Suggestions? Learning but I Can't Fight This Habit

[Rocklobster]

I love playing rhythm guitar!

I need some suggestions on what I can do to stop my current technique of playing. After months of playing I am still struggling to bring myself to use my index and ring finger to bar power chords on lower frets. I'm finding myself ALWAYS using my pinky when it comes to the lower frets (which limits me to a 2 note power chord instead of 3). I find it a major stretch for me to use my ring finger alone or along with the pinky for the top two strings on power chors on those lower frets. Am I not curling my wrist enough when I play to let me get that stretch? This "Stagemaster" Squire is the only thing I've used since I started learning and I read that Gibson type guitars are usually a little better suited for people with shorter fingers as compared to Stratocaster type guitars?

Here is an example of my delima. I am playing along aloud with my PODxt. Another issue is I am striking my nails on the strings rather than using a pick (no there's no pick in my hands there!). Anytime that I use a pick I can't differentiate between the strings for some reason and I feel without using a pick I'm losing out on a fuller sound.

[metalnick]

I'd say keep practicing. And every time you do this bad thing stop and start over. That's all you really can do. And I would definitely start using a pick, I know what u mean about losing out, but you can't give up. It musta took me about 6 months or so to where I could do crayzy string skipping stuff. But the whole point of what I'm sayin is this: Keep practicin'! You can't master the guitar overnight, dude.

[Rocklobster]

I can stop and try it the 'right' way but my hand just literally won't conform to it. I thought that I might not be curling my wrist enough when I play to give my ring finger a little more of a reach to bar things right.

You're right about the pick, the pick I can start incorporating and practice - but for right now I can't practice barring these chords right because something just isn't right when I try it that way. It's got to be my form/positioning of my hand, either that or my fingers are just definately too short for this jumbo fret strat.

[wahwah]

Hi mate. I teach and the first thing I would say is...two note power chords will do unless you are wanting to do a 'D' shape using the 4th string as the root. Power chords are exactly that...you need at least the root and the fifth to get anything resembling a chord. From then on 3 is a bonus but you know that if you hit 4, it's game over as thats the note that will pretty much include your minor or major. In terms of wanting to stretch more, it's called 'muscle memory' and the only way your hand WILL stretch further over a given period is to make sure it hurts! Like a bodybuilder, you are training your hands to stretch into positions they are not used to...and that takes patience. If it hurts then you're slowly but surely stretching them into further positions. Try stretching your fingers before you play and warm them up...it might help; might not.

Plectrum? No idea what to suggest...it hasn't harmed some players but you will get more attack with one. Sorry, I can't help you with that one except to suggest you play your lines real slow to hear the difference and then build it up.

[VHF]

Not sure what to tell you on the chords....but if you are going to play metal and lead stuff you should learn to use a pick at some point. I would fix that problem first. I had a really bad habit of only downpicking or random upstrokes (not economy/sweep logical picking either). I could never advance and get faster until I forced myself to pick very strict up down picking. I also found that using a thick teflon pick help me to learn this technique faster. (Dunlop big stubby 2.0) There are a lot of sites with scales etc you should use, but learn strict up/down alternate picking first IMO. Just use a basic pentatonic scale.

[Rocklobster]

Good advice. I never felt as if the two string power chord sounded all that bad to my ear but every Guitar guru I come across pops off that it's kind of weak.

You're right about the stretching, it does definately hurt. Would I have better luck with something that isn't 'jumbo'-fretted strat style or is the difference neglible?

[wahwah]

I think that would be overkill mate...stick with the Stagemaster and see where you end up by the summer...it should all come out ok in the wash.

[billandgitana]

Originally Posted by Rocklobster

I love playing rhythm guitar!

