For those who play fingerstyle:
(a) How many use just finger and thumb?
(b) How many use thumb and two fingers
(c) How many use thumb and three fingers?
(d) How many use thumb and all four fingers?
If you answered (d), how long have you used your little finger for? Have you always used it? If you started using your little finger after you had already learned to play with your other fingers, how long did it take you to become proficient with it? Is your little finger fully functional, something you can use alongside your other fingers with confidence, or is it something you resort to only now and then, favouring your bigger, stronger fingers wherever possible?
If you answered (a), (b) or (c): have you ever tried using your little finger? Or ever considered it?
Comments
I've tried using the little finger but never found anything that actually requires it (I rarely hit more than 3 strings at a time with a pick either) so never put any effort into learning to use it.
as per stickyfiddle, really. I try little finger from time to time. Quickly get bored, and I don’t know what I would use it for anyway.
it doesn’t get used a lot these days, but still gets some action
Some tunes could be played with thumb and three/four fingers but sound better, rhythmically and relative string volume-wise, if they're played with less. (Which might just be my technique limiting me, obv...)
(but Knopfler certainly hasn't been held back by using thumb and two fingers!).
Years ago I learnt Rory Gallaghers Unmilitary Two-Step from a Guitar Techniques mag transcription and I used hybrid picking - with thumb and first finger holding the pick AND the other 3 fingers (!) on the higher strings.
I didn't think anything of it - this is what the mag said to use -
but I remember a guy in New York Sam Ash being impressed when he say me hacking thru the tune with that playing style.
I'm a C. I'm toying with the notion of learning to use my little finger too.
I don't think it is an approved or standard technique, but I like wherever possible to use one finger per string. My former teacher hated me doing that and insisted on always alternating fingers because that lets you play faster than you can play using one finger to hit the same string twice running, but I can go plenty fast enough as-is. So one finger per string makes things nice and simple.
Every once in a while I need an extra finger (or else I have to change position and break my rhythm). Sometimes, for example, I want to use thumb and index for bass runs, but still have three fingers spare for plucking chords.
Anyway, I'm curious as to people's experiences with using the little finger. Is it hard to learn to use it? Does it get stronger with a little practice? Can it produce good tone? Or is it a waste of time?
been C ever since I started playing, I used to use the pinky as an anchor before I became "more competent"
TBH there's not a lot I cant do with B that I can with C............. and sometimes have to if a nail goes
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
I had a go at D years ago when I put some serious study time into Bo Carter who used all of them but never stuck with it.
It's a bit of a, b & c. I don't really assign specific fingers to strings. I play a lot of brush ups on the high strings with my index finger. It's only ever d if I need to pluck a bass note and 4 strings.