TE-101 • Finger Stretching Exercise

[justinguitar]

Questions...

Lesson Link: http://www.justinguitar.com/en/TE-101-FingerStretchExercise.php

[pablolespaul]

I´m wondering if it´s not mandatory to stretch the ring and middle finger (finger 2 and finger 3 in justin´s notes).

[Quark]

I am not sure I am reading your question correctly but if you are asking whether or not you need to stretch the ring and middle finger, I would suggest that you do. For example, I play mostly blues and need to stretch my pinky to get the notes further down the neck. But Justin showed me in NY a way to get an extra stretch by using my middle finger instead of my index finger for the second note in the chord. (i.e in the chunka chunka 12 bar blues put your index finger on the 2nd fret D string and your middle finger two frets down, F# instead of your ring finger.) It gives you an overall longer stretch. Initially this took some doing but I now I get the additional stretch from using the middle finger and I can easily hit the notes on the neck I could not before.  Hope this helps.

W

[pablolespaul]

Thanks Quark. Yeah, that was my question.

If you see the notes in Justin´s finger stretching exercise there´s no stretching between middle and ring finger, but since you need to stretch them in some other exercises (i.e legato) I was wondering why Justin didn´t put this particular stretch in his exercise.
    

[justinguitar]

Quark is right...

Stretching from 1st to 2nd is useful...

But working on stretching between 2nd and 3rd is not very useful unless you want to work on 4 note per string metal techniques (which I never did, but they exist).

You hand is not built to stretch between 2 and 3 - so I don't think it wise to fight it - especially as you will hardly ever use it!

That is why the exercise ignores that stretch...

J

[DaSilvaRenegade]

the hardest one for me is stretching the third and fourth because i think those two share a tendon so to separate them is a pain in the tuckus.

Duo

[hilary7]

Hi, Should i be touching any other strings while doing the exercises? I find it difficult to keep all 4 fingers on the 6th string even for exercise one.

[Arry]

Hi guys, i only have an acoustic at the moment. I think i have the technique down but it sounds a bit sh*tty. Is it worth me carrying on with the acoustic or is string bending only really used with electrics?

[justinguitar]

Arry and co - This exercise is not about how it sounds, it is about doing the stretch.

Doesn't matter if you hit other strings, or anything - just feel the stretch in your fingers and you are doing it right!

Hilary7 - Do try and keep all the fingers on - if you find it hard - then try curling your middle two fingers a little more!

And yes - DaSilva - it hurts

J

[koherp]

hi justin and others,
i am a beginner working my way thru the hal leonard guitar method book (and following your site too of course) and figured its a good time to start some basic exercises.  Problem is, i can't even get my lame pinky to reach the 6th string (and barely get the 5th string) whilst holding down the other strings in the basic "non-stretched" starting position. Even sliding further down a few frets doesnt seem to help much  Note, i do actally have a normal length pinky, but it just wants to curl up and "pigeon toe" towards the ring finger. any advice?

PS-  interestingly enough , i am fairly accomplished pianist and have been told i have good stretch and strength in my fingers! (yes, even the pinkies... probably from playing a lot of baroque music)

thanks
KO

[aging_bimbo]

koherp, you could try raising the pinky side of your palm closer to the neck of the guitar (ie rotate your hand a bit more) and see if that helps?

[Quark]

Problem is, i can't even get my lame pinky to reach the 6th string (and barely get the 5th string) whilst holding down the other strings in the basic "non-stretched" starting position.

AB is absolutely correct. What also worked for me now that I think about it is I actually brougt my elbow and wrist in. Try bringing your elbow and wrist in, towards your body a little and see if that increases the reach. If not then you have to just keep practicing the stretch as Justin and others have noted previously.

W

[koherp]

thanks for the replies, guys.  i'm not sure if rotating the wrist is the solution, that seems to maybe gives a little bit of exta reach towards the 6th string but the rotation seems to pigeontoe the pinky in more (reduce the stretch?) ...  i'll need to continue to experiment more with some different positions and angles etc.thanks
KO

[Cobryn]

Arry and co - This exercise is not about how it sounds, it is about doing the stretch.

Doesn't matter if you hit other strings, or anything - just feel the stretch in your fingers and you are doing it right!

Hilary7 - Do try and keep all the fingers on - if you find it hard - then try curling your middle two fingers a little more!

And yes - DaSilva - it hurts

J

First wanted to say great lessons! But my fingers must be stupid or something, they just can't seem to stretch that much yet.

