This is my first post although I have been reading this site for several months. I'm 52 and started playing the guitar almost a year ago. I have been taking lessons( 2-3 every month) and have come a long way over this peroid of time. My biggest problem area right now is my little finger locks up from time to time and I'm sure it is caused by me not bending it properly and probably pressing WAY too hard on the fret. When I stretch to play the 4th and 5th frets on the 5th and 6th strings, I can usually only bend it at the second joint(or first joint from the finger tip). My teacher and I tried tackling this last Saturday but nothing seemed to work real well. He did give me some exercises for my pinky but... is this a common problem? When I play now I'm so self-conscious of it, I can't move very fast. Any help would be appreciated. This is a great site....
Welcome to Guitarnoise Frank! I think stretching exercises would work. There is a thread about it somewhere around here, a mod will help you.
Stairway to Freebird!
Thanks, YOYO. I'll look for some more. I have the standard stretch exercises that everyone seems to recommend. I'm just going to keep practicing and not give up.....
yeah, its just like gettin calluses, it takes time. If you have pain, you should stop immediatly and consult a physician. Boy, do I sound like the drug commercials. :lol:
Stairway to Freebird!
I think many of us have that one 'something' about trying to play that is a problem for us.
Sounds like you are doing the exercises and working with your teacher on trying to overcome it. The fact that you won't give up will bring the solution! :D
If it was easy it wouldn't be worth doing.
And don't forget to relax! If you're all tensed up, worrying about the pinky, it will make it even more difficult to play.
Take a look at this article by Jamie Andreas. It might give you some ideas for reducing tension when you play.
"My ex-boyfriend can't tell me I've sold out, because he's in a cult, and he's not allowed to talk to me." --Dar Williams
Thanks Olive...I have read some of J. Andreas' lessons. It makes sense but I almost feel like I have to be a zen master to follow some of his philosophy. I'll keep plugging away. Thanks for your help............
If it keeps doing it, you should go see a doctor. There's a condition called trigger finger where the tendon gets a knot or lump and it sticks when it moves. I think they treat it with cortisone or some such.
Mine did the same thing, but whent away after a while. just get some exercises that target the pinky.
"The answer is practice.
Now, what's the question?"
Words by David Mead.
I had trigger finger from Fencing years ago. It was so bad, it would wake me up out of a dead sleep when it "popped" If you think you might have this, you should go to a doc because the appropriate care for it is splinting it and keeping it still so the tendon can heal from being over extended. Once it heals, you're fine, it doesn't tend to come back, but you can continue to aggravate it if you keep stretching. At least, this was what was true in my case.
On the bright side the little splint they use could be used as a slide...
Thanks, Winter. I'll keep an eye on it. Right now it doesn't hurt. I HAVE been focusing more on stretching exercises the last few days and carefully avoiding bending only at the "1st joint"(fistal joint?). I'm trying to stetch more from the index finger and move my thumb further down on the neck. Also, lay my pinky down sideways(outward)..I have found this is helping on not locking up. I don't know if this is correct but it seems to be working and I have not experienced any pain. I can really feel the stretch in my hand. I'm not overdoing it though......
