Your Fretting Hand Has 4 Fingers and a Thumb, Use Them!

Actually, your pinky will work if you start using it.

I hear it and see it all the time, beginning guitar students doing everything they can to avoid using the pinky. They find lots of creative fingerings to get around it instead of exercising it, working with it and training it to function. Yes, it's hard at first, yes, it seems easier to use one of the other fingers, no, it's not the best way to play the guitar. With a little time and effort your pinky can work as well as the others.

 Exercises to strengthen the pinky.


Most guitar students spend way too little time warming up. You need to stretch and strengthen your fingers and loosen up before you start to actually play songs and scales. Here are a couple of basic exercises to get you started. The important thing to remember is that YOU HOLD THE 1ST (INDEX/POINTER) FINGER DOWN THROUGHOUT THESE EXERCISES.

Exercise 1:

• Play the 1st string, (the skinny one), with your 1st finger at the 1st fret.
• Play the 2nd fret, 2nd finger, 1st string.
• Play the 3rd fret, 3rd finger, 1st string.
• Play the 4th fret, 4th finger, 1st string.

So you should have played the 1st fret, 2nd fret, 3rd fret and 4th fret using one finger for each fret. Now go backwards, 4th fret, 3rd fret, 2nd fret, 1st fret. Practice this exercise twice on each string, playing as many strings as you can play comfortably. Remember, it's like any other exercise program, start out slowly and don't play it to the point of being in pain. Most beginning guitar students will be able to play the first two or three strings. As your fingers get stronger you'll be able to play the exercises more easily and on more strings.

Exercise 2:

• Again, start at the 1st string, 1st fret, 1st finger.
• Now play the 1st string, 3rd fret with your 3rd finger. Don't forget to leave the 1st finger on the 1st fret.
• 4th fret, 4th finger, 1st string.
• 3rd fret, 3rd finger, 1st string.

Again, do this exercise twice on each string, as many strings as you can do comfortably.

Exercise 3:

• 1st string, 1st fret, 1st finger.
• 1st string, 2nd fret, 2nd finger.
• 1st string, 4th fret, 4th finger.
• 1st string, 2nd fret, 2nd finger.

You know the drill, twice on each string, as many as you can do comfortably.

Start out each practice or playing session with these exercises and soon your pinky will work as well as your other fingers.

Thumbs up.

There's always a question as to whether or not you should use the thumb to fret notes. Most classical guitar players and teachers frown on that, but most players in other styles of music find it useful. Jimi Hendrix, Chet Atkins, and many others have used the thumb, so if it's convenient, use it. I use my thumb to fret the 1st fret of the 6th string when I play the F chord, and at other frets as well. Some people have hands that are too small for that to work, but you should feel free to experiment. I sound like one of those drug commercials on TV....."ask your teacher if using the thumb is right for you!"

More Finger Stretchers and Warm-ups

How to warm up before playing songs

It's always a good idea to do some finger stretching and strengthening exercises before you start to play. I give my students a series of exercises to start with, and when I ask if they've been using them, the reply most of the time is a sheepish "I know I should do them more." So here's a sample of how you could get ready to practice by warming up.

• Spend at least the first 5 minutes doing finger exercises. You can do finger stretchers, play some chords, a few scales, or a combination of those things. To stretch out and warm up the fingers, put your 1st finger on the 1st fret of the 1st string. Without removing that finger, play the 3rd fret, 3rd finger, 4th fret, 4th finger, (yes, the pinky), then 2nd fret, 2nd finger. Do as many strings as you can do comfortably, remembering to always leave the 1st finger down. Use different combinations of fingers, 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 2, etc.
• Play some chords. Work on changing chords, getting crisp, clear notes and strumming evenly. Put your fingers on the chord, then play the strings one at a time to make sure they're all sounding. Buzzing or vibrations are caused by not holding the string down tight enough, playing too far away from the fret, or letting the pressure off. Muffled or deadened strings are almost always the result of something being in the way. Another finger, a sleeve, or fingernails that are too long are the prime suspects. They will also be muffled if you actually have your finger on the fret.
• Slowly and deliberately play through some songs. Again, work on playing slow and getting the notes clear.
• Don't forget the right hand. If you play with your fingers, try some arpeggio patterns, if you use a pick, try playing scales while you use up and down picking.

