chuckv97 - Posted - 10/02/2025:  12:49:55

There was a thread a few weeks ago about this problem, which I also have now that my older fingers are getting stiffer. My ring finger would follow the middle finger and mute the first string right after I’d pick it. (I only anchor the little finger). So I went back 50+ years and put a rubber band around the little and ring fingers,,, it’s still a work in progress but after a 20 minute test drive I can notice the difference when I take the band off. Hope this helps the person who was the OP of that thread, or anyone else. Here’s a clip of me trying it out (muted banjo)



share.icloud.com/photos/0a4SdK...OqioNaOKQ

Edited by - chuckv97 on 10/02/2025 23:12:14

Ric in Richmond - Posted - 10/02/2025:  13:33:14

A few years back I physically stretched those finger individually and practiced separating their movement in an attempt to kill any sympathetic movement between them... Middle ring and pinky.

I still routinely stretch each finger to its range of motion while operating the adjacent fingers to keep any "attachment " from forming and it does help.

Its just that your hand is never asked to move those fingers independently....they grasp together and you don't want that.

It's not hard......don't go crazy....isolate each finger, work it through its range of motion while keeping adjacent fingers still then focus on intentionally moving one finger with the others held still.

I like the rubber band idea...but I like the idea of not tying pinky and ring together more.

chuckv97 - Posted - 10/02/2025:  13:46:33

Ric in Richmond Thanks, Ric. I do stretch them a few times a day using Kurt Kemp’s exercises from his homepage videos. I also rub in coconut or avocado oil,, but I haven’t tried the independent finger exercises.. I’ll start those. I’ve never had a problem until 3 or 4 years ago. I'm actually not looking to anchor both fingers,, I'll just use the rubber band to train the ring finger to stay put until it does.

Edited by - chuckv97 on 10/02/2025 13:52:06

Tractor1 - Posted - 10/02/2025:  13:57:42

mine never are completely independent--If I hold the ring straight there is no way I can make a fist with the pinkie and middle--If I plant the ring finger ,the middle loses it's ability in a drastic amount --Through the skin,I can see apparent movement of tendons"" tied across ''when looking at the back of my hand in attempts-- Folks that can park their ring with no problem are blessed and sometimes they figure we are making it up---I have got around to a hand position that lets my ring finger fly---Over the years I tried about all of the fixes--especially after a doctor here said it was a mental thing--I won't go into my thoughts on that

Texasbanjo - Posted - 10/02/2025:  14:08:07

I also used the rubber band trick to stop the movement of the ring and pinkie fingers and that was about 30 years ago. For me, it worked for years and now that I'm older, I'm finding that the ring and pinkie want to move together again.

At this point in my life, I'm not going to try to change it back. I'm not in a band any more and not as good a picker as I used to be. Age does take it's toll. So, I go along, picking and letting those two fingers get reacquainted. It hasn't bothered me and the pinkie doesn't rub against the 1st string, so who cares what it does!

Bronx banjo - Posted - 10/02/2025:  19:13:11

I think this happens because everybody’s hands are constructed differently.
With some hands, the middle and ring fingers need to move together while with other hands, these fingers can move more independently. As long as it doesn’t interfere with picking, there’s nothing wrong with the ring finger following along with the middle finger. There are a few very successful and well-known banjo pickers who play this way where just the little finger is anchored. I guess it’s possible to work on it so that both fingers are anchored, but I bet there are some cases where it’s just impossible and trying to change could be a source of needless frustration.

chuckv97 - Posted - 10/02/2025:  19:59:27

Years ago I anchored both little and ring fingers,, then I quit banjo for a long time. When I went back to playing banjo I just anchored the pinky. It was fine until just a few years ago when the ring finger moved with the middle too much, causing it to hit the first string right after I picked it, but only on the backward roll. I’ll keep doing the independent finger motion exercises.

Edited by - chuckv97 on 10/02/2025 19:59:48

Laurence Diehl - Posted - 10/02/2025:  23:11:10

Hands are weird. I can only do the “Vulcan salute” with my left hand. Maybe because fretting demands more finger independence than rolling. Sounds pretty frustrating if your ring finger is muting the first string.

Bill H - Posted - 10/03/2025:  02:31:33

What is the benefit for planting both? Mine will not stay in unison with my pinkie. I tried binding my fingers together and both hands short circuit, like they have lost all memory of ever having played before.

Jerry Hatrick - Posted - 10/03/2025:  04:38:56

What works for me, is loosely tucking the (unplanted) ring finger into the palm and just planting the pinkie. A bit uncomfortable at first, but it stops the ring finger trying to shadow the middle. However, I don’t know anyone else who does this, so maybe it’s not that clever.

chuckv97 - Posted - 10/03/2025:  14:05:56

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jerry Hatrick

What works for me, is loosely tucking the (unplanted) ring finger into the palm and just planting the pinkie. A bit uncomfortable at first, but it stops the ring finger trying to shadow the middle. However, I don’t know anyone else who does this, so maybe it’s not that clever.

