How to get the fourth very little finger to stretch - any tips

[Pasha Alden]

Hi folks
Any tips for getting the fourth finger to stretch? Have seen Michael Marshall do the workout on the mando. He is really something. Wonder if my fingers will ever be able to do that? Transition between G and C easy enough. Though I think I may need hand exercises or rather finger exercises for the old left hand/ Any tips or things you all that is to say you the pros know that I don't?
Best

Vanillamandolin

[rico mando]

It can take a long time , like 10 years BE CAREFUL I have hands like a spider but it still took time and patience to get my pinky where it is . focus to much on it and you can injure your self . worry about rhythm -your right hand technique ,the notes do not matter as much , just the rhythm

[mandroid]

Violin like, Thumb behind the neck lightly will get the mobility to hit the B on the E string
with your Pinky, maybe the C, if the hand slides up, a bit.
maybe the slide up the neck technique will work earlier in the practicing..

[Beanzy]

Yep, give it time and keep trying to reach for things but not so there's pain.

I found playing with just the middle, ring and little finger helped the strength and control even before I could get the stretches.
Doing like that you'll get it moving/control and all the exercise, but won't be doing that under too much tension from stretching.
Eventually the stretches will come, meanwhile you'll be building up the strength and getting it stuck in to your tunes.

I'm two years into serious practicing and only getting adequate with stretching on the mandolin, but I can see it coming along and am confident it'll be one of those aspects that you wonder when it actually happened. I think gradual progression is the goal with many aspects of the mandolin (including speed and intonation). Maybe the real learning for me was in managing my frustration at being rubbish to begin with but accepting it'll get there eventually if I keep reaching and paying attention to how I'm doing things.

[UsuallyPickin]

If you position your left hand so you are "slightly, empahsize slightly, reaching back to play the first fret the B note on the E string is a hair closer reach for the pinky..... Luck... R/

[Pasha Alden]

Many thanks. Will try. I have already found that the violin grip, if that's what we can call it has somehow released the hand. Holding it like a guitar did really not work. Will certainly follow your advice.

[Pasha Alden]

Thanks so much. What helpful and encouraging post. I will keep trying. I already found holding the mandolin as it should be held as opposed to guitar is improving my hand possession. Will certainly try playing with those fingers you mention.

Many thanks

Vanillamandolin

[Bertram Henze]

Many thanks. Will try. I have already found that the violin grip, if that's what we can call it has somehow released the hand. Holding it like a guitar did really not work. Will certainly follow your advice.

That's why players who come from the guitar to the mandolin have problems with their fretting hand (as opposed to violinists who come to the mandolin and have picking-hand problems).
I have always made very little use of the pinky, because mine is no more than half the size of my ring finger (I guess that's how the T-rex must have felt with his arms vs. legs).

[Dave Cowles]

Start out playing the 4 finger G chord shape up the neck at the B position. This allows you to become comfortable with the pinky stretch in a shorter scale. Keep your thumb in the center of the back of the neck (violin position) and gradually work on that chord shape moving toward the nut, one fret at a time, until the stretch is comfortable enough to grab quickly. It really does take time, so be patient but persistent.

[JeffD]

Here is a trick I have shared before. It really changed everything for me when it was explained to me.

Imagine your pinky as if it were not quite a real finger. (Like Pluto is not a planet I suppose). What I mean is, instead of a fully independant finger that can be deployed at will, imagine your pinky as the pet of your third finger (ring finger). Imagine your pinky tied to your ring finger with a rather short leash.

So if you need to send your pinky up to the sevent fret, send your ring finger to the fifth or sixth on that same string. The pinky then easily can go up one or two because its leash is long enough. It won't matter to the tune because you are on the same string anyway. Also the pinky will be stronger with its master the ring finger right near by.

So send the ring finger to just below where you need the pinky to be, on the same string. It really helps.

This of course doesn't work in every single case, sometimes you need the ring finger elsewhere. But in a lot of cases, perhaps most, this kind of thinking makes it much easier.

[Dennis Peacock]

Oh boy....my favorite topic. I'm still trying to get a FFCP G Chord. :(

[shortymack]

Feed it roast beef. That'll teach that lil piggy.

