Fretting.

[Misery89]

I don't consciously 124 or use my ring finger. Whatever works for that moment. Play however is comfortable to you. But don't get caught up in the "supposedta's".

That’s just it, I’m all for improving my technique but sometimes I will play 1-2/3/4 other times different and I think should of done this should of done that, over thinking it i guess.

 

[Misery89]

I jammed with this Italian drummer one time who was much older and wiser than me and he called me out for not practicing and asked me how my hands were. I said the same thing about my pinky and he offered me wine. It worked quite well after a few glasses I just played through and forgot about it.

Get drunk, and loosen up the finger?

 

[Lowendchamp]

It did work. Leave it to an Italian to come up with the simple but effective answer. I was embarrassed that he could tell I was out of practice so I made sure to practice everyday since(over 2 years ago).

 

[Deleted member 365158]

Lots of players use the pinky and ring fingers together as a unit, especially when playing down near the nut where OFPF ("one finger per fret") is more difficult. This doesn't ignore the pinky but rather combines it with the ring finger.

I've always used my index and ring finger. Only in the last couple years, have I used anything else. Yes, for 20 years, I played in numerous bands, and played countless shows, with nothing but two fingers and a pick. Everyone thought I rocked. Little did they know.

Ha!
My pinky is ready to jump into action when needed but it will curl up and and sometimes slip behind the neck.

i have horrible technic but i play what i play and it works.
My ring finger is strong and i use it and my pointer finger the most,
My middle finger tends to back up my ring finger but like my pinky, its ready to jump into action when needed.
Most of the time i feel like i have crab claws but i play what i play and it seems to work out.

Get drunk, and loosen up the finger?

Umm, no.

 

[Callou2131]

I use my ring finger, But that is because I played guitar for years. One of my weaknesses as a guitar player was I never used my pinky. Now I find my self using my pinky alot with bass. It is still really uncoordinated though.

 

[sawzalot]

I use all four. I played keys my whole life before I picked up bass, which helped. Also my first bass teacher really emphasized the spider exercise/etc to build strength and dexterity.

 

[aprod]

Your lack of proper technique will surely cause you injury. You are over stretching your fingers in a very inefficient way. If you could get with a good teacher they can help you clean up your technique. If you have trigger finger see a doctor.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

i use my ring finger, especially above the 7th fret. i don't use ring and pinky as a unit. i use the ring finger least. Frequency is 2413.

Expanding on this, if I am running up a major scale pretty much anywhere, I will start on finger 2, then 4, 1, 2, etc. but below about 5th fret, I will move my hand a bit to encourage a relaxed shape whenever possible. If I am pedalling between G and A on the E string with no movement up to the A string I will go to 1,4 unless I think there's a chance I will do something fancy, in which case I'll be using 2,4 so the 1 is free.

If I am running up a minor scale then 1, 3, 4 is going to be most natural, but if I am using notes from a minor scale I will try to arrange positions to favour 1, 2, 4 again.

Above the 7th fret things are close enough that using all four fingers is easier.

I have a low (1.5 to 1.8mm action, 12th fret E) on all my basses.

I used to worry about the Chunk Rainey one finger per fret, but now the root might be under finger 1 or 2 depending on location and future intent, and it seems to work well enough.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

There’s two basic approaches to fingering.

There’s the classic Simandl Technique where the ring finger and pinky act as a single digit.

I definitely don't do that - when I fret with the pinky, the ring finger may be close but it plays no part in the fretting.

I see players online going from E to A, for example, on the same fret fretting one with the ringer finger, one with the pinky, but I just use a barre with the pinky on both strings, and use muting to ensure only one string sounds at time. That seems to avoid twisting my wrist.

 

[E Joe]

I would definitely +1 the Simandl 1-2-4 approach especially for lower on the fretboard, as in index on the first fret middle on the second and pinky on the third. Especially when playing octaves using the index and pinky is more comfortable I think. I think the index and pinky are the most important fingers for bass. Again everyone can play however they want, but that is a technique that really helped me.

 

[40Hz]

I definitely don't do that - when I fret with the pinky, the ring finger may be close but it plays no part in the fretting.