---

If I remember right, Doug Dillard did that

Jerry Hatrick - Posted - 10/03/2025:  14:22:39

Thanks, I didn’t know that. One of my favourite players too.

chuckv97 - Posted - 10/03/2025:  16:10:45

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jerry Hatrick

Thanks, I didn’t know that. One of my favourite players too.

---

Here's a couple of screen shots of Doug's hand ,, can't quite see the end of his ring finger though

Edited by - chuckv97 on 10/03/2025 16:20:01

chuckv97 - Posted - 10/03/2025:  16:20:29

And another technique … after a while you won't need the piece between the fingers anymore

Edited by - chuckv97 on 10/03/2025 16:25:35

 

chuckv97 - Posted - 10/03/2025:  16:57:28

Messing around a bit, I realize I don’t have the problem at slower tempos so I’m thinking as I pick faster my hand tenses up…. Aha! Eureka!

steve davis - Posted - 10/06/2025:  08:50:28

I've always let my ring finger do whatever it wants.
I suppose that makes it my "spoiled brat" finger.

Owen - Posted - 10/06/2025:  12:40:54

I typically don't even notice such minutiae, but now that it's a "thing," I momentarily sat up and took notice.  To my tin ear, Jeff Roberts' ring finger moving alongside the 3rd. doesn't seem to hamper him too much [near the start of this video]: youtube.com/watch?v=8LX-v7STgS...t_radio=1

But, but, but I've got no basis for comparison, so maybe I'm out to lunch.  

steve davis - Posted - 10/06/2025:  13:35:05

There's nothing like a good helping of diversity.

mikeb210 - Posted - 10/09/2025:  08:55:35

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bill H

What is the benefit for planting both? Mine will not stay in unison with my pinkie. I tried binding my fingers together and both hands short circuit, like they have lost all memory of ever having played before.

---

This is what happens to me too. If I even think about the ring finger while I’m playing, especially the act of noticing that its come off the head, my brain immediately shuts down. 

 

I agree with Laurence, hands are weird. Brains are weird. Its amazing that any of this is possible!

Owen - Posted - 10/09/2025:  09:35:16

Chuck: "My ring finger would follow the middle finger and mute the first string right after I’d pick it. (I only anchor the little finger)."

It may seem extreme at first, getting rid of the offending (?) finger might be your ticket.   

I know of one person, and have heard of a few others who have had their [left] ring finger pulled off by getting their wedding ring caught on something.   In the instance I'm aware of, the guy was riding on the side of a grain truck as they crossed the yard .... back when 1-tons were grain trucks. He was holding on to the top of the sideboards .... which had a strip of flat iron screwed along the top edge, to extend the life of the wood.  As the truck was coming to a stop, he hopped off, but caught his ring on a loose screw.  "Look Ma .... no finger!!"

One of the guys that sings and plays guitar [right hand picking] around here is missing the ring and pinkie fingers of that hand. One day I asked him where he stood on the never-ending banjo "issue" of plant-one-or-plant-two.  He had absolutely no idea of what I was going on about.  Nothing like having to explain a funny (?) to have it lose it's ooomph.  

chuckv97 - Posted - 10/09/2025:  09:44:00

Geez,, I don’t care if the ring finger isn’t planted,,, it’s the issue of it moving so much rhat it mutes the first string after I pick it with my middle finger.  Ok, ok,, so I'm grouchy today... I didn't get my 8.32 hours of sleep last night...

Edited by - chuckv97 on 10/09/2025 09:46:21

ragsisme - Posted - 10/10/2025:  12:57:46

I found it impossible to keep my ring finger planted with my pinkie. Tried hard. However, I do not have the problem of it muting my strings. What I did do to keep my pinkie planted more steadily was buy some rubber finger tips and put one on my pinkie. It works very well for me and my hand stays steady on the banjo head.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 10/11/2025:  23:43:35

This guy seems to be ok with the ring finger moving with the middle one. 

youtube.com/watch?v=SQHbEjFIVw...t_radio=1

Dean T - Posted - 10/12/2025:  05:04:06

If this wasn’t the Scruggs forum… I’d say if it want to pick the strings, put a pick on it, and let it

4 picks

 

Owen - Posted - 10/12/2025:  07:34:17

Well, we regularly get advice to "make the music your own" .... wouldn't the extra (?) pick just be a step toward that end?  

chuckv97 - Posted - 10/12/2025:  08:51:10

I admire folks who try to re-invent the wheel,, but I’ve got my hands full just tryin’ ta copy Earl & Sonny #JD #Brad-Bill & etc.
Methinks part of the problem is, besides aging, is that I play fingerstyle guitar with thumb and three fingers, , thing is I don’t use picks on guitar and the ring finger doesn’t follow the middle to where it hits the first string unintentionally. But then I don’t plant any fingers when playing guitar so the muskkels woik differently. And so it goes….

