Hey all. I’m brand new to Justin Guitar (and guitar). I’m working on the D and A chords for now, but I’ve also found his finger stretching exercise. The thing is… my pinky kinda slants towards my thumb, so when I try to do the finger stretching exercise, I don’t seem to be able to make the fourth finger stretch to the eighth fret (in the exercise). I didn’t even notice this before - I just thought I needed more stretching - but is this a problem? How can I overcome this? Does it just come with stretching, or am I hosed?
Edit: I’ve attached some images, so hopefully what I’m saying is clearer.
I have the same issue, in addition the distal joint curves inward making some pinky sus chords tricksy. I’m hoping that practice will strengthen muscles to mitigate the former.
As you play and practice more, and your hands/ fingers become progressively more ‘guitar attuned’, you 'll eventually find this a non-issue, and you wont even think about it anymore.
Early on, I too had what you call an ‘inward picky’, and it bothered me for a little while. It soon sorted itself out with time and focused practice.
Hey Neal
yeah, me too
I’ve done (and still do) the pinky exercises, the stretching and the finger gym
my pinky still turns inward (and is stumpy) but it’s not an issue
You’re never hosed, keep at it and like Shane says, it’ll sort itself out
Keith Richards was asked if the obvious arthritis in his fingers (his hands are really gnarled) has been a problem for him. He said no, that as he’s become unable to do something he used to be able to do, the guitar always shows him another way to do it.
I think it’s completely normal that your little finger (pinky) turns in. Mine turns in more than that. Nothing unusual.it’s completely normal anatomy. Justin even mentions in an early video, I think, that you might find your pinky turning in.
You will not change your anatomy, but as others mentioned the normal exercises for guitar (just by playing) will make your finger stretch and move as needed. It just takes time.
Mine to that too, the tend to “rub against” the rhird fingers when I look at hem, holding me in font of me like in your picture.
I Noticed it too when fretting with that finger. Never bothered me that much and didn’t kept me from progressing so I wouldn’t worry too much about it
Hi Neal,
Mine is even more crooked inwards… and my ring finger too… feel free to watch a video of mine to see what you can do with it in the early years
Rotation around the joints, angled joints and just about every combination you can think of isn’t uncommon.
My right pinky is angled inwards and rotated at the last joint, the ring finger last joint has a kink in it (I broke it) and the other two fingers are equally wonky.
Left hand isn’t as bad, but the takeaway here is just to work around it.
There are chords that I will never get because of the different angles, and the way some chords are fretted look a bit weird, but so what? I’ll just plod on trying to work round things.
I’ve got the same problem with my pinky. There are some chords I just cannot do. Is never going to straighten out. Even with my fingers held straight out, It turns inward at the tip. Arthritis in my hands. The first knuckle of my ring finger is extremely painful also, so trying to play a b barre chord is near impossible as well.
