Right Hand Form Trouble

[hana]

I read all the threads and have some Mark Hanson books but still have a MAJOR problem when trying to incorporate the ring finger.
I can't seem to STOP straightening out my pinky when going to the ring finger   i GOTTA BELIEVE THIS HURTS MY TECH.It's wrong.
I see most guys like Mark curl the pinky with the movement of the ring finger.I look down at mine and after a few seconds
Ooo Ooo sure enough the pinky has straightened back out pointing towards the southwest corner of the guitar.
I really would like to correct this..............Anyone?????????

[Blue in VT]

hana,

I've got a real simple answer to your problem......don't use your ring finger.... :GRN> :GRN>...just using my index and middle figers is enough to confuse me most of the time....

sorry just being a wise a**  good luck figureing this out

Blue

[Trent in WA]

Yeah, that sounds like a really tense right-hand position!  There are a few things you could try.  Before you play, try to relax your right hand.  Flick it from side to side as though you were trying to shake a few drops of water off your fingertips.  Let your arm hang down at you side and let your fingers relax into a neutral, curled position.

When you're practicing and you start pointing with the pinky, figure out why you're doing it.  Is using the ring finger difficult for you?  If so, you might be tensing up when you're playing music that requires that you use it.  Is it just an ingrained habit (i.e. do you point when you're holding a wine glass)?  If so, try to break the habit in your non-musical life. 

Lastly, you're right to note that for a lot of players who play in the "classical" three-finger style, the right hand pinky works in concert more or less with the ring finger.  It might help to focus on doing that deliberately;  i.e. when playing a note with your ring finger, move your pinky in unison with it.  Try that for a while, at least in practice.  And try grabbing some five-note chords (i.e. don't try to arpeggiate them) in which you use your pinky to play the high E string.

Hope this helps,

Trent

[drathbun]

You're in good company hana!



Whatever works for you isn't wrong or right. Tell Paul McCartney that he fingerpicks incorrectly (he does) but then Blackbird wouldn't sound the way it does.

[hana]

Thanks you guys, I understand.
Charlie

[Calvin]

I know that some suggest curling the pinky slightly when you strike with ring finger.

Just as well if you watch Tommy emmanuel play, he will every so often (rather oftenly) plant his pinky on the top, on the bottom of the soundhole, to get better balance.  We are all born different do whatever makes your other three finger play better (which are what is required).

[Calvin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhR04kmcSXU

Perfect example