I see players online going from E to A, for example, on the same fret fretting one with the ringer finger, one with the pinky, but I just use a barre with the pinky on both strings, and use muting to ensure only one string sounds at time. That seems to avoid twisting my wrist.

And in that you’ve added one of the best tips possible when it comes to fingering - USE WHATEVER WORKS BEST FOR YOU.

Simandl comes easy for me because I started on upright and played one for the first few years. And although I’m mostly a OFPF player on electric, I will use Simandl fingering in first position on a 35” fiver, and often when playing fretless because it just feels more precise and natural - for me.

Which is why I always advocate learning as many different techniques as possible. The more techniques you’re comfortable with, the more options you have to mix and match in order to come up with your own perfect blend.

 

[Misery89]

And in that you’ve added one of the best tips possible when it comes to fingering - USE WHATEVER WORKS BEST FOR YOU.

Simandl comes easy for me because I started on upright and played one for the first few years. And although I’m mostly a OFPF player on electric, I will use Simandl fingering in first position on a 35” fiver, and often when playing fretless because it just feels more precise and natural - for me.

Which is why I always advocate learning as many different techniques as possible. The more techniques you’re comfortable with, the more options you have to mix and match in order to come up with your own perfect blend.

Trouble I have is I’ve played long enough and I can play some tricky stuff and play well. Is it always the most efficient way perhaps not and whilst I am open to learning I have played on and off for 16 years only really getting serious last six months again.

Which makes breaking bad habits and learning new one’s extremely hard.

 

[40Hz]

Which makes breaking bad habits and learning new one’s extremely hard.

Very true but still doable. I’m sure you’ll nail it eventually. As I well know having acquired (and reacquired) bad habits and corrected them at various times over the years. It’s a never ending process for me.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

And in that you’ve added one of the best tips possible when it comes to fingering - USE WHATEVER WORKS BEST FOR YOU.

Simandl comes easy for me because I started on upright and played one for the first few years. And although I’m mostly a OFPF player on electric, I will use Simandl fingering in first position on a 35” fiver, and often when playing fretless because it just feels more precise and natural - for me.

Which is why I always advocate learning as many different techniques as possible. The more techniques you’re comfortable with, the more options you have to mix and match in order to come up with your own perfect blend.

I'm more-or-less using the Carol Kate method. At first I was strictly OFPF and lots of stretches, but modified over time.

 

[StatesideRambler]

Hi Everyone,

New member but have been browsing for a while. Currently own a Ibanez CT & Sterling Music Man HH 5.

I’m wondering as I’m self taught like a imagine quite a few of us are, does anybody actually use their ring finger? I see loads of post saying it’s weak etc, my little fingers lock up and always have which makes playing runs hard and for majority of my time playing I have never used it.

Within the last six months I have started to use my pinky and whilst making progress it still locks up. I find using my third finger quite comfortable and whilst I will play 1-2-3-4 most the time my habit is 1-3-4 and will use my ring finger for most runs.

Anybody have the pinky issue? & fixed without surgery? I spent most my youth playing guitar hero with the three fingers as it locks so bad.

apologies for the long post!
Thanks.

Is locking a problem with other activities? Since this is a longstanding problem for you a visit to an orthopedic doctor (surgeon) may be a good plan. Unless the doc finds something hidden you’ll be referred for physical therapy. That’ll be a world better than taking marginally plausible advice from strangers on the Internet.

 

[Misery89]

Is locking a problem with other activities? Since this is a longstanding problem for you a visit to an orthopedic doctor (surgeon) may be a good plan. Unless the doc finds something hidden you’ll be referred for physical therapy. That’ll be a world better than taking marginally plausible advice from strangers on the Internet.

My little finger will lock in my day to day life but the only other activity I use it for is gaming and even then it’s annoying but I can use it.

if google is to be believed I think it’s trigger finger, which is only fixed by surgery

 

[Mushroo]

Not sure if this is allowed but it’s my only video I have without going home and recording and want to sure you what I mean.

Benjamin on TikTok

look at my pinky as you see it’s usable but just locks.

If not allowed, don’t shoot me just remove.

Thanks for sharing the video!

