Topic: need help!
I broke little finger left hand about thirty years ago and still cant use the damn thing when playing guitar. obviously this is a pain when it comes to barr chords. anyone got any exercises proven to strengthen that digit?
Re: need help!
Howdy Ronacongram, and welcome to Chordie!
I see that you are newly registered and that this is your first post so a hearty welcome seemed appropriate.
Like you I too have suffered injury to both of those small digits, dislocations playing raquetball back when things healed more rapidly... so I do understand your frustration with trying to get the darn things to work properly. The only thing that I have found helpful is persistence. Make the thing do what it is capable of every time you play and over time those tendons will start to respond in some semblance of order. Both of mine curve towards the palm slightly making it difficult to stretch out to the 4-5 fret spread but it has improved over the past couple of years so that barres are OK, and some if not most of the orchestral chords are manageable.
I have found that starting every session with scales has helped in getting the little finger working on it's own without seeming "wired" to it's neighbor. That was a difficult hurdle to get over, but lots of practice should get you where you want to be.
For inspiration, you might check out Southpaw41L postings, as a person who has overcome adversity to do what he loves to do. A fellow who switched hands and really had to get innovative in his desire to make music.... and a living at it!
Visit here often and you will find encouragement from this community of aspiring and wise folks. Thanks for sharing, and we look forward to hearing from you in the future. Again Welcome to Chordie!
Keep making music it just gets better and better!
Take Care;
Doug
"what is this quintessence of dust?" - Shakespeare
Re: need help!
Hey and welcome to Chordie. I can understand the frustration of having a finger that won't work properly. I "self amputated" my left pinky on a job site almost 10 years ago. As a result all my barre chords out of the E position are either minors or sevenths. I still play barres out of the A position without any trouble. Keep stretching that sucker hopefully it will come around. At least you have the finger there to work with and given time and desire you should be able to see some progress.
Don't take life too seriously, you're not getting out alive anyway
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Re: need help!
welcome to Chordie ronacongram lots of good advise given and like bswyes I had two fingers chopped off at the joints in a accident at work they were able to graft one but my little finger never survived the graft but its on my picking hand so I am able to fret any chord but I have to adjust when I type I substitute my 4th for my pinky on the letter p and all the keys its supposed to hit (I touch type) so I know you can overcome this handycap with a little work good luck with it 
"Growing old is not for sissies"
Re: need help!
Thanks guys, i guesspractise, practise and more practise. and if that donr work...........more practise,
- upyerkilt
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Re: need help!
ronacongram wrote:
Thanks guys, i guesspractise, practise and more practise. and if that donr work...........more practise,
that seems to be the favourite advise in chordie and the entire world for anything, lol.
But it is true.
Goodluck with your practicing, you will find a way round your ..... your....... I dont know what to call it around your fingerless situation?
I know a guy that plays guitar and he only has one hand. His right arm from the elbow down is not there. He now has a metal thin that fixes onto his arm and at the end is only a plectrum.
As well as some you have heard here with obstructions to playing they all find a way round. If you want something or want to do something bad enough you will.
So,, ,lol, here it comes again...
Practice.
All the best
Ken
ye get some that are cut out for the job and others just get by from pretending
7 2009-01-11 19:00:48 (edited by evsynator 2009-01-11 19:01:42)
Re: need help!
upyerkilt wrote:
ronacongram wrote:Thanks guys, i guesspractise, practise and more practise. and if that donr work...........more practise,
that seems to be the favourite advise in chordie and the entire world for anything, lol.But it is true.
Goodluck with your practicing, you will find a way round your ..... your....... I dont know what to call it
I know a guy that plays guitar and he only has one hand. His right arm from the elbow down is not there. He now has a metal thin that fixes onto his arm and at the end is only a plectrum.
As well as some you have heard here with obstructions to playing they all find a way round. If you want something or want to do something bad enough you will.
So,, ,lol, here it comes again...
Practice.All the best
Ken
also seen a guy on you tube playing guitar for a living with no arms and uses his feet only ... amazing blues stuff he plays ... puts people like me to shame .
any resemblance to my songs sounding anything like the original is highly unlikely.