Beginner struggling with pinky finger

[Jazzdogg]

What really helped me was learning to also use the 1-2-4 fingering like you would on an upright bass in the lower fret range.

I would alternate practicing one finger per fret and the 1-2-4 fingering, now I find I actually prefer using my pinky over my ring finger atleast half of the time.

+1 I start my students with the Simandl method, with the pinky and ring fingers used together, and teach them other left-hand methods later. Pushing students to learn one-finger-per-fret from the very beginning often leads to frustration instead of confidence - especially students with small hands.

When I was first learning to play bass (back in the sixties), my DB teacher taped my pinky and ring finger together until I learned to use them in unison.

 

[carlthegroover]

I can say this as a relative bass rookie, but I've been playing the bass non-stop for more than a year now, and while getting better at it, I still sometimes struggle a bit with the pinky, as the notes fretted by it occassionally buzz. But I've been realizing it's all about technique and precision while moving the finger to fret, more than just finger strength.

I would have ditched the poor finger to the land of no-usage, but I believe it is worth to keep practicing with it, because it's always better to have four fingers available instead of just three. And if you play notes up the neck, you might prefer to use the "one finger per fret" thing because it does make you play faster and more accurate.

The thing, I think, with the pinky is to use the whole hand to give it a bit more strength when fretting, moving the hand ever so slightly to aid the pinky as it is fretting. Also, I found it is better when you press as close as you can to the fret itself, as it is easier to do so (in fact, with all fingers, not just the pinky).

My two cents.

 

[Fergie Fulton]

The problem is not just the little finger, it is the little and ring finger.
This is why many fail to develop the use correct....even after years of playing. Some may work on the little finger but inadvertently incorporate the ring finger as well without realising it. So they suppose it was the exercise or the way they used the little finger. When they pass the exercise on it is not done the same way, in respect that the ring finger does not interact in the same way, because the focus is on the little finger.

This is because the ring finger and little finger share a function to work together, so the two of them need to work to gain independence. The little finger to gain independence from the ring finger, and the ring finger from the little and middle finger.
Yes the middle finger does indeed play a part as it has a connection to the ring finger, and that means it has a connection to the little finger.

Yes part of it is keeping the fingers down and only lifting the finger required.
This is the basis of gently stretching the finger tendons and attachments so they can be loose enough to work independent.
We have all felt muscles being "tight" in or bodies at various times, it restricts movement. That is all thats going on here, the finger muscles are tight in the little and ring finger because that side of the hand is to do with power and strength not movement.

Any grip developing exercises or gadgets are bad as they develop the action of grip, which is the development of the Flexor Carpi Digitorum/Flexor Digitorum Superficials muscles found to the front of the forearm that close the fingers, so in effect fret and help keep them down.
They do not give any exercise to the Extensor Carpi Digitorum the muscles found to the back of the forearm that open or lift the fingers.

Fact is such devices are good when a recognised weakness in the hand is present and yes they will help tone the muscle. But once toned or brought in to condition the use needs to stop or just the one action of closing to perfect grip is developed. Playing is about lifting off as well as putting on the fingers to the fretboard.

It can take up to ten years to develop a good fretting technique and maintain it to work for you. That is in respect of playing night after night day after day as a pro musician has to do. It is in respect that they play music that needs them to use all fingers because the music is dexterous more than anything else.
The main problem that clouds the matter is that there are many ways to play and each is successfully and has its own merit because of the conditions and the person applying it......not so much the technique itself.

When you watch a clip of a player or even a show, you see and hear the results of many things beside practice..that is the "cloud" because what works for one does not work for all when you stray from the accepted techniques or fail to see the big picture of what's involved. What we see is the tip of the iceberg and is in no way a reflection on skills.

Yes you can develop a technique or your own style, but base it on solid fundamentals and have a realistic acceptance to what you can achieve based on your own circumstances rather than compare them to another player.
The main point is time, it takes years to develop a correct technique before it can be adapted.......many players try to adapted a work in progress and as such do more bad than good.

 

[klokker]

Above all be patient with yourself. You won't get it in a week or even a year with daily practice. And then when you think your getting it, you'll still have miles and miles of improvement you can make. I've been working on my pinkie for years and its still getting better.

Just use it, don't work around it. I find barring an upper fret with an index finger and practicing scales worked best for me, it really isolates the finger muscles. Hammer ons and pull offs all over the board. Work on getting you finger to do the work wihout stressing your wrist etc.

You can get your pinkie to be just as authoritative as any other finger, it just takes a while.