how many famous guitarists don't use their pinky ?

[SteelyD2]

The times I've seen Gilmour play up close, he never used his pinky.

 

D

[Cold Gin]

George Bush!!

[halmot]

OK, I'm probably the worst guitarist on this board, but I tried this last night, and can't for the life of me figure out how anybody plays anything other than power chords and blues runs without their pinky. For example, if I try to play this simple E7 chord:

 

e 4

b 0

g 1

d 0

a 2

e 0

 

even though you only need three fingers, I have to play the G# with my pinky, as my ring finger just won't reach the fourth fret.

[SuproSuper Man]

George Bush!!

 

I think he only uses one finger, and hes a lefty,,,wonder if he turns his axe upside down like hendrix did, or is it just nations that he turns upside down....

 

[Stratman Tigers]

 

OK, I'm probably the worst guitarist on this board, but I tried this last night, and can't for the life of me figure out how anybody plays anything other than power chords and blues runs without their pinky. For example, if I try to play this simple E7 chord: e 4 b 0 g 1 d 0 a 2 e 0 even though you only need three fingers, I have to play the G# with my pinky, as my ring finger just won't reach the fourth fret.

 

 

I think anyone with pinky uses their pinky for chords. I don't know anyone that does't. I just don't use it to solo.

[Doc@Coil]

 

 

i think he was just trying to demonstrate which finger you don't put a wedding band on. also which hand you don't use. he's a yale guy.

[doggy_hat]

I've always used my pinky, I don't really understand how someone can say they can't use it because it's too weak. I use my pinky about as much as any other finger and find that It's pretty much equal with my other three. I can't play with my thumb though, I keep my thumb pointed vertically and resting directly in the middle of the neck. This grip allows my other 4 fingers to move more freely and increase my range.

[Bowe]

I don't really use mine, i'm really really trying to start to use it, but because its double jointed, unless i keep it straight-ish, it keeps locking up

 

i can use it on a piano fine, but if i have to curl it, it just becomes useless

 

[halmot]

 

I think anyone with pinky uses their pinky for chords. I don't know anyone that does't. I just don't use it to solo.

 

 

Well that makes more sense. I played cello for years, and only recently took up guitar. It never occurred to me that one wouldn't necessarily use all their digits.

[benzem]

What about this lick

e 8 7 5

b 8 6 5

 

Hmm?

Seems like alot of work to alter the distance between fngrs 1 & 2.

I do the equivelant lick high on the neck ok but even that I will use my 4th at times to keep it simple.

[soundgardener75]

C.C. DeVille.

 

Then again, he's not that famous either.

 

Carry on.

[docjeffrey]

Django Reinhart. I don't think he had a pinkie.

 

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I use mine and I'm the slowest player in the world. But you got it, so why not use it? Rather than sitting on HC all night, practice some scales and chords using your pinkie.

[Yngtchie Blacksteen]

C.C. DeVille. Then again, he's not that famous either. Carry on.

He is that famous. If only he had the skills to match his fame, but alas.

[csm]

Apart from using my pinky for my slide ...

 

There are an awful lot of blues licks which require all four fingers -- like, frinstance, anything based around a first-position second-fret barred A with the pinky holding the 5th-fret A on the high E string ... or any of the cascading pull-offs Jeff Beck borrowed from Les Paul ... or a first-position C7 chord ... hey, tons of stuff.

 

There's more to life than three-finger speed-runs, ya know ...

[Cold Gin]

Respect teh pinky!!!!!

[guitarlady]

They say Hound Dog Taylor used all 6 of his fingers to play guitar.

[BeanoBoy]

A lot of the 60's guys ( Clapton, Page, West) didn't use their pinkys much. They were more blues players and bent a lot of notes as opposed to playing long scalar type stuff where the pinky really comes into it's own. A lot of guys bend with their pinkys though. Doesn't come easy to me.

[Terminus]

I was a computer gamer way before I started playing guitar, so countless hours with a keyboard has given me pretty good dexterity with all my fingers. However I have pretty small hands, so I can't really use my thumb on the fretting hand.

[ATcycle]

In order to suck as much as I do i must use all 5...

[busa89]

BB King didnt use the pinky either on solos.

[1001gear]

Lotta players like DiMeola and Ritenour gut completely uninteresting with the 4 finger stuff. You get very interesting articulation by moving your hand up and down the neck instead.

I am now on this thread.