Worried About College

[Digo]

IM starting Music in college soon, mainly focusing on bass, now i use my pinky when i feel i need to but i dont use it as frequently as the other fingers and im worried that the tutors will get on my neck about this...

[IanStephenson]

I'm sure they will.

What's the problem? You're going there to get better, and the first step is identifying your weak areas. Then you work at them and get better.

Ian

[Digo]

i wouldent call it a weak area, the playing sounds the exact same only i dont use pinky as much as the other fingers, do you actually use the pinky as much anyways?

[Scott McC]

Originally Posted by Digo

i wouldent call it a weak area, the playing sounds the exact same only i dont use pinky as much as the other fingers, do you actually use the pinky as much anyways?

Kinda depends on what your playing. I dont think anybody will "get on your back" about technique. It is their job to help you get better. That being said, you dont really use your pinky as much as the others.

[Digo]

i cud understand the pinky stuff if you were playing a wooten type song, least i play faster songs where you couldent really see my pinky being slightly neglected

[txbasschik]

Originally Posted by Digo

IM starting Music in college soon, mainly focusing on bass, now i use my pinky when i feel i need to but i dont use it as frequently as the other fingers and im worried that the tutors will get on my neck about this...

Never been to college, but I've had a couple of bass tutors.

One, a strictly-blues man, had a cow every time I began to use my ring finger. He *insisted* on two fingers, only.

The other said, "Do what you need to do, to play the song. If that means using a third finger, then do it!"

I liked him best. :-)

Cherie

[superbassman2000]

Originally Posted by Digo

IM starting Music in college soon, mainly focusing on bass, now i use my pinky when i feel i need to but i dont use it as frequently as the other fingers and im worried that the tutors will get on my neck about this...

Digo, College is an institution of learning (although some may disagree)...your teacher will start you on a practice regimen like any other bass instructor and will give you pieces to practice pinky usage...


anyways, if you can play the bass perfectly, why would you need to go to college?

[mjolnir]

Think about it this way:

If you are just as fast as the rest of us out there using only three fingers, imagine what you'd be like using four...

Get some practice in with that pinky, dude. It can only help, and 'sides, what have you got to lose anyway?

[Figjam]

I use my pinky a LOT, especially while slapping. Makes the reach for octaves easier.

[Digo]

oh yeah sure, the main time i use pinkys are octaves, it sounds good :-)

[ZombieGhosTrain]

Can you use your pinky too much? I use it alot, although no speed is sacrificed and I use other fingers when I need to. Everyone needs to work on something.

[tplyons]

I use my pinkies a lot. Used to use all four fingers, but studying DB, I've used my ring finger less and less.

Not that this matters...

[Digo]

yeah ive got weak joints in my pinkys

[evan_phi]

so make them stronger. thats what higher education is for: going above the rest.

I'm taking bass in UNiversity next year as well, on DB at that, and i have plenty of technique problems that will be worked out by my prof.

[gottawalk]

Originally Posted by Digo

IM starting Music in college soon, mainly focusing on bass, now i use my pinky when i feel i need to but i dont use it as frequently as the other fingers and im worried that the tutors will get on my neck about this...

Stop stressing! If not using the pinky is an issue, then you'll find out when you start playing there. Your "tutors" are there to TEACH you, and that's what you're PAYING them for! Stop stressing and take the opportunity to learn from them. Use their knowlege and apply it to your playing and go for it! College is a time to learn, not a time to impress! You're there to go forward with your craft. It's assumed that you are not the "god's-gift-to-music" until AFTER they've gotten hold of you and shaped you into their image! (LOL!)

Take it easy and just have fun learning the bass! I envy you the opportunity! They didn't offer this instrument when I was in college!!!

[Aaron Saunders]

Originally Posted by evan_phi

so make them stronger. thats what higher education is for: going above the rest.

I'm taking bass in UNiversity next year as well, on DB at that, and i have plenty of technique problems that will be worked out by my prof.

Hey man, where are you going to school? I see you're in NB -- are you going to St. FX?

I haven't seen you on the DB side much, but there's a few university/college students there...Snakewood goes to UoT's classical program, Scott McC is at Humber (I'm going there next year,) and Paul Cannon is going to Rice next year.

PS: Also, my DB is a 50's Hofner ply, and my teacher uses an 80's carved Hofner .

[Digo]

Originally Posted by gottawalk

Your "tutors" are there to TEACH you, and that's what you're PAYING them for!

to tell the truth, im my country im njot paying them anything, im the one being paid to go to college

[evan_phi]

Originally Posted by Aaron Saunders

Hey man, where are you going to school? I see you're in NB -- are you going to St. FX?

I haven't seen you on the DB side much, but there's a few university/college students there...Snakewood goes to UoT's classical program, Scott McC is at Humber (I'm going there next year,) and Paul Cannon is going to Rice next year.

PS: Also, my DB is a 50's Hofner ply, and my teacher uses an 80's carved Hofner .

I'm going to Mount Allison University here in NB. Danise Ferguson is the cello/bass prof there.

I play an '88 carved Hofner and i will playing one of the school's basses next year. i wanna buy the Hofner tho...