Rookie question please

[Parajack]

When fingering Cm at the 5568 position should I use the pinky on 8 or the ring finger or is it just personal preference which is the primary consideration. Is there a "basic" rule on this which I should stick to? I'm working through MMs chord book. If it just makes sense in terms of comfort and reach to finger a chord with the first and third fingers vs the first and second should I strive for the first and second with increased dexterity over time or should I just learn and practice what's obviously easier?
Thanks

[Marc Katz]

IMO you should use your pinkie for sure. because for C 5578 you're going to use your pinkie - and it's not especially difficult. but maybe not everyone agrees...

[MediumMando5722]

I'd use my pinkie. I have no problem with the 2 frets per finger thing for single note lines, but I go with whatever is more comfortable for chords.

[MandoAblyss]

Also consider the position of your fingers in the chord before and the chord after, since a song rarely has a single chord : ). Your muscle memory will thank you for a fluent transition, even if the intermediate fingering is not obvious in isolation.

MM explicitly states in his Fundamentals for Mandolin 2 Homespun DVD that all rules are off when fingering chords: get on and off of it anyway you can while striving for a clean sound. I do think you can pick up a lot by watching how he plays, but he has large fingers and so may be able to do some single-finger "stab" barres that elude the svelte-tipped. That isn't your exact question, but it will come up. Then again, if you can get the adjacent middle strings ringing in a barred pair of courses but the outer strings are muted because incompletely depressed, that may work too (Sam Bush mentions that in one of his DVDs).

[Jes Woodland]

Also consider the position of your fingers in the chord before and the chord after, since a song rarely has a single chord : ). Your muscle memory will thank you for a fluent transition, even if the intermediate fingering is not obvious in isolation.

Really good advice!

[DavidKOS]

Also consider the position of your fingers in the chord before and the chord after, since a song rarely has a single chord : ). .

Exactly.

I normally grab that Cm as fingers 1 1 partial barre, the Eb with finger 2 and the high C with finger 4 - but I may use finger 3 if I need that D above it as a 9th. ( frets 5 5 6 10)

[Bill McCall]

Or me, 5578 is easier without the pinkie, while 5568 is easier with it due to the difficulty of the middle finger/ring finger separation. But I'd be working on no pinkie for either. And I'd probably only use 3 note chords anyway.

But no rules except making the next chord easier.

[Mandoplumb]

Or me, 5578 is easier without the pinkie, while 5568 is easier with it due to the difficulty of the middle finger/ring finger separation. But I'd be working on no pinkie for either. And I'd probably only use 3 note chords anyway.
But no rules except making the next chord easier.

+1. No rules but what is easiest and smoothest. Work with and without pinkie enough to know what is easier before and after, may not be the same in all songs/tunes using same chord different progression.

[JeffD]

Also consider the position of your fingers in the chord before and the chord after,

Bingo.

[Parajack]

Thanks everyone that was very helpful. My takeaway is that I should be perfectly comfortable with the third finger not engaged while the 2nd and forth are working if it's physically easier and makes sense with the chord and/or the progression. The 4th finger should become just as dexterious and useable as any of the other fingers or "tools" in the toolbox. So far it seems I have a natural tendency to "cheat away" from the pinky if I can. I should probably get away from that sooner than later right? Plus, when I start playing trips and runs and such I need to be able to "go to" fingers 2-4 just as comfortably as fingers 1-3?
Thanks again

[soliver]

To me what would seem more important is what the next chord is. What will make the transition from your Cm to the next chord cleaner and easier?... I personally prefer to always use my pinky when using that chord shape.