Finger Dexterity

[moebass6]

Hello TB'ers

I am having trouble getting my pinky finger to do what I want it to do when playing. Practicing scales and patterns at a slow pace are not so much of a problem. It's trying to play fast that's the problem. I have a short pinky compared to threst of my fingers which a long in length. I can play O.K. using my index, middle, and ring finger so is a bad thing not to use the pinky.

[The_Hat_Guy]

I don't use my pinky very often and manage to get around the fretboard pretty well. i cannot use it when doing any sort of runs up or down the fretboard, but still manage long, fast runs without it. I would say that from my experience, it is possible to play just fine without your pinky, just a matter of personal taste whether or not you feel it will be crucial to the level of playing you want to achieve.

[trog]

Using your pinky allows you to reach further, play faster, and play smoother... and as with most things, you've just gotta keep practicing it

[fearceol]

My teacher told me not to worry about speed yet. Keep using your pinky while slowly practicing scales, and gradually increase the speed over time. It is definitely an advantage using all four fretting fingers.

[69nites]

Yep speed comes on it's own.

An excersise I think I learned from something with Victor Wooten.

start at the lowest major scale you can play and move it up a half step as far as you can on your lowest string. Then move to the next lowest string and go from the highest you can play to the lowest.

Works awesome as a stretching and strength building exorcise.

You can also change it up on what scales you play and mix them as well.

It's normally the first thing I do when I pick up my bass as a warmup/exorcise

[Correlli]

I used to think that finger strength and dexterity was something you can learn or develop. But that took the fun out of playing bass. In my experience, I wouldn't focus on developing strength and dexterity, rather, focus on making music. dexterity comes automatically in time.

[bassist15]

Yea , everynow and then I used to worry abotu not being able to play 16th notes grooves fast ,but I always think back and remember that speed comes with time and practice. You really cant practice for speed or you'll mess up your hands and stuff.

[pocketmonster]

Originally Posted by moebass6

Hello TB'ers

I am having trouble getting my pinky finger to do what I want it to do when playing. Practicing scales and patterns at a slow pace are not so much of a problem. It's trying to play fast that's the problem. I have a short pinky compared to threst of my fingers which a long in length. I can play O.K. using my index, middle, and ring finger so is a bad thing not to use the pinky.

There are a lot of licks out there on bass you cannot play without using ol' pinky. Two thoughts on trying to improve speed...

1) Be aware of the curvature of your fingers. If fingers are too flat, especially ring and pinky which are weaker, it is hard to move them quickly. Fingers should have a nice bit of curl to them to maximize their performance. The wrist should be straight to enable good curvature.

2) Focus exercises right on your weakness. Play at a comfortable place on the fretboard. Play eighth notes on fret 7 and then 10 using index and pinky and work right across all 4/5/6 strings. Go lower to higher string, higher to lower. Start slowly to warm up and then start pushing the pace. Then reverse it to pinky first on each string, then index. The point of using the index alternating with the pinky is simply to keep the hand in the proper position while building strength and coordination.

Hope this helps...

[mellofello]

play on e-string 1rst fret, 4th fret using index, pinky
then on a-string 1rst fret, 4th fret
then on d-string
then g-string

repeat on 2nd fret, 5th fret

3rd, 6th etc. up to 12th, 15th (or as high as you want)

then play on g-string 15th, 12th
d-string 15th, 12th
a-sting "
e-string "

then 14th fret, 11th fret
etc.. all the way back down to 1rst fret

THEN
play 2nd fret, 4th fret using middle and pinky
work the middle and pinky all the way up and all the way down

THEN
work the ring and pinky all the way up and all the way down

your pinky is weak cuz you always give it a break while working your other fingers, so make it strong by working it while resting the others. this exercise worked great for me, you WILL feel it working.

[Basso Gruvitas]

This is all good advice. Especially the part about "listening to your teacher!"

What styles of music do you guys play that only use 3 fingers, or seldom use your pinkys? I used to play metal back in the stone ages, and I never used my pinky. I took some lessons from a guitar player who introduced me to positions and 4-finger playing.

[69nites]

I'm all about the one finger per fret rule. I also like to play with the least amount of shifting possible. My pinky is constantly in use.

[ric1312]

Originally Posted by pocketmonster

There are a lot of licks out there on bass you cannot play without using ol' pinky. Two thoughts on trying to improve speed...

1) Be aware of the curvature of your fingers. If fingers are too flat, especially ring and pinky which are weaker, it is hard to move them quickly. Fingers should have a nice bit of curl to them to maximize their performance. The wrist should be straight to enable good curvature.

2) Focus exercises right on your weakness. Play at a comfortable place on the fretboard. Play eighth notes on fret 7 and then 10 using index and pinky and work right across all 4/5/6 strings. Go lower to higher string, higher to lower. Start slowly to warm up and then start pushing the pace. Then reverse it to pinky first on each string, then index. The point of using the index alternating with the pinky is simply to keep the hand in the proper position while building strength and coordination.

Hope this helps...

