There are many ways to handle and play the guitar. If you are a professional guitarist with a lot of experience under your belt, then you would know that the guitar pinky style is a famous way of playing this instrument. This style is renowned for allowing users to use their middle and ring fingers to their full potential.
The kind of style that would work best for a guitarist mainly depends on the genre they plan on playing and the type of guitar they own. Pinky style is a versatile approach that works well for most guitarists.
However, there are specific tips that you should follow so that you can avoid any problematic situations from occurring. These tips can also help you troubleshoot issues that might have already shown their face.
Resolving Guitar Pinky Problems
- Hurting/Cutting
The most common issue you might face with this playing style is getting your pinky finger hurt. It is a small and sensitive finger to begin with. When playing your guitar, you must be careful about your finger placement. The pinky finger should not be too close to the guitar strings.
When the strings rub against the finger too harshly, they can leave behind cuts. In this case, you will have to exercise care and caution because it is difficult to perform when your fingers hurt or if there is an active cut. Your caution might help you prevent the injury from occurring at all.
- Genre Limitation
The pinky style is suitable for most genres, but it does come with certain limitations. It is essential to pay heed to these restrictions so that you do not cause any irreparable damage to your fingers. Some genres might put too much stress on your fingers when playing with the pinky style.
It is better to avoid such genres altogether when you know that your playing style is not suitable to them. You can study in detail about playing styles that are better suited to the kind of genres that you want to cover.
- Guitar Compatibility
Another essential factor you need to consider before opting for the pinky style is whether your guitar is compatible with this playing style. The size of the fretboard on your guitar and the placement of the strings matter a lot.
If you are not careful about these elements then you can end up hurting your fingers in a very short span of time. Your overall guitar playing experience should be comfortable, and your style should be smooth. If your fingers get hurt, that will show to your audience.
- Position Of Finger
When fingers are too straight, they feel weaker than when slightly bent. This rule applies to the pinky finger the most because it is the smallest and is rarely used in isolation for a particular task. When the pinky finger is too straight, it can become too weak to press the string properly against the fretboard.
This can create a buzzing noise that is not flattering, especially during a performance. This can also lead to your finger getting fatigued soon, which will also give a poor result, and you will not be able to play fast. Keeping your pinky finger curved will add more control and strength to your guitar playing.
- Falling Short
It is already established that the pinky finger is the smallest of all the fingers. While playing guitar with this style, you might feel unable to reach certain notes. This can leads to frustration for the guitarist.
A simple solution involves keeping all the big joints of your fingers parallel to the side view of the guitar neck. This enables the player to gain more movement and reach with their pinky finger.
- Snakebite
The main reason for this jerky movement is that you must be stretching out your pinky finger too far away from your ring finger. When you stretch the pinky finger out too much, you might get a sudden jerky movement that resembles a snakebite. This can give out a very poor result in terms of guitar playing.
There are many exercises that help players in controlling this snakebite movement. One of the most basic ones involves practicing slow movement of your finger regularly so that it is a calculated move instead of a jerky one.
- Pinky Flail
This is a common issue for guitarists who are relatively new to this playing style or are new to playing a guitar in general. Basically, you will feel like your pinky finger is flying away from your guitar. This can be controlled greatly by doing the right exercises that give more control to your pinky finger.
You will also have to learn to focus harder on your pinky while playing. This focus will also enable you to control your fingers better.
- Calluses
Calluses develop on fingers after they have been used to apply pressure on the guitar strings and after they undergo a considerable amount of friction. The tips of the fingers, including the pinky finger start becoming thicker, and now when the pressure is felt at these points, it can become painful.
The best solution, in this case, is to give yourself a break from playing for a few days to allow your fingers to recover.
The Bottom Line
There are two ways in which your pinky finger can become negatively affected. One is muscular pain which most musicians face when they start to play the guitar for the first time. This just needs time and practice. With time, your fingers will become accustomed to all the strenuous movements and stretching.
The second issue is calluses. In both cases, knowing when to give your fingers a well-deserved break is essential. Along with this, you should also make it a point to exercise your fingers regularly so that they do not suffer through soreness.