[Dennis Peacock]

feed it roast beef. That'll teach that lil piggy.

rofl...!!!!!!! :))

[Pete Martin]

These videos are good ergonomics of the left hand as taught me by a great performing arts doc. View them in order.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TidrXaZWdIE&list=UU2VamdKibzoYkks5tvUqJgA&index=14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDvzZ7xdUXU&list=UU2VamdKibzoYkks5tvUqJgA&index=13

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn8saJ6l_4E&list=UU2VamdKibzoYkks5tvUqJgA&index=20


You also might want to look at the video of left hand position:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqBZyLagAIk&list=UU2VamdKibzoYkks5tvUqJgA&index=16

[billhay4]

Pete's stuff is good.
Bill

[EdHanrahan]

IF you've been a guitar player...

I found the G-chop not real difficult because I had long played a closed guitar D chord by moving the open C up to the second fret, with the index finger baring the first 3 strings and the others playing the usual C formation, as in: x54232. Maybe not easy, but it does get you stretching. (For whatever reason, I've always found that formation to be useful when playing rock). From there to the G-chop on mando is not a big leap.

BUT...

Going from G-chop (7523) to bluegrass D (7452) would still be a challenge if I didn't work on it periodically. The trick here is to leave the pinky in place (4th string, 7th fret) while switching the other fingers around. Clutzy at first, but it helps in keeping that "very little finger" under control.

[yankees1]

These videos are good ergonomics of the left hand as taught me by a great performing arts doc. View them in order.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TidrXaZWdIE&list=UU2VamdKibzoYkks5tvUqJgA&index=14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDvzZ7xdUXU&list=UU2VamdKibzoYkks5tvUqJgA&index=13

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn8saJ6l_4E&list=UU2VamdKibzoYkks5tvUqJgA&index=20


You also might want to look at the video of left hand position:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqBZyLagAIk&list=UU2VamdKibzoYkks5tvUqJgA&index=16 What Pete says ! The Great Oz has spoken !! :)

[JonZ]

Stretch it as far as you can... And then stretch a little more.

Sometimes what appear to be stretching issues are actually accuracy issues. It takes a lot of repetitions of placing your pinky correctly. Sometimes half the work I do on a tune is just getting my pinky to behave on a few phrases.

[Dennis Peacock]

Stretch it as far as you can... And then stretch a little more.

Sometimes what appear to be stretching issues are actually accuracy issues. It takes a lot of repetitions of placing your pinky correctly. Sometimes half the work I do on a tune is just getting my pinky to behave on a few phrases.

Sometimes I feel like it would be easier to stretch my upper lip over and behind my ears than make that pinky stretch on a FFCP G chord. :redface:

[Nick Triesch]

Or you could just use the 3rd finger for most stuff. Even some pro players rarely use the 4th finger.

[Pasha Alden]

Hi Bertram. Many thanks. So there is a way without the pinkie? Do let me know. I have to fess up and say my pinkie is very tiny. Oops there it is.
Best Vanillamandolin

[Pasha Alden]

Thank you Jeff. I love this list and the insightful responses from my mando friends. That bit of advice really makes things easier. I did find that for some reason that little darling the pinkie seemed somewhat rigid.

Happy holidays to you and all
Vanillamandolin

[Pasha Alden]

Thanks Pete

[Pasha Alden]

Hi there that is a great quote and good point. Smile Please send that quote to my chanel on music quotes. Regards Vanillamandolin

[Pasha Alden]

Thanks. Will watch those levels of accuracy.

Best
Vanilla

[Pasha Alden]

thanks. If all the above tips fail I am pleased to keep this one in mind and so glad there is hope for a small clumsy pinkied Vanillamandolin

[Bertram Henze]

Hi Bertram. Many thanks. So there is a way without the pinkie? Do let me know.

The B-part of Tenpenny Bit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07EOH9-C5EU) is a classic. I just shift my whole hand 2 frets up and do everything from there.
Other example: the B-part of Sailor's Bonnet (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSW_qU1D0wM) has a big F# - B jump I avoid by doing B on E string (index finger) and F# on D string (ring finger).

And yes, this is cheating :cool:

[Pasha Alden]

Thanks Bertram - that's all I can say. Feel so much encouraged now! Now it's to make these hands mandolin strong. <smile>