Ok so i was jamming with a friend of mine when i started playing some stuff and he said "i can play that but not as good" then when he was playing, it didnt sound as good as mine so i started wondering why his playing sounded worse than mine. so i asked him to play it again and i noticed he never used his pinkie. i asked him why and he said "its too hard my pinkie's too weak and slow."

so thats why i am writing this. so your pinkie won't be too weak and slow to do something your other fingers can.

im just gonna give you some exercises that helped me out a bunch since im out of school for a while and i finally have time for stuff, besides finding a job, getting ready for the track team next year, and weight training.

ok first ill start off with the easy stuff then ill get harder and harder

USE A METRONOME

----------------------------------------------6-7-8-9-----------------
-------------------------------------5-6-7-8----------7-8-9-10-------
----------------------------4-5-6-7----------------------------etc----
-------------------3-4-5-6--------------------------------------------
----------2-3-4-5-----------------------------------------------------
-1-2-3-4--------------------------------------------------------------

remember to keep a maximum of one finger on the fretboard at all times

try to do that with a metronome and slowly increase speed until it stops sounding clear. remember clarity is the key. stay clear so your muscle memory can register the clear playing instead of the insanely fast sloppy stuff. its easier to make a bad habit than to get rid of one.

ok once youve mastered that or if you wanna try something different, try this

-------4-1-------------2-5-------------6-3-----------------------
-----3-----2---------3-----4---------5-----4---------------------
---2---------3-----4---------3-----4---------5-------------------
-1-------------4-5-------------2-3-------------6-etc-------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------

every string gets its own finger

thats also a good practice for sweep picking.

ok try this now (with ring and pinkie)

--12h14---

the first note should sound as loud and clear as the second note

and

(with pinkie)

--12^(14)-----

keep practicing bends with the pinkie if you seriously want to make it stronger. i know its impossible at first, but if you wanna play faster songs, hammer on and pull off with the pinkie, you're gonna need to make the pinkie stronger.

ok now try this its supposed to build speed and clarity (use metronome)

finger numbers: 1-index 2-middle 3-ring 4-pinkie

-------------------|--------------------|-------------------|--
-15-13-12----12-13|-15-13-12----12-13|-15-13-12----12-13|--
-----------14------|-----------14------|-----------14------|--
-------------------|--------------------|-------------------|--
-------------------|--------------------|-------------------|--
-------------------|--------------------|-------------------|--
_4__2__1__3_1__2 etc


remember MAXIMUM OF ONE FINGER ON THE FRETBOARD ALLOWED ALL THE TIME

remember clarity is key. don't wanna go too fast until you can't play it right.

ok this one's pretty hard. looks easy but its pretty hard.

--15-14-----------14|-15-14-----------14|--
---------15-13-15---|--------15-13-15---|--
---------------------|--------------------|--
---------------------|--------------------|--
---------------------|--------------------|--
---------------------|--------------------|--
__4__3__4__2__4__3 etc

just keep practicing these and remember clarity. I might add some more next time i get free time.

ok now im gonna go watch anger management so peace out... some rep would be cool