Keeping left hand fingers close to fretboard...

[sasred]

Hi all,
Ye Search function has let me down. I know I read here a week or two ago someone's recommendation for exercises that help keep the left hand fingers from floating too far off the fretboard when not playing...which thread was that? Or, what exercises should one do? My pinky in particular likes to poke up like a flagpole when it's not closing a note, and I know I'll play more efficiently if I keep it floating over the frets.

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

Note: when I play I do one finger per fret, so I generally don't "cheat" and plop the other fingers down behind the pinky--trying to build up its strength, plus that frees up the other fingers to close off the next notes in the progression.

[iplaybassguitar]

im not sure the thread but i remember reading it too...the poster ws bassically just sayign that every excersize you do, whether they be chromatic or scales or whatnot, to start them off slow(if you have this problem), and make sure your pinky doesnt creep befind the fretboard or go flying away, then once you can controll it at slow speeds, crank it up.

its all about economy of motion, using the least amount of energy and motion to make your bass sing, which allows you to play faster and longer and cleaner

[j-bass-kreep]

Well I can't tell you a proper and fast way to keep your fingers close , It took me months to get it rigth , You are in the right track with the one finger per fret rule , just go slowly throug your scales and lines and make sure you'r finger stays down . Hope this helps .

[Erick Lam]

No exercice needed. You just have to think about it until you don't have to think about it.

[DaemonBass]

I had a similiar problem; my pinkie would curl up when it wasn't being used.

Focus on relaxing your hand and concentrate on keepin the pinky where it should be while you're playing (can be anything). If you do this every time, after a while you shouldn't have that problem.

[floopy]

It can be a sign that you are doing too much of the movement with your fingers, and not enough with your hand, especially on the lower frets.

Try playing while watching yourself in the mirror - you can see how your fingers line up, and whether they are going 'out of position' as you move up each fret.