Power chords with the little finger ?

prowla

I often use my pinky for A-shape barre chords.

(Unless I'm going to be using it to add a note for A-sus or something.)

Bezzer

That's exactly how I fret power chords too.  Not sure if it came from copying Clapton as a kid, or playing that old metal trick of moving the root down a semi tone and leaving the 5th where it is ... which I do a lot.  Or that I really like 2 note 6th chords which are very hard to do with first and third fingers

It's all just preference though init ...

lovestrat74

Oops wrong thread!  

Stratavarious

I don't think about it.. not done for 30 years.. it is all embedded in muscle memory now.

I had to actually pick up a guitar to check.  For simple power chords, I use the pinky, esp. if I am going to move the root.  If I am going to add an extension or arpeggiate away, then my third appears as if by magic as a barre leaving me options above and below.

Seems my brain plans ahead by itself.

bertie

stickyfiddle said:

I've always heard the "springsteen grip" referred to as the "Hendrix thumb-over"... Nothing wrong with it - I use that more often than a trad barre. Again it's all about context and efficiency.

never heard either TBH,  just "thumb over" or "F-barre"  -  but it is something I use almost exclusively,  due to my 45 year struggle to play E barre's properly

26.2

I do A shape barres with my third finger across strings 2 3 and 4, leaving the little finger free for the sus4. 

Trude

I use my third finger for A barres, but weirdly I’ve always played an open G chord like this by default, barring the 1st and 2nd with my little finger:



I know a lot of people like this chord, but everybody seems to play it with four fingers, but doing it this way leaves the index finger free to add whatever fill-in notes you might need.  Has always worked for me and it's where my fingers naturally fall.

Roland

On acoustic I play it that way because of the incidentals. I learned the other way when I had to play Sweet Home Alabama.

Nitefly

Hmm - just tried it, I can't get clarity on the B note on the A string 

Roland

You will. It just takes practice.

Slash'N'burn

Used to use third finger and little finger on 5th and octave, but last couple of years changed to just the little finger playing the 5th - found it easier to do quick chord changes sliding up and down the neck, more comfortable/accurate for my small hands - although I’ve now noticed that many large handed players do the very same thing when the octave is not wanted.