[nmarlowe]

I have been working on this exercise for about a week or so. I think its going well, although I am a bit confused. The lesson mentions feeling the stretch in your fingers. I however feel the stretch in the back of my hand. I figured this was normal as all of the muscles that control the fingers are in the back of the had.

But, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong. I can go up and down twice in one shot before my hand starts to cramp at this point.

I also suffer the same pinky issue as mentioned before where it curves toward the middle finger. I assume this is something that will correct itself through time and practice, but I don't to inadvertently tech myself a bad technique. The pinky seems to have a very strong mind of its own and weak muscles to back it up with. Any tips?

Thanks!

[Gerald]

Dear all,

When practicing my scales I often have a problem with my pinky. It starts to hurt at the back of my hand somewhere between the 3rd and 4th finger, sometimes also at the underside of my wrist, I guess it is where the tendon goes. It feels exactly as when I type with 10 fingers on the computer keyboard fast and have to stretch to reach the 'a' and shift buttons. Justin advised when you have real pain to stop practicing and that is what I do. After 10 minutes or so I start again, however the painful spots tend to remain tender, even the next day.
Any advice on what to do would be appreciated, maybe there are some useful excercises. I have to say that when I do my best to play with the tip of the pinky the correct way the problem seems to be less severe. Maybe that's the solution.

Thanks, Gerald.

[soresu]

In the beginning of the video you mention keeping your fingers square to the fret. My middle, ring, and pinky have no problem with this, but my index finger likes to roll off to it's side (if that makes sense). The left side of the index finger touches the string more than the right side. Kind of when you roll over your index finger to the side when barring chords.

Is this a bad habit? Thanks.

[FRET-E]

I´m wondering if it´s not mandatory to stretch the ring and middle finger (finger 2 and finger 3 in justin´s notes).

[FRET-E]

When I do the finger strecthing exercises i have pain in the base of my thumb and inside of my wrest. Is this normal for evey one? OH by the way hello from Missouri.

[justinguitar]

PLEASE be careful if it hurts. General rule: if it hurts after you stop playing you should go see a doctor.

I mild stretched sensation (like yoga stretching, or touching your toes) is normal, but pain is no good. Go see a doctor right away.

You can do this on any guitar.

It doesn't matter if you touch other strings, this is just an exercise in stretching, not on playing!

J

[FRET-E]

Thank you for the reply. Things are getting much better, i was just trying to push to hard..

[allthegearnoidea]

In the beginning of the video you mention keeping your fingers square to the fret. My middle, ring, and pinky have no problem with this, but my index finger likes to roll off to it's side (if that makes sense). The left side of the index finger touches the string more than the right side. Kind of when you roll over your index finger to the side when barring chords.

Is this a bad habit? Thanks.

the same thing happens to me as soresu, i cannot make my index fingertip come down square onto the fret. it rolls over onto its side no matter what i try. is this normal? or is there some way to overcome this? i never seem to be able to get good pressure on the fret with the index fingertip because of this so the callous is developing on the side of my index fingertip

[threepints]

I also have this problem where my index finger rolls onto its side as I stretch with my other fingers to the other frets. I am assuming that this will correct it self as ones joints and tendons become more flexible?

Of more concern to me is the feeling I get in my wrist or more accurately I guess the top of my forearm/ wrist area, this is quite significant and I find I need to shake my arm out after each exercise. Is this a normal place to get discomfort whilst carrying out this exercise?

PS I love the course and also your DVDs.

[Sl8sh]

I have a question for you justin.

First, I've been playing guitar on and off in my room for the last 13 years since I was 6 years old.  I've used basic beginner instructional books and haven't progressed so I started to doing this excercise to play more complicated songs.  You also need to know that my primary instrument is French Horn so I have a lot of pre existing dexterity from that and some piano playing when I was 11. 

So on to my question. 

When I stretch my first finger down a fret, or toward the headstock of the guitar, my finger for some reason flattens as I go up the excercise as if to play barred chords meaning the side of my fingertip vs. the tip of my finger.  Admittedly my left hand is a little distorted from playing French Horn because of the pinky ring to hold the instrument. 

Is that normal or okay if it flattens like that?  I haven't been able to unflatten it yet.  I solved my problem with my pinky finger with this excercise and want to know how to solve this one. 

Also.....(I thought I was done until I kept writing)

If I can stretch my hand like you showed in your video, the one with one fret between each finger that you advised against or thought as unnecessary, would it be okay to continue doing that stretch if it doesn't cause abnormal or excruciating pain? 

[threepints]

Unfortunately Justin does not seem to reply