Picking with pinky

BinkyBassist · #1 04-18-2011, 12:01 PM

I've already done a search over the forums and didn't find a topic like this, so I hope I don't mess anything up opening a new one.

Well, first of all, this is the problem:
I'm mostly a metal player (although I LOVE jazz, funk and a lot of different styles) and I've already learnt the 3-finger technique (RMI way) and it's really useful, I can comfortably play 16th notes at ~165 BPM (I know measurement of speed does not mean how "good" you are, just using that for reference), but I often find I need to work at higher, faster tempos, so I've been looking for other techniques. I've tried to play like Steve DiGiorgio or Steve Bailey with the 1-2-3-2 method, but it doesn't feel any natural to me (I've not sticked too much with it, but I've practiced it and I don't really think it's my way to go...) or playing 1-2-3-4 including the thumb like Matthew Garrison and other ones, but it doesn't feel natural neither and I'd need a ramp, and I don't have the time and money/want to install it. So I've been watching one of my greatest inspirations in metal bass playing, Erlend Caspersen, and his approach of picking with the pinky like 1-2-3-4 seemed interesting and felt more natural to me, but I'd need to work the positioning of the plucking hand and making the plucks even (sometimes it sounds like a 8th and then a 16th note triplet).

Does anyone go this way? Know someone who uses it? Know any good exercices to work on it? Thanks in advance!

PD: Sorry for my engrish, I'm spanish and 15.

Bozendoka · #2 04-18-2011, 05:41 PM

I do although I'm somewhat limited in that I nearly always play 4-3-2-1; I've got some work to do on finger independence. I read an article years and years ago, what it said was:

1. Play everything 2-3 until that's comfortable, then
2. Play everything 1,2-3,4 (play with two fingers at once but like you're using two fingers. Like the Vulcan greeting gesture, if that makes sense).
3. Continue with the other possible two finger combinations (1-3, 1-4, 2-4, 3-4)

When you aren't playing, you can do finger independence exercises: hold your hand out, palm up. Now curl each finger to your palm and back without moving any of your other fingers (I can't do this properly with my ring and pinky fingers, personally). Go slow and stay relaxed.

At that point you should have the finger independence necessary to play with all four fingers. If by some miracle I run across the article I'll post it here, but that was the gist of it.

BinkyBassist · #3 04-19-2011, 04:20 AM

Thank you very much!
I always play 3-2-1, but I don't feel that limited, so 4-3-2-1 is how I'm trying to play.
This is really useful, I'll start right now.

What I think is that there are other techniques or aspects of my playing which I should focus on and improve more important than this, but I really think this will help me, so...

Russell L · #4 04-19-2011, 05:59 AM

Not me. If I need to play that fast I'll just grab a pick. I do very well, though, with just 1 and 2. I don't even play with 4 on guitar. Ergonomically, it's just too short to fit in, it seems. If it works for you, that's cool, so good on ya.

BinkyBassist · #5 04-19-2011, 06:46 AM

I can reach higher tempos easier with a pick, but I don't think it really fits the songs or my playing style (I know, at those tempos, anything will fit, probably you'll hear a muddy wall of sound, but still...). I know it can be done, and I think it will be the method that works for me the best.