As a bass player with relatively small fingers I tottally disagree with #1. I find it's best if the index and pinky finger fret flat. More like they bar. For me the second and third finger use the tips and the outside fingers use the flat part when doing scaler type stuff. Flatening with the outside fingers also adds the effect of deadening strings you don't want to sound.

If you want to get technical you actually have more reach when you bar. When you curl your finger it shortens. When they are flat you don't have to move them quickly.
Also, when your fingers are curled you use more muscle.

Don't believe me? Stick your hand in front of your face. Curl your fingers and measure the reach of the tips of the pinky and index finger. Then straighten the fingers and spread them and measure the reach of the flat part of the index and pinky finger. It will be a good couple of inches difference without any overexerted stretching. Actually you shouldn't even have to measure it, you can see it right away with your own eyes.

If I curled all my fingers I would find it hard to reach notes with the outer fingers without an unnaturally large stretch, and I would have to move my hand position much more.

Best thing to do to develop the pinky and other fingers is to do the scale slow and find out exactly how much pressure you need to sound the note without unwanted buzz and use only that amount of pressure. Then speed it up a little faster without clenching up.

Another thing that will help is to train not not let fingers pop up when they are not fretting, they should almost rest on the string without touching it. This will help speed too.

I use the lightest touch I possible can, and the least amount of muscle I can get away with. Pressing hard beyond what is needed to sound the note does nothing but wear out your hand. If you have to press hard then get your action adjusted lower.

O and keep your wrist and straight as you can.

That's how it works for me. #1 rule of thumb do what is easiest on your hand.

P.S. I'm still only a beginner of 2 and half years, but by doing the above I can play for a few hours and my hand only gets mildly muscularly tired. I don't get any joint pains or total muscle fatigue that some people complain about. I have calloses but have never had a blister, but I don't really pop slap.

[drumsnbass]

funny, i had more problems getting my ring finger to cooperate, pinky (being the little guy) just didn't want
to cause any trouble for his brothers at all.

[pocketmonster]

Originally Posted by ric1312

As a bass player with relatively small fingers I tottally disagree with #1. I find it's best if the index and pinky finger fret flat. More like they bar. For me the second and third finger use the tips and the outside fingers use the flat part when doing scaler type stuff. Flatening with the outside fingers also adds the effect of deadening strings you don't want to sound.

Fretting flat-fingered is certainly a valid technique, and there are times to do it for the purposes of reach, muting, or barring across strings. This advice was given in the context of the original poster's questions on how to improve speed with his pinky.

I come at this discussion from the perspective of someone classically trained on violin/viola. You will see professional soloists on these instruments using flat fingers to reach far up on the fingerboard (over the body of the instrument), but otherwise curled fingers are the norm. Hands are simply designed to work at maximum efficiency with straight wrists and curved fingers. The same holds true for cello, bass, and even piano. Here is a link to videos of left hand technique on violin. (The three octave scale video shows technique up and down the instrument.) The only difference on bass is that the neck is bigger and everything is spaced a little farther apart.

http://www.theviolinsite.com/lefthand.html

Your point about fingers being different lengths is a good one. Oftentimes the pinky will be relatively straight compared to the others (see the video above), but for the most part it should not be straight as a pencil. That sacrifices strength and speed.

[ric1312]

I see your point too. I don't mean the outside fingers are stiff and straight as a pencil. there is somewhat of a bend in them, and I do curl them in certain circumstances.

I guess the point I'm trying to get across is that's IMO it's a bad idea, reach wise, to play with all the fingers curled at all times. I started that way because of an instructional video. I later found out the author was more of a guitar player.

Once I stopped forcing myself to play every bass note with curled fingers, like I was trying to play a guitar solo, my bass playing become much much easier. I can easily get a 4 fret stretch from the lowest fret on my bongo. where when I played with curled fingers it was hard to get past 3.

I guess the best answer would be to use both as is needed.

[pocketmonster]

One thing about technique: there is no one best way. For every baseball player you see with a textbook swing (Will Clark), you will find another with a goofy swing (Eric Davis). So, the standard ways of doing things may not fit every player to a T.

Another thing about technique: don't practice without thinking about it. Finger curvature is a good example of something you can do one way or another without much thought. But, there should be thought; it should be deliberate.

+1 for Bongos. I have a 5-string HHP. I love it, but interestingly I find the strings vibrate sympathetically more than on any other bass I own. It requires more attention to muting. Don't know if they are all that way or if mine is a "live wire."

[ric1312]

Originally Posted by pocketmonster

One thing about technique: there is no one best way. For every baseball player you see with a textbook swing (Will Clark), you will find another with a goofy swing (Eric Davis). So, the standard ways of doing things may not fit every player to a T.

Another thing about technique: don't practice without thinking about it. Finger curvature is a good example of something you can do one way or another without much thought. But, there should be thought; it should be deliberate.

+1 for Bongos. I have a 5-string HHP. I love it, but interestingly I find the strings vibrate sympathetically more than on any other bass I own. It requires more attention to muting. Don't know if they are all that way or if mine is a "live wire."

MMM, mines a 4 banger and It doesn't do that. Are five strings closer string wise than the 4 bangers? Was thinking about getting one some time in the future.