Feel like I'm starting over again... (mini rant warning)

[cchorney]

Definitely see a specialist, as others have said.

For now, you could tape the tip.

Other than using a different technique such as "alternating middle finger and ring finger" which you suggested and I've played around with to see if I could, you could also use your thumb and middle finger (or even thumb, middle finger and ring finger) with your right hand, in more of a classical guitar player position. I've been playing with this position lately, as octaves are wicked easy here, but there's less apparent attack.

 

[jeff62]

What everyone else has said, get thee to a doctor.

But you should also be willing to try things you may not prefer (flats, pick, etc). Those alternatives are much better than not playing.

 

[James Collins]

I believe there are some (nerve or mechanical) linkages between ring and middle finger that make separation difficult for most people. I do try to integrate the ring finger into my technique in various ways and find I can play accurately with it, but it's not good for fast alternating patterns with the middle finger. Alternating fast 2,3 patterns don't work well for me at all. My hand quickly slows with repetition, and all the muscles want to clench. Also, I can play alternating 1,2 patterns far faster than repeated 1,2,3; 3,2,1; or 1,2,3,2,1 patterns, but I keep working on it.

If I were having your problem, I would probably resort to using a pick more, or see if I could work it out with my thumb. I think I have more speed and accuracy with thumb and middle finger than 2,3, but I might need to modify my muting technique for it to work.

You are correct about mechanical. The tendon that flexes the most distal joint on any one of your fingers shares a common muscle belly with all the other fingers. If you hyperextend that last joint on any one finger it is harder to bend that joint on the others. The index affects the others the least.

Also, there are connections on the back of the hand that make it difficult to flex the knuckles while extending either the ring or middle fingers at that joint.

To overcome this, you want to keep a slight bend in all of the joints and play with more of a free stroke to get the most out of the ring and middle finger combination. You can still play a standard resting stroke with the fingers relatively straight, but it is often more uncomfortable.

 

[Usidore T Blue]

Wondering if anyone else ever felt they had to relearn how to play.

I've been dealing with a skin condition on the pointer of my right hand for well over 6 months now. I've gone to doctors, used several prescription meds, used liquid bandage, used super glue for a while... tried tea tree oil, Vaseline, Eucarine, vitamin E, and a bunch of other things. I rested it. I gloved it. Finally, I just started playing with a band aid, and that ain't easy or fun. I've been using a pick lots (I have to) but really love playing with my fingers.

I decided I'm throwing the towel in. My finger looked like I stuck it in a meat grinder after Thursday's gig, and I still had to play Friday and Saturday.

I committed yesterday to learning to play just as well with my ring finger as I can with my pointer.

It's a more than interesting undertaking, but I'm kind of excited about it. It'll take a while, but I can practice pretty much anywhere, just by securing my thumb and tapping along with songs.

I will be a better bass player for it! And my finger might finally heal.

I urge you to try it, just for fun ... and I wonder if anyone else has had to relearn what they do in a new way.

IME the new finger learns faster than the primary one did. If you overcompensate with your hand position for the new finger, however, you will have trouble reintegrating the old finger should it get usable again (say if the problem is an immune reaction and a topical steroidal and long rest fixes it up).

 

[pcake]

i'm so sorry this is happening to you, joe

when i was unable to finger pick - which is how i play - i tried all sorts of picks including fred kelly freedom picks. they're fingerpicks that go around each finger with a plastic part that sticks out at the same angle as your nails. i don't think they were clacky, and while for me they weren't a permanent solution, they were the best of the options i tried at the time.

hope your fingers get better soon!

 

[AndyPanda]

Wedgie thick rubber pick --- I've been wanting to try them.

 

[TheReceder]

I made a bet with my drummer that I could play the night using just my ring finger and my little finger on my right hand. he had to go the night without hitting a little 8" splash. It's tough, but I figure down the road it might be worth pursuing.

We both had to buy each other a beer after the second set.

 

[LT131]

You can do it! One of my local bass influences as a fledgling player only had a pointer and a pinkie on his right hand, think a permanent satanic gesture, and he could rock! One of his hobbies was homemade explosives...…...

 

[AndyPanda]

You can also take an old, thick, leather belt and cut out a pick shape.

 

[Keyser Soze]

One of his hobbies was homemade explosives...…...

"Hey y'all... hold my beer...."

 

[Madhouse27]

Could you possibly replace the end of that pointer finger with one of your toes? Growing up, a guy we knew lost his thumb and they sewed his big toe on there and it worked pretty good. We called him toe thumb.

 

[guy n. cognito]

So, this problem is affecting only one finger, and we've exhausted all the home remedies?

What does the doctor say?......Better yet, what does the doctor say?

