The Chetboard

When I read many, many years ago now that Lenny Breau used is little finger along with the other three of his right hand, I started trying to use it. Over the years I can use it very effectively. It has a stronger nail than my ring finger which plucked most of Chet's notes (at least the way I played it). And it would break and get sore at times. Do many of you finger stylists use the small finger to pluck slightly fuller chords with the melody note on top? For my bossa nova songs I use it a lot. Thanks!

Rich, my little finger is almost an inch shorter than my right hand ring finger. I did try for a right long time to work it into playing notes, but I gave up on it after a few months. I do use it plus my thumb to grab 5 string chords for a full sound sometimes, but that is about it. The left hand little finger can't do some of those big stretches to grab chords on the lower frets and I have to figure out alternate ways to do that, too. It's always an adventure with those little rascals. I'm glad you had success doing it.
Ray

I see this morning that I mistitled this subject. It should have said picking rather than fretting. Duh! My right hand little finger is long enough compared to my other stubby fingers. I always wondered what I could play if I had long fingers. But God made me the way he wanted and I do all right playing guitar.

Same here. I’ve always thought to myself that just an extra quarter to a half inch longer on my left hand would make some of those murderous stretches, especially in classical eludes, sooooooooooo much easier.

And I always thought it would be great to be able to rest my right pinky on the pick-gaurd as Chet does would be an awesome help, but the length to do that is just not there for me.