Switching from two fingers to three

[ErebusBass]

So heres the deal, i've always considered myself a fingerstyle player. I love the tone, the natural feel, and the freedom for experssion. Unfortunately I play in a metal band and due to a recent drummer switch the music has become so fast that i am no longer accurate with my fingers.

I have always used two fingers, it's just the way i learned, and until recently i never thought of anything different. I think if i could throw a third finger into the mix, i might be able to keep up. So as you can imagine, after nearly six years of playing playing, my index and middle finger have gotten much stronger. My ring finger has not. How do i get this one strong enough that it will do what i tell it to, when i tell it to? Can anyone recommend some techniques for strengthening a third finger, and incorporating it into my playing?

[crazyguy832]

Buy a finger strengthener; you can find them at music stores. Also, you can do grip exercises (talk to bodybuilders, you'd be surprised at how important finger strength is). One simple one I like to do is picking up and holding free weights with just the tips of my fingers... suprisingly difficult.

Also, look at this page here:

http://www.harmony-central.com/Bass/...s/Hanging_Ten/

That page pretty much covers everything you need to know for multi-fingered playing (including getting your pinky finger into the mix, if you want to). It really helped me a lot when I was just starting to get into 4-fingered playing (I use 3 for gallops and straight triplets, though).

[ErebusBass]

Thanks, that was a great article. Can anyone else contribute?

[Traver]

Just start playing some easy songs you already know by heart, but instead of playing it with two fingers, play it with three fingers all the time. Do this for 20-30 minutes every day and you'll have a strong ring finger in no time.

[dystopiate]

A word of warning from someone who went through the same thing:

Build up the ring finger at a reasonable pace. A lot of the neurological learning we do when we first pick up the bass won't be necessary when adding in the ring finger, making it easy to over do it when starting out. Also, it's a good idea to check out your right-hand form and make sure your wrist is straight and you're not tensing up... adding in the ring finger makes carpal tunnel a whole lot easier to get.

[jschwalls]

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

see if this video spawns any ideas....

have fun

[fretman4god]

don't use one of those finger exercisers! just buy a raquetball, and pinch it inbetween your thumb and the finger you want to strengthen. It more accurately mimics the way your finger pulls across the strings...

[crazyguy832]

As the one who originally reccomended it, I will disagree with you...

The point of the finger exerciser is not to imitate playing an instrument, but to strengthen the muscles and tendons of your fingers as well as your overall hand, wrist, and forearm strength. Honestly... nothing helps quite as much as those Gripmasters. My stamina and overall comfort have both increased a lot since I started using one.

[Kenji]

there are also a couple of dvd's you can get. the billy sheehan advanced bass dvd is good and if you can find it the john myung dvd i think it goes over it as well. both have helped my three finger technique

[nysbob]

When I made the switch (thirty years ago ) I concentrated on playing a lot of double note exercises - scales playing each note twice but maintaining the R-M-I finger pattern. Also did a lot of work going between two strings and skipping a strings - again, if you play a major scale and return to the root note between each tension and hit each note twice, it will help you even out your playing to where it doesn't feel awkward. If you dedicate yourself to it you'll find you build speed and strength fairly quickly.

Another way to build strength and confidence in that ring finger is to play simpler stuff using it alone.