Right hand pinky plucking?

[Invisible_Kid]

I've seen a bunch of bassists in death metal do a four-finger plucking technique with all of their right hand fingers but their thumb. I was attempting to coerce my pinky into plucking, but it just hurts because it's too weak.

My question is, how can I strengthen my pinky to play four-finger licks?

[thebrain]

I don't get down with the pinky, but if I got it in my head to, I would probably play easy tunes with only my pinky for a few minutes a few times a day to strengthen it up and then try doing the actual technique you wanna pull off later. Or just keep doing it until it's numb and repeat, lol.

[Invisible_Kid]

What tunes would you suggest?

[Chris K]

Originally Posted by Invisible_Kid

I've seen a bunch of bassists in death metal do a four-finger plucking technique with all of their right hand fingers but their thumb. I was attempting to coerce my pinky into plucking, but it just hurts because it's too weak.

My question is, how can I strengthen my pinky to play four-finger licks?

By doing it and building up SLOWLY. That's the way it is.

If it hurts, stop and take a break till it's OK again. You might injure yourself.
Be careful with exercises, hand grips and other exercise material... they may built up strenght, but also impair dexterity...

http://chriskeuken.nl/health/general...event-rsi.html
http://chriskeuken.nl/health/stretch...ngthening.html

[KingRazor]

I wouldn't try to do 4 fingers, the pinky is too much shorter than the other 3 fingers. I play almost exclusively with 2 fingers but if I wanted to play really, really fast I'd use 3.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by KingRazor

I wouldn't try to do 4 fingers, the pinky is too much shorter than the other 3 fingers. I play almost exclusively with 2 fingers but if I wanted to play really, really fast I'd use 3.

In the use of a plucking technique all fingertips are the same length.

Curl your fingers as you should when playing and you will see all the finger tips level, keep them straight and they will be all different heights. When curling, the joints do the job of making the fingertips level out as they approach the palm. This motion is a natural motion so we use it to play better.....in both hands.

[IncX]

4 fingers? ...

i play death metal most of the time, and i use both 2 finger and 3 finger tchniques.

2 finger for straight 16 notes, and 3 finger for triplet-feel 16 notes or well, triplets ... im thinking, with 4 fingers, won't you just go back to the same feel when playing with 2 fingers?

on the contrary, 3 finger is not really faster than 2 fingers... that's what i learned from all the death metal i was doing.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by Invisible_Kid

I've seen a bunch of bassists in death metal do a four-finger plucking technique with all of their right hand fingers but their thumb. I was attempting to coerce my pinky into plucking, but it just hurts because it's too weak.

My question is, how can I strengthen my pinky to play four-finger licks?

Go for it, there is no reason not to learn to use all fingers, and for that matter thumb as well if you want to.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeodP4P0ivM

The act of using all fingers will ultimately strengthen them in time so don't over do any playing. If any one finger tires or has problems the rest. remember you are training them as a unit so they must work and rest as a unit. If you play on and rest the fingers that tire, you just make the other fingers dominant and increase the likelihoods that the others will never perform as part of the unit.

I talk in another thread about 3 good hand exercises. Follow the link and give them a try as part of helping your hands work better.

Phalanges

[KingRazor]

Originally Posted by Fergie Fulton

In the use of a plucking technique all fingertips are the same length.

Curl your fingers as you should when playing and you will see all the finger tips level, keep them straight and they will be all different heights. When curling, the joints do the job of making the fingertips level out as they approach the palm. This motion is a natural motion so we use it to play better.....in both hands.

My fingers really don't curl much when plucking, they remain relatively straight, there's only a slight bend at the middle knuckle. In order to make my pinky do the same thing I have to angle my hand awkwardly.

Using 4 fingers for fretting is quite easy, since the fingers are always curled, but the pinky is just much too short for plucking unless you want to play flamenco style.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by KingRazor

My fingers really don't curl much when plucking, they remain relatively straight, there's only a slight bend at the middle knuckle. In order to make my pinky do the same thing I have to angle my hand awkwardly.

Using 4 fingers for fretting is quite easy, since the fingers are always curled, but the pinky is just much too short for plucking unless you want to play flamenco style.

Ahhh you mean personally, i now understand your post. I had assumed you were talking in the context of anybody not trying to use their little finger as it would be to short. Sorry for the misunderstanding. A flamenco style is a great way to play and use all fingers.