Chromatics, is this normal?

[Aerospace274]

Hey, got another question for you guys!
Is it normal for it to be a little more difficult ascending the chromatic scale than descending? I've been playing for like 3 years now and for some reason that's always been more difficult than going down the chromatic scale. I can do 1 2 4 and 1 3 4 and even 1 3 5 patterns with no problem but 1 2 3 4 always is more difficult for me than say 4 3 2 1. Why is that? Should I just practice it up until they're both about the same at my warmup tempo and beyond? Or is it a problem a lot of people have? Any feedback would be awesome!

EDIT: I seem to have discovered the cause, so I guess I have a different question. How can I stop my pinky from going so far away from the fretboard? I watched my chromatics slower and I noticed that while fingers 1 2 and 3 stay relatively close to the fretboard, my pinky is like an inch and a half away from the fretboard(and string) and I think that's what's slowing down my chromatics. Any ideas on how I could fix that? Is it just a finger independence thing I could work on or do I need to adjust my technique or something? Thanks!

 

[SirMyghin]

I have a flying pinky too, I guess concentrate really really hand playing slow and moving it very little. I have often given up frustrated.

 

[Skanky]

1. Slow WAY down
2. Metronome
3. Pay attention to your pinky while practicing
4. Are you SURE you're going slow enough? Slow it down some more and make sure your technique is RIGHT.
5. Increase spead SLOWLY.
6. Repeat 100x
7. PROFIT!!!

 

[troyguitar]

1. Slow WAY down
2. Metronome
3. Pay attention to your pinky while practicing
4. Are you SURE you're going slow enough? Slow it down some more and make sure your technique is RIGHT.
5. Increase spead SLOWLY.
6. Repeat 1000000x
7. PROFIT!!!

fixed. It takes years of focus to fix the pinky issue - I haven't and probably won't any time soon.

 

[Skanky]

fixed. It takes years of focus to fix the pinky issue - I haven't and probably won't any time soon.

I had no idea it was that difficult to fix, which brings up the BEST advice one could give here...


When you are just beginning to learn guitar, DON'T START OFF WITH A BAD HABIT! YOUR PINKY FINGER CAN BE USED TO GREAT ADVANTAGE! USE IT CORRECTLY!!!

 

[Aerospace274]

Well yeah, i'm all about the pinky. It's not like i'm one of those guys who's like "Nah, I like Drop D and hate my pinky, fuck yeah!" But thanks, i'll be sure to drop my tempo from like 160bpm to 70bpm-ish next time I warm up!

 

[SirMyghin]

I had no idea it was that difficult to fix, which brings up the BEST advice one could give here...


When you are just beginning to learn guitar, DON'T START OFF WITH A BAD HABIT! YOUR PINKY FINGER CAN BE USED TO GREAT ADVANTAGE! USE IT CORRECTLY!!!

I use my pinky a tonne, on bass at that, it doesn't limit my playing but could use less movement . It doesn't seem to move less than 3/4 an ich when unfretting a note no matter how hard I focus on it, humourous as that is. I guess I am not playing the 250+ runs in death metal, but I can get up to 240 on a good day, the issue is always picking hand limitting for me.

 

[FWB]

I think that while the pinky is more coordinated then the ring finger, it's probably the weakest finger strength wise. I think it just needs more momentum to get a good tone out of that finger, because I think if you were to analyse most players technique you'd find that their pinky is going to have to move the farthest to hammer on.

 

[Aerospace274]

Yeah, it's not like it's detrimental to my playing or anything. Like most of my threads in this particular forum, it's just a little thing i'd like some advice on! You can always get better, you know? I find that when I can keep my pinky from flying away, it's the fastest finger i've got for trills and all those kind of things. But I definitely go noticeably slower doing like a 4 3 1 pattern when compared to a 4 2 1 pattern at max tempos. Or you know, 1 3 4 vs 1 2 4. So I think it might be my pinky tending to move in the opposite direction as my ring finger when that sort of movement is going down. It happens a little with the middle but it's not nearly as much as with the ring finger. Hrmmmmmmm.
EDIT! You guys think practicing something like the intro riff of "Submerged In Boiling Flesh" by Cannibal Corpse with my pinky anchored on a string might help? Not sure if anyone out here is into death metal but you know what I mean right? Like a riff that uses all fingers except the pinky, and I could just plant that bad boy on the frets to build some independence?

 

[SirMyghin]

I think that while the pinky is more coordinated then the ring finger, it's probably the weakest finger strength wise. I think it just needs more momentum to get a good tone out of that finger, because I think if you were to analyse most players technique you'd find that their pinky is going to have to move the farthest to hammer on.

That is part of why playing 9s on a 25.5" scale is fun, you can do bends with your pinky

 

[Aerospace274]

I may have discovered the cure for my flying pinky, it seems like it's a muscle memory thing. From back when you first learned, you know? I'm almost entirely self taught musically(aside from half a year of keyboard class) and have never had a guitar teacher so my technique has always been hit or miss. I find if I consciously make an effort to just release the string instead of pulling away from it, I can reduce it a LOT. It doesn't work if i'm flying through 16th notes at 220 bpm but more mild tempos seem to work well with it. I think from here it's just a matter of clearing a little muscle memory and replacing it with a better technique.

 

[troyguitar]

lucky.

When I put my 3rd finger down, my 4th finger goes up no matter how slowly I move or how hard I try to concentrate

 

[Aerospace274]

Hah, i'm honestly not sure if I want to go back to the basics and relearn how to fret and all my patterns and what not. It seems more like a cosmetic issue to me than anything. Maybe a shit ton of ascending chromatics is all I need to just smooth out my playing a bit. Chromatics are honestly the only thing it constantly bothers me to play with lol, 1 3 4 and 4 3 1 patterns aren't too bad any more. And yeah, it seems to be either my 2nd or 3rd finger that'll make my pinky go airborne, pretty funny. Especially if i'm on low frets like the first or second. That's where it's the worst for me! Seems like there's a certain point where you can override it if you've got somewhere you need it, like in a real fast shred solo or something where it's always moving. Oh well, I think I can live with it. Oddly enough, almost all the classical technique guides warn against it, yet all classical guitarists on youtube have flying pinkies, lol.