I need some suggestions on what I can do to stop my current technique of playing. After months of playing I am still struggling to bring myself to use my index and ring finger to bar power chords on lower frets. I'm finding myself ALWAYS using my pinky when it comes to the lower frets (which limits me to a 2 note power chord instead of 3). I find it a major stretch for me to use my ring finger alone or along with the pinky for the top two strings on power chors on those lower frets. Am I not curling my wrist enough when I play to let me get that stretch? This "Stagemaster" Squire is the only thing I've used since I started learning and I read that Gibson type guitars are usually a little better suited for people with shorter fingers as compared to Stratocaster type guitars?
Here is an example of my delima. I am playing along aloud with my PODxt. Another issue is I am striking my nails on the strings rather than using a pick (no there's no pick in my hands there!). Anytime that I use a pick I can't differentiate between the strings for some reason and I feel without using a pick I'm losing out on a fuller sound.

okay here is a little something you probably wont hear anywhere else.
grab a can or a bottle with your frettin' hand and as you hold it try and raise each finger off as high as you can with the other fingers on the can have to keep rest on bottleor you will drop it..you will see that the ring finger only will come off about 35-45 degree angle...the rest will come up to about 90 degrees...that means you are normal..most people don't use their ring finger so it is the most under devoloped...exercise and muscle memeory will be the biggest help. This someting that alot of beginers will do...it is one of the first short cuts they learn..power cord with pinky on 2 strings..but that will limit you when you are playing. Practice Practice...sorry not more help...

[Goport]

thumb positioning is often the key to getting more comfortable. Some of us that are more self taught than others learned this the hard way but try and keep your thumb in the centre of the back of the neck. This allows you more movement than the standard cradle position. Yes it is unnatural but, if we were born to play guitar we wouldn't need to practice. I believe posture (when sitting) and strap adjustment (when standing) are possibly the best pre-preparation for learning. 20 years on, I am still learning and I still try and stick to this.

[Rocklobster]

Excellenté responses - thanks all!

[wahwah]

Originally Posted by Goport

thumb positioning is often the key to getting more comfortable. Some of us that are more self taught than others learned this the hard way but try and keep your thumb in the centre of the back of the neck. This allows you more movement than the standard cradle position. Yes it is unnatural but, if we were born to play guitar we wouldn't need to practice. I believe posture (when sitting) and strap adjustment (when standing) are possibly the best pre-preparation for learning. 20 years on, I am still learning and I still try and stick to this.

Ya know, this is a superb reply. I was gonna mention where the thumb sits on the back of the neck (I ask my students which finger could they not play the guitar without and none of them say the thumb...try it!) but I thought, 'nah' then seeing Porty's paragraph, it is so important regarding all that makes up COMFORT and CONFIDENCE. The thumb acts as a kinda clamp or vice and, say for example, you can't barre some othe BIG chords (in terms of how wide the frets are apart) like a Fmajor on the 1st fret, it's important that you think of pushing up against the fingers trying to barre down to give you more 'purchase'. it's sometimes the difference between 'buzzy' chords and clean sounding where all the strings are bell-like.

Good call Porty. ;thumb:

[nroberts]

You can also use a pinky barre. Often times I play power chords in this manner and when I was starting out it was all I did. Using the pinky instead of 34 doesn't need to keep you only doing 2 note chords. It WILL be an issue wrt "real" chords though but as you start playing those more, if you do, you'll adapt.

[CanyonCarver]

I don't see anything wrong with using your pinky. It will give it strengh. I like doing power chords like this. My teacher taugh me to not get stuck with one way or another. That's a key to becoming more versatile and flexible.

By the way I like all of the suggestions that were made by others. This is a good thread, people.

[pranav]

well peoplee have spoken about the chord thing when it comes to piking i can help first of all get a heavy plectrum i use a 3mm dunlop stuby.the next thing you nedd is a metronome.now it is very important to decide what your goals are i suggest you practice how to alternate pik starting with a downstrake and build it up slowly with the metronome suggested scales to do this over are the basic major scales to get you starting

[Captain_Morgan]

I would say if you really want to learn to use pinky and ring learn some thrash songs. I really reccomend Holy Wars...Punishment due. Lots of wide stretches and the rhythm section will rock your socks on the vocal section.