What guitar did you play today and how long?

[jamcat]

Next time use only your middle finger.

Come on, I'm not Ritchie Blackmore.

[mystran]

Jokes aside, for the last couple of days I've been playing most of the stuff that I'd normally two-finger using index+ring by using middle+pinky instead and pretty much just avoiding index completely, 'cos I feel like I need more workout for the weaker fingers.

[Uncle E]

It seems like most shredders these days rely on the first 3 fingers completely for the pentatonic box, and reserve the pinky for big stretches.

[mystran]

It seems like most shredders these days rely on the first 3 fingers completely for the pentatonic box, and reserve the pinky for big stretches.

In a diatonic scale I generally do 1-2-3 when it's either half-half or whole-half (stretching index) and 1-2-4 when it's two whole tones. In harmonic minor you also get the 3 semi gap and if it's 3+1 then I do 1-3-4 typically and if it's 1+3 then I do 1-2-4. In some cases I might use 1-2-4 for whole-half as well if it works out better with the context, but honestly I'm not very deliberate with any of this, it's just that usually these are the most comfy.

I find that stretching 1-2 over 2 frets is something I don't really even think about anywhere on a 25.5" guitar neck (and I actually play the Yngwie-style 3-string dimi-arp with 3-1-2-3 as well, even from 1st fret, 'cos .. I don't know, got use to doing it that way and it's not a big deal). Streching 3-4 is also not really much of a problem, but stretching 2-3 is really uncomfy for me.

For pentatonics I generally tend to play pretty much "one finger per fret" except I rarely stick completely to pentatonic and even if I do it's usually the diagonal boxes rather than the straight ones. Switching positions is one of those things though that kinda carries over from having played violin; that's something I've never really had to practice on guitar (besides hitting wider intervals fast), so I tend to move all over the place all the time.

There are many situations though where being able to use all your fingers equally well is useful, so I've been trying to practice those specific fingerings (mostly involving adjacent strings, like going from pinky on one string to ring on the next one higher) that feel like they are more awkward for me.

ps. Obviously I'm not shred fast, but .. like I feel like I'm starting to get fast enough to know these fingerings are probably not going to be the speed limit for me.

[tapper mike]

Jokes aside, for the last couple of days I've been playing most of the stuff that I'd normally two-finger using index+ring by using middle+pinky instead and pretty much just avoiding index completely, 'cos I feel like I need more workout for the weaker fingers.

There is only so much strength one can build with the pinky that way and strength doesn't always equate speed.

I've found that taller players like Paul Gilbert prefer extending the pinky as does EVH in the upper registers. Quite frankly if I need that type of extension while maintaining a position I'd rather tap.

There is a lot more to tapping than EVH, Steve Hackett and, Stanley Jordan

[mystran]

Jokes aside, for the last couple of days I've been playing most of the stuff that I'd normally two-finger using index+ring by using middle+pinky instead and pretty much just avoiding index completely, 'cos I feel like I need more workout for the weaker fingers.

There is only so much strength one can build with the pinky that way and strength doesn't always equate speed.

Well, yeah... but in my case I'll be happy if I get my pinky anywhere close to the shape it used to be.

ps. Also by "strength" I really mean "speed" more so than raw strength in the traditional sense. I have plenty of pinky strength to press down the strings (even on bass really), it's just that the "ring and pinky" part of my hand doesn't move very fast especially if the fingers should be doing different things at the same time.

pps. Speed is still kinda muscle buildup issue though, even if the goal is fast activation and endurance more so than raw strength.