how many famous guitarists don't use their pinky ?

[mister natural]

Watched a Rush concert the other night & I was astonished to see Lifeson use only 3/4s of his fretting fingers.

 

Who else has gotten famously prolific with this handicap ?

[Cold Gin]

What the hell?? Are there actually any famous guitarists who don't use their pinky??

[MisterTV]

A lot of the 60's and 70's players never use their pinky. Ronnie Wood is the first to come to mind. Clapton mostly uses three fingers.

[Inspector 71]

No Pinky Johnson

 

Three Fingers Johnson

 

Django Johnson: when he rips, he is only using two fingers

 

Eric Clapton: says he slides his pinky behind the neck when he does solos

[mrbrown49]

 

Clapton mostly uses three fingers.

 

 

I think he uses two fingers 80% of the time. Not knocking it, he does just fine.

[adlo76]

I've noticed EJ and Vai use there's only sparingly. I think they've got such great reach with their first 3 fingers that they just don't need it much. Who knows....

[Wildwind]

Back in the day, Leslie West only used three fingers. I saw him not that long ago, but was so far away I couldn't tell.

[halmot]

Wish I could do that. Then I wouldn't be afraid to learn slide.

[axegrinder]

Michael Schenker uses his pinky sparingly. Sometimes I get the impression that his pinky is trying to disassociate itself from the rest of the digits.

 

[YOUTUBE]EGY0KEGVK6Q[/YOUTUBE]

[noisebloom]

Page is a heavy three-finger fretter.

[Jeffmo]

I don't think Gary Moore uses his pinky alot either

[Rena Rune]

Pinky feels weak and doesn't have much control, at least for me. Sometimes it's better just to jump the third finger there. There are some times where it comes in very useful though.

 

When typing I use my pinkies for shift and return.

[linthat22]

I use my pinky all the time.

 

Would Michael Angelo Batio be a good candidate for using all 5 digits on his left hand?

[ju5t1n20]

I use my pinky all the time. Would Michael Angelo Batio be a good candidate for using all 10 digits on both hands ?

 

Fixed.

[nwtsnma]

most any pre 1980s guitarist

[Jeffmo]

I think your fingers are only as strong/fast as the weakest one...so working on pinky strength and dexterity helps with your overall playing!!......

 

.....hey, if you got it, use it!!!!!!!

[toastman]

Zakk Wylde

[eor]

i remember watching hendrix footage once and noticing that he didn't really use his pinky. for chording, mabye. maybe i just missed it?

 

love,

eor

[Rena Rune]

I think your fingers are only as strong/fast as the weakest one...so working on pinky strength and dexterity helps with your overall playing!!...... .....hey, if you got it, use it!!!!!!!

 

But if you don't use it, then it doesn't factor into the equation.

[savoldi]

 

Back in the day, Leslie West only used three fingers. I saw him not that long ago, but was so far away I couldn't tell.

 

 

I'm not even sure he uses three. I remember an interview with him saying he only uses two.

[Acid Test]

 

I use my pinky all the time. Would Michael Angelo Batio be a good candidate for an overplaying, sterile shredding cartoon character?

 

 

FIXED

[savoldi]

 

But if you don't use it, then it doesn't factor into the equation.

 

 

I went years without using my pinky, and when I tried to work it in it took me years to get comfortable with it. I use it mostly for trills, but I could probably do all that stuff with a stretch of the ring finger, too. I still can't do the four finger thing and probably never will. I don't really need to for the music I play, anyway.

[Yngtchie Blacksteen]

You don't really need to use the pinky if you play mostly blues licks.

[axegrinder]

You don't really need to use the pinky if you play mostly blues licks.

[Annoying Twit]

I didn't know there were guitarists who don't use their pinky. I just used it when playing scales and licks. It seems natural, but since I changed my fingering on the pentatonic scale that goes:

 

--------------------------2-4-------------------

---------------------2-4------------------------

----------------1-4-----------------------------

-----------1-4----------------------------------

------2-4---------------------------------------

-2-4--------------------------------------------

 

In fact, those numbers match both the fingers I use on the fretting hand as well as the frets played. When I do this, I can feel the stretch in my hand. I figured I just needed to keep doing it until I got it right. Playing it just using the 1 and 3 fingers on my fretting hand means more hand movement, but it still works. Should I be using the pinky less?