Hi guys, I’ve been going back and forth on this issue for several years and wanted to get some advice. Initially when using the pinky on the fretting hand, I think most people tend to use more of the pad of the finger instead of the tip. I noticed though that for the other fingers the best results come from using the very tip of the finger, where it is less fleshy and can make a more solid contact with the string. I figured I should start to do the same with the pinky, also because for pull-offs it seems like you can get more of a snap-like, quick motion, as opposed to a sloppier motion with the finger pad that tends to brush the string below. But recently I saw this video from Ben Eller saying he has more dexterity while using the pad:
Ben Eller pinky
Another thing I’ve noticed is that what with the pinky being the shortest finger, it is a bit more comfortable for your hand to use the pad because you don’t need to curl the finger to use the tip. On the other hand, I’m wondering that since the pad is fleshier and has a little more give, whether this can effect timing.
I’ve tried looking at what my favorite players do but it’s a little hard to tell exactly. Here’s Rick Graham and to me it looks like he does both: https://youtu.be/z0R4Nmc9PZI?t=69
So what do you guys think? Which approach is better for dexterity, timing, and clean pull-offs? Would love to hear your opinions, thanks.