Fix Your Flying Pinky Guitar Technique (keeping fingers close to fretboard)

Got the flying pinky guitar problem? Is it hard keeping fingers close to the fretboard? Here’s the solution.

Video # 126: Fix Your Flying Pinky Guitar Technique (keeping fingers close to fretboard)

LESSON CONTENT OUTLINE WITH TIMESTAMP LINKS:
0:00 - Guitar playing intro
0:04 - About this flying pinky guitar lesson
2:09 - About the channel
2:32 - Keeping fingers close to the fretboard exercise
9:28 - Don't hold your fingers down
11:07 - Next level 1234 permutations
11:57 - Conclusion, Free PDF, Question, Outro

LINKS & LESSONS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO:

LESSON DESCRIPTION:
Well... I got COVID.
It was pretty bad for a couple days but I'm feeling a bit better now.
I'm glad to have found the energy to make this lesson for you :)
After my "technique mistakes" video from a couple weeks ago I got a few questions about how to train our fingers to stay close to the fretboard and how to deal with the flying pinky guitar problem.
I remember when my left hand fingers were flying way off the fretboard when I played.
I fixed that problem by consistently doing a simple, specific conditioning exercise.
In this video:
• I explain what that exercise is
• I warn against a common piece of advice that you should actually avoid
• And I share how often you should be practicing this exercise and how long it should take until keeping your fingers close to the fretboard becomes second nature
If your fingers are flying away from the fretboard when you play then this could really help, and I hope it does.

I hope you enjoyed this lesson about how to address the flying pinky guitar problem and found it beneficial. Let me know what you thought in the comments. Leaving a comment helps the channel a ton—plus I just love hearing from you!

Thanks! :)
- Jared

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#guitartechnique #pinkyexercise #technique #guitar #guitarlesson #guitarlessons

[KindCreature]

Hi Jared, I am 67 and a total beginner, with an acoustic guitar. Your voice is very pleasant. I trust you are feeling much better here in 2023. Mike in Oregon

[timlist]

Spent the last couple months working on this a bit while on the couch watching tv. The flying pinky is basically non existent at this point and my overall speed has improved significantly. Thank you!

[patchworkx]

I'll start practicing this. My pinky will usually retract to my palm anytime I put down my ring finger, so hopefully being mindfully of that tension during practicing exercises will help break the habit. Thanks for the video.

[superflymonkeyboy]

I've followed one of your courses and noticed how smooth and effortless your playing is. This explains it! Thanks for revealing - I'll get practising. Get well soon mate!

[chrisseanard]

Thank you! The best day for me to watch this video was January 2nd when I started this guitar adventure. Since I missed it then, the second best day to watch and start working this is right now.

[timgiles]

Thanks Jared. What a relief! I thought there was something wrong with me. My teacher gets totally aggravated with me over this. I haven’t realized a good solution to this until I watched and listened to this video. Thanks again. 👍

[scottharrison]

Great lesson! Something many of us figure will "fix itself" over time. But it takes practice and time. Also, never heard the "don't hold your fingers down" (9:28) bit. Great stuff.

[GuitarDoco]

Such a calm way of tranquil meditation 🙂

[jaredbryce]

Finally, a lesson that explains how to play closer to the fretboard! Thanks, I have been trying to improve on this, and couldn't find anybody to fully explain how to do the exercise!

[gabrieltakara]

I've had my guitar for less than 2 weeks and after watching this video it felt like a fret fairy magically helped me get better 😭Thank you so much

[robertlawson-smith]

Hope you are feeling better. This plus the other lesson on common mistakes really hit the bell thank you

[annaanisa]

Completely new to the guitar, but one common concept I am repeatedly hearing from guitarists is to really take your time and not rush through when practicing technique/hand positioning and such. I will be incorporating this excersize into my daily practice!!! Thank you for this video!!!

Also since I am new to your channel, do you have a video that shows other simple daily “excersizes” like this that would be beneficial in improving our play? If not, I would love to request one! ✌️

[craigphillips]

Hi, just watched your flying pinky video and I’m very glad I did. It’s been a problem for me for a long time although I didn’t realize it was until I started a jazz method book that instructed to keep your fingers close to the fretboard. What I’m especially grateful for is your advice to NOT keep your fingers planted on the fretboard which another guitarist on YouTube instructed. For me, it’s a very slow process to unlearn this habit as you alluded to in your video. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your expertise. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos.

[IdanBarir]

Thanks so much for that, Jared. I was so excited to see that something so good and useful came out from my last comment and I'm really grateful for this lesson. I'll definitely practice this extensively from now on to get rid of my flying pinky issue.
Take care of your health, have a good rest and in no time Covid will be history.

[skipneumann]

I’ve been playing for 60 years or so and have such a short pinky(thanks Mom!) that the flying pinky is still happening- but here I am watching your video to help improve the left hand… I am going to start trying this in the morning! Thanks for the ideas

[michaelgaurnier]

Thank you. Sight reading any jazz standard is a skill I eventually want to develop. At improv jazz clubs these guys can open to any song and start jamming away.

[alakirte]

I really find your voice and explanation to be very calming and encouraging, so thank you very much.

[jc-rwwq]

Gracias Jared, efectivamente tengo ese problema, y voy a comenzar en poner en practica tus soluciones técnicas, saludos desde Argentina

[StarDarkAshes]

The thing a lot of people initially don’t realize about guitar is that you have to go through these really slow boring repetitive practice sessions at least initially to get certain things down. I think the key is to do these really slow sort of boring exercises for only about 15 minutes at the most, and then go back to some other type of practice or simply actual playing. Another thing people don’t realize is that too much practicing in relation to how much you actually play and just letting go can be bad too. It’s about finding a balance in between both because sometimes some people will just play and will never practice and then there are people who only practice for the most part and never play and when you do that you’re kind of programming, certain type of rigidity that isn’t appropriate when you actually go on stage, and so when you’re on stage, you’ve kind of already programmed yourself into this mental activity in a way that it becomes habitual and that’s not really what music is about.

[XRROW_]

Thank you! I needed to see this. Just finished practicing I feel like I got a lot done :)