Try these tips and you'll hear your playing improve, guaranteed.

Meeting the physical demands of playing guitar

Playing guitar is harder than you think.

Every day we hear the same complaints. My fingers hurt, my wrist hurts, my shoulder hurts or my arm hurts. Playing guitar is more demanding than most people realize. In the beginning you're going to have aches and pains, much the same as if you were starting an exercise program. Let's take a look at what the causes the pain and some solutions.

• Posture. Whether you play sitting down or standing up, the correct posture is important. When sitting down, put both feet on the floor, don't rest your fretting arm on your leg, and try to relax the muscles. Standing requires having a comfortable strap with the guitar positioned where you an easily reach the strings. Again, be sure you're comfortable and can reach the strings easily.
• Warming Up.  Before you start working on songs, do some stretching and picking exercises. Start out slowly and work your way up. 
• Pressing too Hard. In the early stages of learning guitar you pretty much have to use lots of pressure to hold the strings down. Once you've been playing for a month or so, you'll find that since the tips of your fingers have toughened up you don't have to press as hard. This is a common mistake and it can cause pain in the fretting hand wrist as well as fatigue in the fingers.
• The Wrong Strings or Even the Wrong Guitar. Guitar strings come in different gauges or thicknesses, and one way to not have to push so hard is to try some lighter strings. There are also silk and steel strings which have a softer core. A classical guitar has nylon strings which are softer, but the trade-off is usually a wider neck. Guitar bodies also come in different sizes, so try one out before you buy.
• Spending Too Much Time Practicing. While it's a good idea to practice every day, keeping the practice sessions short in the beginning is a good tactic. You don't want your fingers to be so sore the next day that you can't practice. Usually 10 to 15 minutes at a time is a good guideline until you get used to playing.

Follow these suggestions and you should get off to a smooth start. Feel free to leave comments in case you have any questions.

Try These Exercises so You can Play Guitar Longer

What do you do to warm up before playing?

If you're like most people, little or nothing! One of the most common complaints we hear is that the fingers or the wrist hurts after practicing for a while. Let's look at some of the causes and then some of the ways to prevent this from happening.

Relax your fretting hand.

The pain in the wrist can usually be prevented by not tensing up the hand and pushing too hard. When you first take up guitar, it's necessary to push hard to get the strings to sound good. After your fingertips toughen up you can release some of the pressure since the strings aren't sinking into your fingers. The thumb should be in the middle of the neck in back and it should be pushing so that you get a pinching action. Bring the fingers straight down and remember to keep your fingernails short.

Do some exercises to warm up.

I'm always amazed when one of my students tells me "you know, I play better after 15 minutes or so." I ask why they think that is, then I get a question. "Because I'm warmed up?" Exactly! What do most beginners do to warm up? Little or nothing, yet they expect to pick up their guitar and be able to jump right in and play. Then to make matters worse, they usually start with one of the harder songs they've been working on.

Here are a couple exercises to help you get started.

• Play the 1st fret with your 1st finger on the 1st string.
• Without removing the 1st finger, now play the 2nd fret with your 2nd finger, still on the 1st string.
• Without removing the 1st finger, play the 3rd fret with your 3rd finger, still on the 1st string.
• Without removing the 1st finger, play the 4th fret with your 4th finger, (yes, the pinkie and yes, it's a stretch), still on the 1st string. 

So the fretting pattern is: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1.  Do this twice on each string.

To start with, do this exercises on many strings as you can do comfortably. You don't want to be in pain when doing this. The 1st finger stays down through the whole exercise, this is what makes the strengthening and stretching take place.

After you're comfortable with the first pattern, try using different combinations of fingers: 1-4-3-4-1-2-4, 3-4-1-2, 3-1-2-3, etc.

After just a few days you should be able to tell a difference in your playing.