How many fingers?

[noelford]

I've been aware for many years that when I play melody I use, in equal measure, the first, second and fourth fingers of my left hand when fingering the notes. The third finger is hardly used at all, even when playing fast runs. I actually find it awkward using the third finger whereas the others feel so natural that they are working on automatic pilot most of the time.

I'm wondering if others have a finger which doesn't come into play much (other than in chord work, of course) or whether this is the result of my developing a bad habit early on when I originally taught myself to play. The thing is, I have never had a guitar lesson and, apart from buying a chord book, have never used a tutor, not even the infamous 'Play In A Day'! Everything I do is self taught from experiment, to the extent that when I discovered 'hammering on' and 'pulling off', I believed for some time that I had invented the techniques!

Whatever the cause, and whether I am alone in having an almost redundant finger when playing lead, it's much too late to change, and I don't want or need too. Even so, it's a wet afternoon, I'm slightly bored and just wondering if anyone else is a member of the three-finger-club.

[harley]

Hi Noel

with me its my pinky. Hardly use it at all when playing lead and like yourself its much too late to change, although in my case im sure it would be to my advantage

cheers
Ian

[glenstephens]

I don't think you'll be alone in this one, mate.

My little finger (left hand) is only used sporadically, so I'm too a member of the three-fingers club.
But having said that I do play a lot of bottleneck slide and this goes on my little finger.

I don't suppose it matters as long as you're comfortable with the way you play.



PS Django Reinhardt had a MASSIVE disability, but it certainly didn't stop him becoming a guitar legend.

[marvingers]

Hi!

I´m using all the fingers a lot.

Best regards!
Lars G. Vinger

[Rick]

Me too Noel. My history is very much the same as yours except in my case its my little finger that doesnt get too much use except for chordwork.
I have always been a bit self concious about it & try on occassions to make it look like an illusion that it is in full use.But then,the way that i use those lefthand fingers has never hindered what i play & feels comfortable & natural to me.
Like yourself,it has never affected my gigs or my ability to get work. Best wishes, Rick.
............ It has just stopped raining here & the sun is coming out again, hooray !

[kipper]

i think that the way that each one of uses our fingers hands ect is what leads to each of our own sounds. if all of us were trained exactly the same way we might all sound the same. i would think thats what led to clapton beck ect having there own styles which in turn led to there own sound.
peter

[somebodyelseuk]

Hiya.
I think most guitarists ahve a finger that get used less than the others. Me? I use all of them, but my bad habit is gripping the neck like a baseball bat. As a result, I even use my thumb to fret sometimes. It's a habit that comes and goes, depending on the style of music I'm playing.
Cheers, Julian

[garystrat]

Hi Noel

I try (being the operative word) t use the one finger per fret rule, the bad habit I'm trying to tame is keeping the thumb in back as central as possible to the fingers.

I guess we all have quirks, but I guess become adaptive as in the case of Django Reinhartd!

Gary

[baz]

Hi Noel..I remember going to a Barney Kessel gig many years ago (with a young Martin Taylor on stage with him) and in general banter he mentioned that someone had expressed surprise that he occasionally used his thumb on the low E to which he said he had retorted that he would happily use his dick if it improved his playing.. The mind boggles!!!!!!!!!!! but I don't think you sould worry about only using 3 fingers!
Regards Bazz

[sanox1]

Hi Ya, I am self taught and not been playing that long. with my left hand I use one finger for each fret. but that just came naturely. the only trouble is I can only pluck the strings upwards for some strange reason. just a bad habit I have had since I started learning. which stops me from playing things faster than I am. and as for the gallop bit in apache.it's a waste of time. I know this might sound mad but it is just the way I play. I have tried without the pick but still no good. I can play forward and backward rolls on my Banjo with no problem, but as soon as I pick up the guitar it is back to upward stokes. I spend time now learning tunes again very slowly trying to play downward stokes. but it's going slow, real slow. so I think we all have our own little quirks but should just enjoy playing what ever way we play music. just enjoy it.
Regards Danny