ring finger strength


stevepacker51
Registered User
Joined: 11/14/20
Posts: 1
stevepacker51
Registered User
Joined: 11/14/20
Posts: 1
11/15/2020 2:26 pm

Hey everyone, very basic beginner, I the early lessons you are shown the spider technique which is fine, unfortunately for me I am not even at that level, main problem is my ring finger strength and its move movement.

It is very difficult to move independently to the second finger up of down different strings but worse is the side to side, it wants to stay clamped to the nr 2 finger.

So, the first exercise working on three frets is not work, the only way I can do it the thumb want to point down toward the head.

Can anyone suggest other exercises on or off the guitar. Look forward to any advise

Steve


# 1
john of MT
Full Access
Joined: 10/08/09
Posts: 1,525
john of MT
Full Access
Joined: 10/08/09
Posts: 1,525
11/15/2020 3:27 pm

After years of playing guitar I tried the spider exercise one day. I stared and stared at my ring finger but it didn't move. For some, finger independence can take a long time to develop.

I don't know what the instructors or truly proficient members will say but I can tell you what worked for me; I used a metronome set at a very slow speed (I think it was 40 bpm). By the end of a week of ten miniutes a day work all the fingers started to do what I wanted... the brain-muscle connection had finally kicked in. From there it was a slow weekly iincrease in speed.

Take your time, be devoted to practice, [u]relax[/u], use a metronome and start at a low bpm. It worked for me.

Good luck, have fun.


"It takes a lot of devotion and work, or maybe I should say play, because if you love it, that's what it amounts to. I haven't found any shortcuts, and I've been looking for a long time."
-- Chet Atkins
# 2
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
11/15/2020 3:33 pm

Hey & welcome to GT!

Originally Posted by: stevepacker51main problem is my ring finger strength and its move movement.[/quote]

The spider finger exercise is for building strength & dexterity. Just do it as slowly & deliberately as necessary to start building your ring finger & pinky finger strength & dexerity.

You don't have to keep you hand locked in one position. Slide your whole hand up or down the neck as necessary to fret each note. You don't have to keep holding each note behind the next note.

The idea is just to get all your fingers into the act as slowly as you need to.

[quote=stevepacker51]So, the first exercise working on three frets is not work, the only way I can do it the thumb want to point down toward the head.

Can anyone suggest other exercises on or off the guitar. Look forward to any advise

Play the first fret with your index finger. Then release the pressure of your index finger & play the second fret with your middle finger. Then release pressure of middle finger & play the 3rd fret with your ring finger.

If necessary at this point, slide your thumb & whole hand up the neck (toward the body of the guitar is up because the pitch goes up) just enough to make it possible to fret that 3rd fret comfortably. Use the same strategy & add your pinky next. This sliding will help keep your thumb in a favorable position to help with opposing pressure.

Go slowly! And try to stay as relaxed as possible.

You don't have to do it perfectly every time or torture yourself with it. You're just warming up & gradually building your strength & dexterity! Now start working on chords & the rest of GF.

Hope this helps! Best of success!


Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor

Christopher Schlegel Lesson Directory
# 3

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