a day.


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## ShiftKey (Nov 27, 2011)

'double declutch' your fingers


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## Dayn (Nov 28, 2011)

I'm not fond of exercises, myself. Not fun.

Instead, I'd say play what you want to play. But, _slow it down_. Pay _extra special attention_ to your pinky at all times. Make the extra effort to keep your pinky finger close to the fingerboard as you play something enjoyable. Everytime you catch it fly, focus on that pinky and make sure you play it right without your pinky flying. Slow down below one note per second if you have to, but make the conscious effort to keep your pinky under control.

That's what helped me, at least. I wasn't bored shitless, either. Over time, my technique eventually adjusted so it doesn't fly like a drunken pilot.


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