[quote=”GeoNjules”]Even though its not much of a stretch, I find it much more comfortable using my pinky instead of my ring finger. My question is, am I starting a bad habit with the pinkie?[/quote]

It only becomes a bad habit if you’re restricting yourself, so you really have to judge it on a song-by-song basis. Personally, I tend to use my pinky for standard root-5th power chords, mostly because I feel like I’m then able to damp unwanted strings more securely with the various fleshy parts of my hand.

However, if you want to double up the root ( x355xx ) you’ll either have to barre the two top notes with your pinky or use your third finger along with your pinky.

And as others have said, if there’s any chance that you’ll have to add notes above the span of the power chord, it makes sense to have your pinky spare.

But you dont hit a 7th, minor 7th, sus4 or anything else on a power chord, it’s a power chord!! the first 2 or 3 strings.

Using your pinky instead of your ring finger to play power chords is definitely a bad habit. You will need your pinky to play suspended 4th chords, 7th chords, and to hit the 6th on and off while playing blues-type riffs among others.

Good Luck!

There are all sorts of ‘pinky riffs’ but if you are not about to play ‘Sweet caroline’ or any Faces number then there is no point in saving your pinky. 😆

Pardon the bass player chiming in, but doesn’t the free pinky allow for Status Quo-style semitone changes if the need arises?

[quote=”GeoNjules”]I started working on some two fingered power cords, where there are a one fret space between the index finger and ring finger. This is the “standard” fingering. Even though its not much of a stretch, I find it much more comfortable using my pinky instead of my ring finger. My question is, am I starting a bad habit with the pinkie? I’m wondering if down the road, I might need that pinky for something else? Even if its not a bad habit, should I go with the ring finger just for the stretching aspect?[/quote]

I always play whatever is comftable, i would play using different fingers as i move up the neck, as the fret space becomes shorter i use whatever fingers fit. If im playing a solo i think about it a lot more, it’s easy to fumble for notes, but i would say just play those power chords how you want.

What notes are you playing? Root, 7th and octave?