Little Fingers

[JimLucas]

In this post I speculate that how much use we make of our little fingers on the buttons depends on their length relative to the other fingers. On my own hands, my little fingers are 2/3 as long as my ring fingers, and I use the little fingers occasionally on the buttons, but by no means equally with the other fingers. What about you?

 

I admit that my poll doesn't allow for multiple answers if the lengths or usage differ radically between your hands. If that is the case, it's up to you whether to respond according to the one hand or the other, some sort of average, or not at all.

 

I also realize that the extent you use your little finger is potentially affected by the type of concertina you play and your playing style. E.g., "English-style" anglo players are almost forced to make at least some use of the little finger in the left hand, while English players who use the finger plates in holding the instrument will tend to use their little fingers on the buttons rarely, if at all. Then again, maybe your choice of playing style has been affected by your ability to use your little finger. Maybe I'll consider such factors later, if the results of this poll prove interesting. ... Maybe.

Edited December 2, 2007 by JimLucas

[meltzer]

I'm an English-style Anglo player (mostly song accompaniment), so I use mine pretty much all the time. My little finger's quite long. Also my first instrument was the guitar (starting at age 8), and I used to do finger exercises, meaning that my little finger is well-used to operating independently -- on my left hand, at least. Very handy for reaching for that bottom button on the chromatic row.

[Tootler]

I play Anglo, not strictly English style, but I do play chords with my left hand.

 

I use my little finger regularly on the C and G rows with no problems. However, I have fairly small hands so I can barely reach the 4th and 5th buttons on the "chromatic row" with my little finger on either hand, so have to rely on my ring finger to reach those buttons when I need them. To date, this has not been often, but is becoming more common as I start to reach out of my initial comfort zone.

 

Geoff

[Larry Stout]

My hands are quite large (pinky 70 mm, ring finger 87 mm, middle finger 95 mm, index finger 87mm) and I usually play EC on which I don't make much (if any) use of my little fingers. I do use them for accidentals on the Crane duet though.

[Leo]

Hey Jim

 

Not being too aggressive a player, and probably mediocre at that, my pinkies only seem to help direct the positioning of the buttons. I play an English. So I guess I would have to pick 2/3 up to 4/5 (If I got my math correct) and no use. I also have proportionately stubby fingers, and small hand.

 

Hope it helps

 

Thanks

Leo

[JimLucas]

Measuring with my fingers spread to easily determine the center of the bases... .

I just now measured by shoving the ruler up against the crotch betweeen my LH pinky and ring finger, and got 56 mm and 75 mm. That's a shorter percentage (25% shorter) than yours, if our measurements are comparable. Your difference

Oops! That's a factor I neglected to address: what to use as the "base" of the fingers when measuring. I measured each finger from its tip to the center of the knuckle joint at its base. My way, I got a 2/3 (66.7%) ratio. ragtimer's way, I get a 5/8 (62.5%) ratio. As I've set them up, that doesn't change my own category, but it might make a difference for some other folks.

 

But since I won't be using the results to make claims in a scientific journal -- nor even in a tabloid newspaper , -- I don't think the discrepancies will matter much.

[Theodore Kloba]

I also realize that the extent you use your little finger is potentially affected by the type of concertina you play and your playing style.

On chemnitzer, the little finger of the left hand can actually get the most use: If you're playing oom-pah style, most of the "ooms" are on the little finger. On the right hand, it gets much less, most frequently it's for one of the oddly positioned intervals that can't be reached otherwise.

Also my first instrument was the guitar (starting at age 8), and I used to do finger exercises, meaning that my little finger is well-used to operating independently -- on my left hand, at least.

I also played guitar (bass guitar and piano as well) before concertina, and I'm sure that affects how I use the little fingers. It has also physically altered my hands too-- extending the reach. I think guitar playing has caused the middle and ring fingers of my left hand to be curved towards each other. Who knows how the bones would have grown had I been playing concertina as a small child.

[Hooves]

I also played guitar (bass guitar and piano as well) before concertina, and I'm sure that affects how I use the little fingers. It has also physically altered my hands too-- extending the reach. I think guitar playing has caused the middle and ring fingers of my left hand to be curved towards each other. Who knows how the bones would have grown had I been playing concertina as a small child.

