Are you supposed to use your pinky?

[Tupac]

Noob here, I'm having serious trouble using my pinky. It's so dang small that it slips off before a note can finish playing, and it's not strong enough to not fret buzz every other note. Is it used very much in bass playing?

[bThumper38]

my pinky is my strongest finger, keep workin' it.

[MysticMichael]

"...not fret buzz every other note..."???

I use the small finger of my fretting hand, on a regular basis. I suppose one could adapt one's technique to not use it. But that certainly would limit the number of notes one could reach...

MM

[Muzoid]

There are no "supposed to's" anymore in bass playing...do whatever works for you is the way I see it...

Plucking hand I recommend to all my students right from the get go...it needs to be used in order to strengthen it (being your weakest/smallest finger).

If you plan fast 16th note runs, it is definitely the way to go.

Now, as for you plucking hand, less players use it, but I admire those who use 'em all.

Personally I use all 5 on each hand (the odd time, I do a thumb around on my fretting hand...but usually just to look cool - hahahaha..rarely is it actually necessary)

Chris Squire [YES] is a thumb around user as part of his personal technique.

[warnergt]

Keep working on it. In time, it will work just fine.
Also, work on placing the pinky just behind the fret where you
need the least amount of pressure; don't place your pinky half
way between frets.

[jacobcurry1]

Most Bassists frenquently use there pinky, i know i do. since the frets on a bass are much more spaced out than on a guitar it makes using the pinky more necessary.

Try getting a very light guage of strings and go through a riff or scale that uses all four fingers as this will help strenghten your hand and fingers.

Also when you do use your pinky press down with your other fingers as well. this will help take some of the pressure off your pinky.

Practice...alot

[SBassman]

Stretch your left hand daily with one-finger-per-fret exercises. Do it every day, even if it sounds sloppy. Eventually, it will become easy.

[Muzoid]

(I found this originally at TB, and it's so far one of the best exercises I've found yet)

Spider Exercises (can be done using any 4 consecutive frets)

---7---8---5---6 (loop)
-5---6---7---8---
-----------------
-----------------

then

---7---8---5---6 (loop)
-----------------
-5---6---7---8---
-----------------

then

---7---8---5---6 (loop)
-----------------
-----------------
-5---6---7---8---

use Index for 5's, Middle for 6's, Ring for 7's, Pinky for 8's

[ducknturtle]

4 fingers 4 frets. This is a basic technique.

[ShredderMaximus]

Your SUPPOSED to play bass however is most comfortable for YOU.

[trowaclown]

Originally Posted by ShredderMaximus

Your SUPPOSED to play bass however is most comfortable for YOU.

Granted, that's true. But he stands to gain far more flexibility in his choice of positions and techniques by working on his pinky. What's comfortable in the short run may not pay off in the long run, and should he need to relearn his fretting hand technique it adds up to more trouble in the long run.

[Stick_Player]

Originally Posted by ducknturtle

4 fingers 4 frets. This is a basic technique.

Not always.

I use a double bass technique:

1, 2, 3+4.

Somewhere around the 8th fret I'll use 1, 2, 3, 4.

But in the lower range, almost always first-finger, second-finger, third + fourth-fingers together.

[TOOL460002]

Rocco from tower of power can get around without a pinky, but that doesn't really work with what I play. If it does for you, cool.

You could always brace it with your ring finger until its strong enough. Even with a strong pinky that's good to learn. Its just practice. My pinky is stronger than my ring finger because I fret full steps index pinky. Its less stretching, but sometimes you have to do the one finger per fret thing.

Play every day until your muscles ache, but never play through nerve or tendon pain.

[AFRO]

Hammer-ons, and Pull-offs.

Start Index-to-pinky (in comfortable spots like 8th fret..)do this up/down all strings.
then do the same with middle to pinky..ring to pinky. then work your way back to the 5th fret, 3rd fret, 1st fret..

then do some Lift-offs in reverse.. fret with pinky strike a note, then lift off to the other fingers. ex pinky on 11th fret, pull off to the index on the 8th fret..and so on..

fit this into your warm ups..
do some stretches and you should be fine.

[SolidBass]

Maybe your action is too high or maybe you can get lighter gauge strings for your bass. Get going with easier to play strings and put the old set back on when you've built up some strength. It worked for me. It sucks starting out with badly set up stuff. That's my 2 cents.

[Rob22315]

After years of playing acoustic/folk and classical guitar, my pinky is every bit as strong as my other fretting fingers and gets used just as much.

Practice scales and that thing bassists do where we run all combinations of four fingers up and down the fretboard. I forget the proper name for this exercise though but it's a basic strength/dexterity builder.

Pinky is a little harder than the other fingers because there's some connection between the tendons on the last two fingers that tends to make both of them move together. Stick with it for a couple of weeks and you'll see a big difference in getting the strength and dexterity you desire.

[dvh]

Originally Posted by Stick_Player

Not always.

I use a double bass technique:

1, 2, 3+4.

Somewhere around the 8th fret I'll use 1, 2, 3, 4.

But in the lower range, almost always first-finger, second-finger, third + fourth-fingers together.

This

[Rockmusician]

It takes time to develop the strength in the pinky but give it time.

[Ardent15]

I just started bass, but I'm not having too much trouble with my pinky on the fretboard....

[Richland123]

I use my pinky all the time. Make it your best friend on the fretboard. It takes a while to use it properly but you sure can do a lot more intricate fingerings once you know how to use it.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!