hello all,
I am learning slowly guitar playing. I am looking for exercises or lessons to create more indepence for my ringfinger, frethand. f.e. the 1 minute change from D to A is still not so easy. I do spiderwalks, strech exercises. anyone suggestions for lessons or exercises? Also suggested exercises what i can do without a guitar are welcome! thank you!
An exercise you can do without a guitar is Place your hand flat on a table, spread your fingers and try lifting each finger off the table one at a time.
It will feel impossible at first and if you have to use your other hand to help lift them.
Once your fingers and brain make the connection it will become easier.
Hi Esther,
There are some previous threads you may find help with your question. These are the threads I have some posts in that should cover what I have done.
Older Beginner Fret Board Issues - I can't land my fingers on a chord at the same time
There's something wrong about my Ring Finger
Also, welcome to the community!
Rick’s exercise can be expanded by lifting the fingers in pairs and threes - all combinations.
Then, turn your hand over and curl the fingers into your hand, one at a time and all combinations.
Another one is to rotate a pen between your fingers. Do the rotations both ways.
Don’t forget to play your guitar as well! 
One more thing I should mention…
This is later in your classwork, but when I was trying to learn to roll a chord, I found I was unable to make my fingers move in proper time. What I did for practice is somewhat a combo of Stitch’s and Burns’ comments.
I thought that rolling my fingers on the table might be a good exercise. I found that was also unable to drum my fingers in the reverse order, the order I’d do the guitar roll. It was easy to drum them 4, 3, 2, 1, Thumb, but the opposite was extremely out of time. I forced myself to slowly do this in the opposite order until I could keep a reasonably consistent timing going from thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4. It took maybe a week, and the guitar roll came shortly afterward.
Drum rolling 4 to 1 is quite natural with either hand. I can do a horse galloping at full tilt. Rolling 1 to 4 sounds like it’s about to keel over !
lol, that’s what I found. Now I simply have a slight skip in the step. This really was my fix for the roll taught in this lesson:
https://www.justinguitar.com/guitar-lessons/rolling-chords-to-spice-up-your-fingerstyle-bg-1603
thank you
great! thank you!
Hello Esther. A warm welcome to the JustinGuitar Community.
You have a common issue and there are ways to train for finger independence - some already suggested to you.
Here’s another.
This exercise is designed to improve the ability to place all fingers on a chord simultaneously by actually doing the opposite – placing them one at a time, but in varying sequences. This will build finger independence which is essential for finger cooperation. Use this exercise with a range of chords that you find difficult, but start with just one.
Start with fingers near the strings, not touching. Place the fingers on the strings in order. Touch only, do not press until all are in position. Press for a second then release the pressure. Slowly move your fingers away from the strings a small distance. Repeat five times for each of the combinations below. When you reach simultaneous fingers, repeat ten times.
Example: (supposing the chord requires fingers 1, 2 and 3 such as C major)
Extension
If / when you apply the technique to two chords, you can extend the concept by making a chord change each and every time you lift your fingers away.
Thank you Esther @estherz for asking this question and to all who gave some great advice 
My left ringfinger also does not like moving independently much. It’s not a big issue with chords so far, but it is a bigger issue when playing scales or particularly trying to complete the “minimum movement exercise”. It will move, somehow a bit but only after I willed it for several seconds to move (“Move you … hmm… finger”).
I have tried the exercise @stitch recommends and at first it was more or less pure comedy 
It’s getting better, though very, very slowly. So I will definitely keep doing the exercise and take a look at the exercises @BurnsRhythm, @sequences and @Richard_close2u recommend as well.
@JokuMuu
Hello Nicole.
That you found Rick’s exercise hard to do simply means that your finger independence ain’t too great at the moment but you’ve already found a slight bit of improvement. It won’t improve quickly, though overtime, it will improve your playing.
The on-guitar exercises like Richard’s and the minimum movement are the most relevant because you are practicing guitar at the same time.
The others are useful away from guitar and, as you’ve found, can be quite……erm…entertaining! I started the pen thing about six months ago and struggled with it. I can do it now but I’ve yet to make it flow like I’ve seen others do!
Good to hear I’m not the only one who talks to their fingers! 
yes! sometimes i have a short time of only diving in technical stuff, and then playing guitar is not there 
This type of exercise (and some simple logical extensions to it) and @Richard_close2u suggestions have helped me a lot. Also slur exercises.
A word of caution. When I decided to start them I was pretty frustrated with my ring finger. These exercises are much, much harder than they look or even feel. Approach them slowly and work into it. I set myself back with some tendinitis at the wrist that is only finally starting to recover.
All good suggestions. I would also add don’t get fixated on finger independence. Concentrate on it for a while but then shift your focus to something else for a period of time before coming back to it.
I’m often pleasantly surprised how doing other stuff, whether it’s chord changes, learning and picking a melody line etc without worrying about my fingers overly much has been helping. The most fundamental thing about guitar I’ve come to appreciate is just how interconnected the different aspects are. If one thing improves, quite likely something else has too.
ecellent exercise, thank you! it really freaks me out 
hi all, tank you for your answers. very helpfull. i also finf these exercises on you tube: also for sttretching
the ladder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAaXrvO9RA8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCSHRb9X3_I and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggCxxBTzGAk
and i understan to do it all slow and correct, to creat new pathways in the brain
