Pinky exercises

[sjf]

Hi all,

I have been researching exercises online that strengthen, but more importantly build accuracy in the pinky. Most resources seem to involve playing a song you know using only the 2,3 and 4 fingers (omitting the pointer finger). I have tried this and it is HARD! The fact that it is hard doesn't scare me off from doing it per se, but I was wondering if there are any more basic exercises that you all might know to help develop pinky proficiency. Thanks for any thought or ideas.

PS the reason I am interested in these excursuses is because I have recently learned a new song (The Magic Foot) and I can play the whole thing well and fast, save for the two "phrases" of the song where I need to fret the D string on the 6,7,6, and 2 frets in rapid succession. It seems that the pinky should be the one called in off the bench to play that A note on fret 7. Of course I could cheat and just play the open A string but I feel like that would be a cop-out.

[Jared Heddinger]

I find that practicing FFCP scales repetitively will help strengthen the pinky. Its just takes a LOT of time.

[Mandobart]

Best pinky exercise I've found is playing mandocello. Second best is playing octave mandolin.

[Pete Martin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TidrXaZWdIE

[JeffD]

The B part to Planxty Maggie Brown

[Kip Carter]

Thanks Pete! You may get me doing chop chords yet!!
Kip...

[Phil Vinyard]

I'm also a strong advocate of Eschliman's FFcP for strengthening pinky fingers. I laid off practicing the FFcP scales for a while, and finally figured out that not doing so was causing my pinky to weaken. So now the Super FFcP Warmup is part of my every day warmup. Check it out & download it at http://jazzmando.com/super_ffcp.shtml

[Pete Martin]

Here is a pinkie exercise. Remember to do it SLOWLY and accurately. If you do this regularly, you'll see results pretty quickly.

[Mandomax]

You would be wise to print out Pete Martin's exercises above. Pete also had some really helpful warm up exercises for the right hand as well. I have implemented these as part of my daily warm up, along with FFcP plus Oliver Nelson's Patterns for Improvisation. This combination has yielded very positive results in just a couple of months.
Best,
Max

[Mike Bunting]

Funnily enough, I was working on exercises just like this just yesterday, I was doing them while fretting the second fret with my index finger.

[Will328]

I'd sure rather play tunes than work on exercises, but two options are good arpeggio exercises in Joe Carr's book "Play Like a Legend" and on the Baldassari DVD "Bluegrass Mandolin Workshop".

If you're into playing tunes, while not exactly "basic" (for me, anyway), these two DVDs show some serious pinky work: the C part of "Bile 'em Cabbage Down" on Sam Bush's "Mandolin Method" DVD and the C part of Ronnie McCoury's "Quicksburg Rondezvous" which is shown on a couple of DVDs, one of which is "Great Mandolin Lessons";

Also, I've had a good time trying to play Bill Monroe's break on Little Maggie (I have it on the LP "Bluegrass Ramble").

Bill

[Mike Bunting]

I play tunes better when I work on exercises.

[Will328]

No doubt, Mike, but for me, playing tunes is enough exercise at the moment. It's all good...

Bill

[Thomas Chapmond]

I just learned a similar exercise, except you stay on the same string, for example, on the E string you play B with the pinky, A# with the 3rd finger, B again with the pinky, A with the third finger, B with the pinky again, G# with the 2nd finger, B with the pinky again, G with the second finger, B with the pinky again, F# with the index finger, B with the pinky, F with the index finger, then walk back up doing it backwards. I have been doing this on the E string, then the A string, then the D string, then the G string. I have noticed a marked increase in pinky strength and I seem to have better control over it, it isn't just flying away any more. Hope this is helpful.

[ralph johansson]

Using the open a course in the given example wouldn't work very well, of course.

I've never understood the idea of using only three fingers as exercise for the pinky.
How do you finger an ab scale in open position using only three fingers?

Returning to the example, the issue may not pinky strength. I tried it and to me it is essential to keep the ring finger down on the g# when fretting the a; then I simultaneously pull off and pick the next note. Owing to the size of my hand I then have to move it back slightly to catch the e. But I can do it.

[KarlM]

Does everybody's pinky curl towards their ring finger when the fingers are bent, or is it just me? That seems to be what's making it hard for me to stretch far enough.

[Mike Bunting]

I use the exercise that I made up purely to develop both the strength of the pinky and the independence of the ring and pinky. I keep the index finger down to give a good stretch to my hand. Sometimes I'll hold the R down on the 7th fret and hammer on the 8th with the pinky. Sometimes I'll make it a two fret stretch, 5th to 7th or 6th to 8th frets.
(What is the proper short form for the finger names?)

[sjf]

Thanks everyone for the wonderful responses. Quick update: I printed out Peter Martin's "Left Handed Exercises" and worked through them a few times. Mostly, however, I started working on the FFcP exercises. At first I could not believe that my pinky could EVER get used to doing these motions. In fact, after the first few minutes of practice I would get pain/cramping in my hand from trying to make the stretches and placements required of my pinky. This was not permanent, however. After just a few days I started to notice a significant improvement in my ability. Now, after only about a week, I can play the first position FFcP scales pretty quickly and accurately with all four fingers... no pain. It really is strange how your body can learn new things... even when they seem utterly impossible at first. Thanks again!