Photo: Ivan Samkov

Do blues players use their pinky?

There are no rules that say you have to use your pinky or 3 finger style. It's really all a matter of preference and you should experiment with all fingerings to understand what they feel like and how they sound. Keep in mind Django Reinhardt only used 2 fingers and played sophisticated jazz!

learningguitarnow.com - Should I learn how to play blues with my Pinky? - - Learning Guitar Now

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This is a common question I get on a regular basis, and some people on YouTube have given me flack for not playing with my pinky more when soloing. You know what? I could really care less if it’s the proper thing to do or not. Blues Guitar is not proper! We are not playing Classical music which is completely different. Well everyone has an opinion, so what I teach is how to play blues guitar. You can use any fingering you want, but if you take a look at Eric Clapton, Warren Haynes, Jimi Hendrix, SRV and many others, the general thing you will see is that they all mostly are 1, 2, and 3, finger players. To me, this is part of their sound. Some will probably disagree but it’s true. This doesn’t mean to say that by using your 4th finger to play certain licks you can’t sound like them. It just means to take note that using your 3rd finger will give you a different tone than using your 4th will.

Is this true for all styles?

No. If you’re playing flamenco, classical, Jazz, or any style for that matter using your 4th finger is needed because of different playing styles. Mainly because of the arpeggios that are used in these types of music. Blues doesn’t use arpeggios in the same way that Bebop does. To me, blues is more characteristic of bending and sounding like a singer. Now if you want to add Joe Bonamassa and Eric Johnson in, we’re getting more to modern blues rock. You’ll also notice that when you see these guys mimic Eric Clapton, and Jimi Hendrix they usually go for more of a 3 finger guitar style.

Does this mean that you can’t use your 4th finger to play blues?

No. It’s completely fine to use it. Just keep in mind what others have done and the differences in tones.

Why do I myself use it mainly?

Because it sounds the way I like it. In reality I can use my pinky a lot, but when playing like Clapton or SRV I usually don’t use my pinky because to sound like them I want to do what they did. Although If I’m playing more of a Warren Haynes, Santana, or Grant Green Style, I’m more likely to use my pinky. So you should probably learn how to play with whatever fingering you like using the most, and feel comfortable with. If you’re using a 3 finger style just for the sake of doing it, but can’t really hit the licks, you’re insane for continuing to do so without using your pinky. There are no rules that say you have to use your pinky or 3 finger style. It’s really all a matter of preference and you should experiment with all fingerings to understand what they feel like and how they sound. Keep in mind Django Reinhardt only used 2 fingers and played sophisticated jazz!

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