Three Fingers Up!

[wishface]

I've been trying to introduce my third finger to my picking hand, in the fashion of Billy Sheehan.

However I'm finding that my finger is not as flexible as it needs to be. I don't know if this is something that can be overcome with practice in time, but for now it just doesn't have the stamina and my arm tires more using 3 than 2. Perhaps it's just the way the finger and its muscles are wired. But when I pick the low string, my finger just flops onto the body of the guitar and it just feels awkward in a way that 2 finger playing isn't. If this is just a matter of practice then it's going to take a hell of a long time to condition and strengthen the muscles. I'm not even sure the finger can move in the way needed.

 

[Jools4001]

I started to use three fingers just a few years ago, after forty years of using two fingers only. I still use two fingers for the most part, but three finger technique does come in handy for fast triplets or the 'Steve Harris' gallop if you ever need to play anything like that.

When I first started, it felt very awkward, for different reasons than you are experiencing. In my case, it was the simple anatomical fact that my middle finger is longer than my third finger...no surprise there. However, it meant that my middle finger would hit the string harder than my third finger; which would barely make contact. So I had to work on flexing my fingers and slightly altering my wrist position to equalise the reach of each finger...it took a lot of persistence and was frustrating, because I could actually play faster by going back to two fingers, so I also had to fight the urge to just quit, but like everything else it got easier, and now it feels completely natural.

It's like when I started playing, and moving my fretting hand fingers felt so unnatural that I had to lift my finger with my other hand and place it where I needed it to be...thankfully, my fretting fingers soon became independent, just takes practise.

 

[Creede]

My fingers are curled a bit, like Billy Sheehan, and I play freestrokes near the bridge.

What you need to do is practice slowly to a metronome, making sure each note is even in volume. It will sound like groups of three at first, but once you get it even, start accenting the every four.

1234 2234 3234 4234
RMIR MIRM IRMI RMIM (if you play RMI)

Now, play slowly up and down the major scale (you don't need to accent every fourth when you are changing notes) Once you can do that starting on whichever finger you choose at whichever tempo you choose, start the major scale on another finger, rinse and repeat. Do this with all your scales and modes, and you'll soon be pretty fluent with three fingers. Make sure you practice string skipping and crossing as well. There are many ways to practice this, and you can easily find them online.

 

[sg101]

it will feel awkward at first, like your finger being the runt of the litter, but the more you practise under a metronome the better you will get. the most powerful way to improve imo is to incorperate the third finger into your regular playing as much as you use your two fingers. triplets are easy to get down, the hardest part to learn is 4/4 playing and keeping your left hand in sync with the right while 3 finger picking. pnce youve done that, there are some pretty slick muting/percussion techniques you can do with the added dexterity

 

[Garun]

I agree with all what you should do
But here's the question
Where will you actually use 3 fingers? For triplets, there's no need, since MIM MIM MIM works fine about Steve Harris lines, since he uses two also
I played from my two and half years overall, 1 year with three fingers. And guess what i find more efficient? Two fingers
I use my ring finger for octaves like Gary Willis, and 4 fingers (thumb, index, middle, ring) for some fast fast runs and some cool grooves, but i find three fingers a bit inefficient, except if you're playing metal like Myung and Sheehan.
But if no songs that you play require three fingers, don't use any. Learn two fingers like pro and then add things up
I think you will find this helpful, I may not play long, but my technique is flawless (i'm not exaggerating). If you want, go with it. I needed about 3 months to get my 3 finger into 16 note pattern.
My 99% of playing comes from two finger plucking. Good luck, if that seems to go to you, just go