Dean T - Posted - 10/12/2025:  15:02:42

Truth be told, I played finger style guitar long before banjo, so just kept going with 4 picks. So I play a lot of three finger, with three fingers… just because you are wearing four picks, doesn’t mean you have to use them all the time. It’s worked out well, because I started having a lot of index finger trouble (lifelong mechanic with arthritis) and now do most of my three finger picking with T-M-R.

chuckv97 - Posted - 10/12/2025:  16:39:29

Dean T Here’s Don Cormier from New Brunswick - he also had problems with his index finger
youtu.be/zFiFuCG42Fg?si=riUGONFCF4higsw5

 

Dean T - Posted - 10/12/2025:  18:45:39

YES! I play like that a lot, but with a pick on my index finger that occasionally hits a bass or root note every now and then, and I’ll use it on back up and sometimes arpeggios. I don’t think much about it anymore, it just does what it wants to.

Dale Diehl - Posted - 10/17/2025:  06:17:48

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bronx banjo

I think this happens because everybody’s hands are constructed differently.

With some hands, the middle and ring fingers need to move together while with other hands, these fingers can move more independently. As long as it doesn’t interfere with picking, there’s nothing wrong with the ring finger following along with the middle finger. There are a few very successful and well-known banjo pickers who play this way where just the little finger is anchored. I guess it’s possible to work on it so that both fingers are anchored, but I bet there are some cases where it’s just impossible and trying to change could be a source of needless frustration.

---

I agree.  I was fighting this because I was told ring finger and pinky HAD to be anchored.  Then someone said hold out your hands. The left seperate like the Vulcan salute and the right serarate between the index and middle and the pinky and ring separate. So I've got one of each. Gave up on anchoring the ring finger. Just try to keep it out of the way.

Anothet finger discipline is getting the middle and ring finger over the first string to play the 2,3,and 4 strings.  I think its one of those things like our posture. We have to keep working on it if we want it to be good.  Keeping the me.bers limber and moving id a discipline thst requires constant effort.  I'm about 8 weeks out from a shoulder surgery and couldn't pkay for a few mobths before surgery.  It's almost like starting over.  Nothing wants work, and every thing hurts.

Ira Gitlin - Posted - 10/17/2025:  06:36:31

Doug Dillard has already been mentioned. I think it's about time someone also mentioned the following great players:

Allen Shelton
Sammy Shelor
Alison Brown
Lynn Morris
Tom Adams...

...and that just for starters. Hey, guys 'n' gals, feel free to add your favorite one-finger anchorers to the list.

TucsonBill - Posted - 10/18/2025:  09:05:25

I'm not sure how accurate this is, but a few years ago I had a session with a banjo instructor who told me that the ring finger for most people is built differently than the others. There is something about how the tendons are set up in the hands that do not let the ring finger move as independently as the other fingers. With exercise and practice this limitation can be overcome somewhat, but it is not your imagination that it is more difficult to move a ring finger as easy as you might wish.

BG Banjo - Posted - 10/25/2025:  11:05:49

quote:

---

Originally posted by TucsonBill

I'm not sure how accurate this is, but a few years ago I had a session with a banjo instructor who told me that the ring finger for most people is built differently than the others. There is something about how the tendons are set up in the hands that do not let the ring finger move as independently as the other fingers. With exercise and practice this limitation can be overcome somewhat, but it is not your imagination that it is more difficult to move a ring finger as easy as you might wish.

---

I actually had to get up, grab a banjo and see. I'm a pinkie planter. My ring finger is just dangling out there on its own, not doing much of anything.

I'm not sure about them not able to move idependently. When it comes to the left hand, I play the full and partial F and D chord shapes up the neck a lot. I have to switch the ring an middle fingers all the time from one chord shape to the other. It took a long time to get them to cooperate, but they eventually figured it out and change without thinking. They most definitely move independently from each other. I learned that technique from Ned Luberecki at a three day workshop I attended last year. I use it almost all the time, along with the barred A shape. 

reallyoldman - Posted - 10/27/2025:  08:51:06

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tractor1

mine never are completely independent--If I hold the ring straight there is no way I can make a fist with the pinkie and middle--If I plant the ring finger ,the middle loses it's ability in a drastic amount --Through the skin,I can see apparent movement of tendons"" tied across ''when looking at the back of my hand in attempts-- Folks that can park their ring with no problem are blessed and sometimes they figure we are making it up---I have got around to a hand position that lets my ring finger fly---Over the years I tried about all of the fixes--especially after a doctor here said it was a mental thing--I won't go into my thoughts on that

---