So I've been playing regularly and progressing fairly well with open chords, barre chords, and simple riffs. So lately I've been working with the minor pentatonic scale to try and improve that part of my playing, but I'm uncertain about which fingers to use when playing. I've been using justinguitar for the scale charts, and he advocates sliding your hand up and down the neck to minimize the notes that are played with the pinky, because the pinky is weaker and has less control.
I'm thinking that on one hand it would be a good thing to develop strength and dexterity in your pinky by using it as much as possible, but on the other hand when you're actually using the scale to play all the shapes will fit together and you'll be moving up and down the neck quickly anyway (so I might as well get used to that). So what do you guys at GN think about this?
I use my pinky, and play strictly "in position" up to about the 11th fret or so. After that, I'll use fingers 1-3, because the small reaches are less of a problem than the cramped real estate. The only time I shift is if I'm bending notes, or if a one-fret shift facilitiates a fingering (which is not the same thing as avoiding the pinky - once you move beyond the basic pentatonic scale, some notes involve a shift or stretch in most positions.
There are other guitarists (like Clapton) who seem to avoid the pinky at all costs. My feeling is the pinky is just as good as the other fingers with a little practice, and you're more consistently accurate playing in position than constantly shifting.
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Developing the pinky will give you more flexibilty in your playing in the long run. I would keep developing that.
I agree with NoteBoat, I use all four fingers up to about the 12th fret . Higher than that I do not use the pinky as much. But I think it is very important to use and develop your pinky. While many do not use the pinky for bends, I do. I use the middle and ring finger to assist the pinky on bends. For me, using three fingers for bends is easier than two. :D
I usually use the rule "one finger per fret".
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
