I find stretching with my pinkie quite difficult. It has a tendency to curl in. For example if I'm in a Am chord shape at the nut and need to catch a note at the 4th fret D-string , I find it difficult to stretch my pinkie out and still maintain the Am shape. In fingerpicking it's difficult to get a clean sound, my other 3 fingers holding the Am tend to get pulled down when doing this stretch. Is there anything that I can do to help me get past this? I've tried to repositioning my fretting hand and raising the neck; but still it's a chore of a stretch.
Any advice?
Thats quite common in the beginning. Between practice and some stretching exercises you will get there. I had/have a similar problem since my pinkie was broken a couple of times and even without stretching it curves in a little.
Take a look at this thread as there are some comments in there on Stretching exercises
I agree with what Nils said
I have only been playiny just over a year my pinky would actually cramp up on me .
Stretching exercises on yoour fingers will help ...
After all when you think about it when does your pinky ever have to be strecth if not playing a instrument ?
I don't think any of my fingers have ever had to stretch that far in all my life ( 42 years )
Also moving your fingers up and down the fret board with different and different fret will help finger stretches
Here is to you as good as you are
And here is to me as bad as I am
As good as you are and as bad as I am
I'm as good as you are as bad as I am
I have the problem as well, occasionally. Although I've been doing a lot of stretching exercises for quite a while now, the A chord still gives me problems at times...however, for me, it's the A major chord shape that gives me pinky problems. You might try setting your fingers up in the Am chord shape and moving your pinky in its full range of motion. I've found that this can help. Well. it helped me, anyway.
-lunchmeat