 

[Thundar]

I kinda did the same thing in my younger days...except I moved to the thumb. I practiced for a long time to be able to play with all four of my fingers on my right hand back when I was about 20, and then much later started having problems with my right index finger (it would lock up). The other three made up for the lack of the index finger fairly well, but I got perdy dern good with that thumb.

 

[JPaulGeddy]

Go nuts and play left-handed. Pick up a Beatles tribute gig.

(I'm only half-kidding)

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I hate flats.

Well I hope you at least have a tort pick guard.
I don’t know how anyone can play without flats and not expect your fingers to turn to #### without at least having tort?


Sorry to hear about the finger problem Joe.
Hope you get it figured out soon.
Sounds painful.

 

[Nighttrain1127]

The rubber picks come in different Durometers (hardness) and the softer ones are thuddy the middle sound like fat fingers and the hard ones sound like soft picks no clang.

 

[two fingers]

Wondering if anyone else ever felt they had to relearn how to play.

I've been dealing with a skin condition on the pointer of my right hand for well over 6 months now. I've gone to doctors, used several prescription meds, used liquid bandage, used super glue for a while... tried tea tree oil, Vaseline, Eucarine, vitamin E, and a bunch of other things. I rested it. I gloved it. Finally, I just started playing with a band aid, and that ain't easy or fun. I've been using a pick lots (I have to) but really love playing with my fingers.

I decided I'm throwing the towel in. My finger looked like I stuck it in a meat grinder after Thursday's gig, and I still had to play Friday and Saturday.

I committed yesterday to learning to play just as well with my ring finger as I can with my pointer.

It's a more than interesting undertaking, but I'm kind of excited about it. It'll take a while, but I can practice pretty much anywhere, just by securing my thumb and tapping along with songs.

I will be a better bass player for it! And my finger might finally heal.

I urge you to try it, just for fun ... and I wonder if anyone else has had to relearn what they do in a new way.

That's a pretty healthy attitude man!

Go for it!

I had to do it (very temporarily) once. We played six nights in a row AND recorded bass tracks for a CD during the day for four of those days once.

I was playing bass about 8 hours a day for four days.


At the time I wasn't just "not as good" with a pick, my little narrow mind was ANTI pick.

(I've grown since then.)

The first few days of using my ring finger not only were awkward, but they HURT. But about a week in amd it was coming around.

Good luck building up a quick callous. Cease the day!!!

 

[MattZilla]

@Joe Nerve yeop, got to super glue (krazy glue it might have been?). Luckily I wasn't gigging much at the time- mostly just lots of rehearsals, woodshedding, and jams, so just not playing for a week and a half while focusing on school and other hobbies cured me right up.

...obviously not great news for you, but- the doctor and common sense told Phil Anselmo to take a break from the stage and to possibly do a nice little surgery. He didn't want to take a break from the stage. Get yourself some subs into your gigs and sub some other hobbies in for your stage time.

Sucks! Have you tried coated strings?

This was my first thought, having only vague recollection of the details of this JN serial. If you're maybe having an allergic reaction to excess metal exposure: Elixir Polywebs (the thick coating), swap them after no more than 100 playing hours.

But really, you're a teacher, right? Be your kids' hero and do the smart thing by seeing a dermatologist.

 

[Pbassmanca]

Wondering if anyone else ever felt they had to relearn how to play.

I've been dealing with a skin condition on the pointer of my right hand for well over 6 months now. I've gone to doctors, used several prescription meds, used liquid bandage, used super glue for a while... tried tea tree oil, Vaseline, Eucarine, vitamin E, and a bunch of other things. I rested it. I gloved it. Finally, I just started playing with a band aid, and that ain't easy or fun. I've been using a pick lots (I have to) but really love playing with my fingers.

I decided I'm throwing the towel in. My finger looked like I stuck it in a meat grinder after Thursday's gig, and I still had to play Friday and Saturday.

I committed yesterday to learning to play just as well with my ring finger as I can with my pointer.

It's a more than interesting undertaking, but I'm kind of excited about it. It'll take a while, but I can practice pretty much anywhere, just by securing my thumb and tapping along with songs.

I will be a better bass player for it! And my finger might finally heal.

I urge you to try it, just for fun ... and I wonder if anyone else has had to relearn what they do in a new way.

Sorry to hear a boat your skin condition buddy! I wonder if tapewounds would be helpful to you? After all then your finger would never be touching metal but only the nylon wrap of the string.

 

[project_c]

I haven't. However, read up on Pat Martino and you might not feel so bad...

What about finger picks?

Sorry to derail but thanks for the heads up about Pat Martino, I didn’t know about what happened to him, it’s pretty amazing. For anyone who might be interested I found a great article on Nautilus (a site well worth checking out) about his recovery: [This invalid link has been removed]