 

I played guitar and mandolin for 18 years before picking up a concertina, pinky use on my left hand is almost a neccessity in my mind, in the last few years I have migrated away from finger picks, and now use my pinky on the right much more often (last 6 or so months Ive been studying Adrian Legg, Michael Hedges, Al Petteway, and Nick Drake, most definately they have influenced my playing, including much more pinky use on the right hand, though I still use pick al ot too).

 

On my Crane, I use the pinky on both sides frequently, however since I'm still learning, and I don't have any solid "do this don't do this" mentoring, I'm still a bit fumbly.

 

They say learning one foreign language helps you learn another more easily, I would imagine the same is true for musical instruments, at least you have the foundations of music under your belt.

[ragtimer]

Measuring with my fingers spread to easily determine the center of the bases... .

I just now measured by shoving the ruler up against the crotch betweeen my LH pinky and ring finger, and got 56 mm and 75 mm. That's a shorter percentage (25% shorter) than yours, if our measurements are comparable. Your difference

Oops! That's a factor I neglected to address: what to use as the "base" of the fingers when measuring. I measured each finger from its tip to the center of the knuckle joint at its base. My way, I got a 2/3 (66.7%) ratio. ragtimer's way, I get a 5/8 (62.5%) ratio. As I've set them up, that doesn't change my own category, but it might make a difference for some other folks.

I just measured my fingers your way (center of knuckle), and for my RH, got 75mm and 96mm for pinky and ring. But my LH pinky is only 70mm! So that's why I use my pinky hardly at all on the LH?!? Even tho I grew up playing guitar and piano and organ?

 

Really -- I placed my hands together, palms up, and can see directly that my LH baby finger is indeed the runt of the litter, by 5mm compared to the RH baby.

 

On keyboards, one thinks nothing of playing deep bass notes with the left pinky. But I seemed to have learned the Hayden Duet chords and basses without it, and now just don't trust it.

 

Oh, I voted for 2/3 - 4/5, moderate, which seems to be the majority. I was heavily favoring my RH usage when I voted. --Mike K.

[Boney]

I use my pinkies pretty often, but not quite equally. Their main weakness seems to be their repetitive speed for me. That is, I can fit the pinky into a quick run quite well (although not quite as easily as the other three fingers), but it can't trill or play quick repeated notes nearly as fast as the others. With practice, it's been getting a bit better. Maybe my pinkies are relatively strong because I can type quickly, and used to have to type a lot for my job. My pinky is 83% the length of my ring finger, both hands are very close to the same.

[hjcjones]

My little finger comes up to the top joint on the ring finger, but comparing the lengths knuckle to knuckle its about 3/4 the length,

 

I play harmonic-style anglo, and frequently use the little fingers of both hands. On the left hand it's essential for the low notes of the chords, and on the right hand it's great for making runs across the rows.

 

I'm also a guitarist, but while I use the left-hand little finger, I don't use the right-hand one for picking. On melodeon, I use the right-hand pinky, but not the left-hand - just 3 fingers for the left-hand chords. Recorder uses the right but not the left! I'm sure that playing other instruments helps, if only in exercising the fingers and teaching control over them.

 

There was a post recently from someone who couldn't move their little finger independently of the ring finger, but for most people (unless there is an underlying anatomical problem) this is something which can be learned, it's just that only musicians and touch-typists need to develop the skill.

[Alan Day]

It helps to do a bit of finger exercise.It drives everyone crazy, but starting with your thumbs (with both hands ) place the each finger down in turn until you get to your little fingers and then back each finger in turn to the thumbs. From the first tap of the thumbs to the return tap of the thumbs takes me approx one second.

Then try one finger at a time left hand whilst going through all fingers on the right.

The men in white coats will never believe when they take you away.

Al

[bellowbelle]

I don't use my little fingers to press buttons, so that's 'no use,' but...of course, I use them to hold onto the concertina via the fingerplates.

 

I'm 'more than 2/3, up to 4/5, no use.'