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I mentioned this in my introduction thread but I realized that it wasn't the appropriate place to ask it. What can I do to strengthen my pinky to get it to do something?! I can use my fourth finger only if the note prior to it is the first finger, and sooooometimes the second. But if I'm using my third finger there is no way my fourth finger can even move. It is the weirdest feeling. It's like there's a muscle in my finger that I need to use that has NEVER been used before. Any ideas of how I can strengthen my pinky when I am not playing?!
-Matt (another new guy)
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Yes I had the exact same weird problem, it'S just that the pinky is not used to work by it's own, the third either. Just tap 3rd then 4th, 4th then 3rd, over and over. First you'll be barely able to lift it, but with practice it will unlock! I was doing it everywhere, kitchen table while eating, desk while browsing the web etc.
"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov
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Wow. I'm just sitting here at the computer with my finger tips flat on the desk as if they were on the keyboard ready to type. It is impossible to move my third finger independently lol. The fourth finger is much easier in this position. I will alternate from this position to one where my hand is curved inward like holding the violin. Thanks.
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I still haven't had a need to use my fourth finger. Three have been plenty for everything I'm playing at this point.
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
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There are some songs that I have that I can't quite play only because I can't use my fourth finger very well. I really want to learn them and I tried cheating by just going open on the next string over but it definitely isn't a good work around. Instead of trying to cheat I just need to overcome this hurdle.
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Just keep it up, practice, practice, practice. I had the same problem, but it goes away slowly. Good luck.
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Can you use the two as one? In other works, can you put down and lift the 3rd and 4rth as one finger over and over?
Welcome to the forum. 
Sometimes people practice super slowly until it finally just clicks and happens.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Hman said
There are some songs that I have that I can't quite play only because I can't use my fourth finger very well. I really want to learn them and I tried cheating by just going open on the next string over but it definitely isn't a good work around. Instead of trying to cheat I just need to overcome this hurdle.
You're absolutely right ... sometimes the open string just doesn't cut it!
I think we've all been there, and it's another thing to practise ... like relaxation (my worst enemy) ...
If you think you can, or you think you can't, you're probably right.
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I did the very slow thing and it worked great, FM knows all and tells all, all you have to do is listen.
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I was not using the 4th much but my Suzuki Method just throw a song in my face where I have to lol. Along with slurs it's a busy technical month for me!
"It can sing like a bird, it can cry like a human being, it can be very angry, it can be all that humans are" Maxim Vengerov
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Yea, I'm realizing I need to go slow but I don't want to. Can't I just know and do everything by tomorrow?!
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If I cant u cant.
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I 2nd that
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So my friend really wanted me to learn Lux Aeterna and after downloading the sheet music and listening to the song I realize that I can actually do it and it shouldn't be too tough at all. So I youtube the song and who should happen to pop up first?! FM! Ironically he said in his video that it's a great song to exercise bow position and strengthening the 4th finger! So it's what I'm going to work on this week. Btw, I can't seem to figure out where that video is on this site. Where is it at?
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KindaScratchy said
I still haven't had a need to use my fourth finger. Three have been plenty for everything I'm playing at this point.
I spoke too soon. My homework assignment for this week from my teacher is to do D scales on all four strings, which means I'll have to use my pinky. In my lesson, I found it very hard to move my pinky.
When the work's all done and the sun's settin' low,
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow.
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Yea, I'd like to enroll my pinky finger in a boot camp for a weekend.
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Hman, I probably did that piece because it was on my long request list. I found it here after a search:
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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