It looks to me, like you are switching back and forth between two totally different techniques, like Jekyll and Hyde!

For most of the video, I agree: Your technique looks kind of awkward. You are doing this weird thing where your 1st finger stays locked awkwardly in position (even if you aren't using it). For example if you are fretting at the 10th fret with your 3rd finger, you keep your 1st finger locked at the 8th fret. That looks really awkward and I think it is causing tension in your hands. If you watch Flea play "Under the Bridge," your left hand looks very different than his left hand. If he's fretting with his 3rd finger, he doesn't care about keeping his 1st finger on the fretboard (it's not important).

However, when you go down to the low F near the end of the video, your technique looks great! Nice job. Freeze-frame the video and look at yourself: Your fingers are relaxed and close together. Your hand isn't all contorted and awkward. Your thumb is comfortable. Can you feel the difference in your hand tension and comfort, when you go down to that low note and switch to a more relaxed technique?

My challenge to you is, why not play that way all the time? You have video proof that you can do it.

 

[SteveCS]

Hi Everyone,

New member but have been browsing for a while. Currently own a Ibanez CT & Sterling Music Man HH 5.

I’m wondering as I’m self taught like a imagine quite a few of us are, does anybody actually use their ring finger? I see loads of post saying it’s weak etc, my little fingers lock up and always have which makes playing runs hard and for majority of my time playing I have never used it.

Within the last six months I have started to use my pinky and whilst making progress it still locks up. I find using my third finger quite comfortable and whilst I will play 1-2-3-4 most the time my habit is 1-3-4 and will use my ring finger for most runs.

Anybody have the pinky issue? & fixed without surgery? I spent most my youth playing guitar hero with the three fingers as it locks so bad.

apologies for the long post!
Thanks.

The first thing you should do is stop playing in that cramped sitting down semi-crosslegged position. It does nothing for your posture and hinders all of your accesses to the instrument in the most intrusive ways possible (short of trying to play standing on your head). Your left knee obstructs your left hand. The whole instrument is pushed to your right which blocks clear access to the higher positions - your body is getting in the way. There is no way in hell you can address the instrument freely from that position.

Secondly you need to get your fingers unfurled and out in front of the fingerboard.

Now after rewatching my self I do seem to retract my middle finger on any sort of runs I play. Bad habit I will try to get out of.

It's not just your middle finger - all of them (except index) disappear under the fingerboard at some time or other:

Finally, but probably most importantly, I would go back to basics with some fundamental technical exercises designed to promote and develop good hand-shape. This one uses just 3 left-hand fingers 1,2 & 4. Do it slowly and deliberately, keeping each finger in position on or above the fret in a gently curved relaxed posture.

 

[Misery89]

The first thing you should do is stop playing in that cramped sitting down semi-crosslegged position. It does nothing for your posture and hinders all of your accesses to the instrument in the most intrusive ways possible (short of trying to play standing on your head). Your left knee obstructs your left hand. The whole instrument is pushed to your right which blocks clear access to the higher positions - your body is getting in the way. There is no way in hell you can address the instrument freely from that position.

Secondly you need to get your fingers unfurled and out in front of the fingerboard.



It's not just your middle finger - all of them (except index) disappear under the fingerboard at some time or other:
View attachment 4555777

Finally, but probably most importantly, I would go back to basics with some fundamental technical exercises designed to promote and develop good hand-shape. This one uses just 3 left-hand fingers 1,2 & 4. Do it slowly and deliberately, keeping each finger in position on or above the fret in a gently curved relaxed posture.
View attachment 4555787
View attachment 4555922

Cheers Steve, I admit I sit like that out of laziness more then anything but does hinder my playing. Will start to get the chair out from Now.

i can play using all four fingers and simpler stuff I seem to, when it comes to any sort of runs moving around the fret board I seem to tuck my fingers, I have already started trying to address it but keeping my fingers normal seems near on impossible at the moment.

Appreciate the detailed replied and will give that exercise a go!

 

[lfmn16]

I played piano before bass so just naturally used all four. First see a doctor to see if there is a physical reason your pinky locks up. If not, find a good teacher and figure out how to fix your technique, that’s not normal to have your finger lock up.