Incredibly weak pinky

Waspinators · #1 06-11-2008, 03:31 PM

I've been playing for a year, and unfortunately, I never learned to use my pinky. Now I see how much it could improve my technique, and I'm starting to use it. Problem is, can barely ever fret a note with my pinky, without it sounding terribly buzzy. I realize the solution is to practice (duh), but if anyone has any exercises to help me with using my pinky, and strengthening it, that'd be great.

Also, I'm thinking of getting one of those Gripmasters to use when I'm not home. Anyone ever used one of those?

JimmyM · #2 06-11-2008, 03:39 PM

The best one for me was just holding the typical 1-finger-per-fret position and doing 3-4 on every string up and down just repeating it over and over. Then do 2-4, then 1-4, then 4-3, 4-2, and 4-1. But any exercise will work as long as you don't cheat and try not to use the pinky.

And Gripmaster...joke. Totally inappropriate for the muscles used to play guitar and bass. You need flexibility and dexterity, not strength.

ErebusBass · #3 06-11-2008, 03:43 PM

On the same note, with the typical one-finger per fret position, an exercise I found quite helpful was to fret 1-2-4-2 and 1-4-2-4 alternately. Start on the highest string to build up a little bit of finger strength and work your way down. Also build up your speed until you can do it fast fast fast (this technique will also help your fretting in general).

ksandvik · #4 06-11-2008, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErebusBass

On the same note, with the typical one-finger per fret position, an exercise I found quite helpful was to fret 1-2-4-2 and 1-4-2-4 alternately. Start on the highest string to build up a little bit of finger strength and work your way down. Also build up your speed until you can do it fast fast fast (this technique will also help your fretting in general).

Yep. Also, stop if it hurts, if you continue while it hurts you will start damaging the finger and it takes a long time to heal. --Kent

scottbass · #5 06-11-2008, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

And Gripmaster...joke. Totally inappropriate for the muscles used to play guitar and bass. You need flexibility and dexterity, not strength.

I gotta respecfully semi-disagree about the Gripmaster. It's true that you need dexterity and flexibility, especially for your fingers. However, I find that far from being "a joke", it does a good job of maintaining my stamina vis-a-vis my forearm muscles, especially on my right hand. Also, those lined caps they sell to fit over the plungers help maintain my calluses.

I keep the Gripmaster in my vehicle and when I feel like I haven't been putting in enough practice time, I will work it for about 20 minutes during my daily commute. As I mentioned, it keeps the muscle tone in my forearms which prevents cramping during the last set of a four-hour gig.

I certainly agree that it does nothing for your technique nor does it do much for your finger strength, but I have found it useful for the purpose I described.

JimmyM · #6 06-11-2008, 03:54 PM

Well that's more for general good health and stamina. I guess stamina is important as well, but I know a lot of out of shape people who can really play bass

Matthew Bryson · #7 06-11-2008, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waspinators

Problem is, can barely ever fret a note with my pinky, without it sounding terribly buzzy.

You might also want to check the action on your bass - could need a set up. It shouldn't take much strength to fret a note.

StarscreamG1 · #8 06-11-2008, 04:53 PM

I used to always have a problem with my pinky the first time I played (played for several years then put it up for several years and just got back into it the latter part of last year) and I would always just compensate with my 3rd finger. Part of my problem is the length of my pinky. I do not have short fingers but my pinkys are rather short for some reason. I physically can NOT hit a note on the E string with my 4rth finger..just can't and thats on a Jneck even...

Anyway, I was reading around here one day about the use of the 4th finger. I even commented on one thread that I just work around it and thats that. Well some poster commented that he didn't feel a player was a true player if they didnt use their 4th finger. I didn't agree with them buuuuut it did get some determination under my butt... I play a lot of original pieces and I came up with this one piece where I HAD to use my 4th finger or it just wasnt going to work....so I did...took several days and after I got good with it I went to the standard Jazz riff (E3,A2,A3,A5,D2 and reverse back to the E3, repeat then A3,D2,D3,D5,G2 reverse back to the A3, repeat then go back down etc etc) To play that before I always had to use my 3rd finger for the A5/D5. After practicing the one riff with my pinky, that finger did the A5/D5 just fine. I have really built the use of it it and I can feel a difference in it even.

Practice that riff or come up with something where you have to use the pinky and just keep practicing. I still can not hit a note on the E with my pinky well at all but I can sometimes and I know its because I have finally been building that finger up. I have also built up the reach of that finger so on the occasions when I can use my pinky for the E string its easier now down the neck..or that up the neck? I can never keep that straight.. I can hit E string notes easier with my pinky now on frets closer to the nut (but still can't use it farther up/down the neck -- toward the body.. *sigh* whatever LOL).

Keep practicing, it can be done.