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My ring finger sucks
- Thread starter WWilliam
- Start date
Left hand - the ring finger and pinky share duties a lot. Pinky is often quicker - ring finger may be closer or has the reach
Right hand - I only use him to "gallop" (ehhhhh) and to play octaves. He's real good at that.
I let em do pretty much whatever they wanna so long as they don't get all twisted up.
Right hand - I only use him to "gallop" (ehhhhh) and to play octaves. He's real good at that.
I let em do pretty much whatever they wanna so long as they don't get all twisted up.
Ring finger is your weakest finger and usually wants to move with your pinky. It takes practice to break it of that habit.
If the problem is with your fretting hand -- look up the Simandl Method. It's a technique that favors your first, second and fourth fingers.
If the problem is with your fretting hand -- look up the Simandl Method. It's a technique that favors your first, second and fourth fingers.
Your hand might benefit from some exercises that bring things out of the subconscious and into deliberate focussed awareness so that you can make all fingers 'equal members of the team'.
Fretting hand or plucking hand?
For plucking, I find I can integrate the ring finger for short blasts of (extra) speed, but I can play at a sustained higher tempo with index and middle. For context, I have not put anywhere near as much effort into practicing three finger plucking as I have put into practicing index and middle finger plucking. So I can't say if my limit is physiological or due to lack of training
I don't find that the pinkie is necessarily stronger, faster, or more accurate. I do believe there are some functional linkages between finger that must be overcome for the fingers to function independently. The strength of these linkages can vary from person to person.
I started with Simandl 1,2,4. The ring finger is said to help the pinkie. I still use Simandl on double bass and electric upright.
I converted to primarily one finger per fret (OFPF) on bass guitar in the early 90s. My perception is I tend to use the ring finger more than the pinkie. Whole stop options with OFPF: 1,3 and 2,4. Given the choice, I would use 1,3, but 2,4 is used frequently.
Especially when playing octaves and fifths I tend to play 1,5. I also tend to use 1,5 when slapping.
For plucking, I find I can integrate the ring finger for short blasts of (extra) speed, but I can play at a sustained higher tempo with index and middle. For context, I have not put anywhere near as much effort into practicing three finger plucking as I have put into practicing index and middle finger plucking. So I can't say if my limit is physiological or due to lack of training
I don't find that the pinkie is necessarily stronger, faster, or more accurate. I do believe there are some functional linkages between finger that must be overcome for the fingers to function independently. The strength of these linkages can vary from person to person.
I started with Simandl 1,2,4. The ring finger is said to help the pinkie. I still use Simandl on double bass and electric upright.
I converted to primarily one finger per fret (OFPF) on bass guitar in the early 90s. My perception is I tend to use the ring finger more than the pinkie. Whole stop options with OFPF: 1,3 and 2,4. Given the choice, I would use 1,3, but 2,4 is used frequently.
Especially when playing octaves and fifths I tend to play 1,5. I also tend to use 1,5 when slapping.
.
Smooth_bass88
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- Oct 31, 2006
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practicing minor scales utilizes the ring finger. do that
You know what you need to practice. Now practice just that and nothing else and you will get better.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Work on scales- major, minor, chromatic, etc. That forces you to use all fingers.
Your description of the issue is too sparse to yield useful advice.
What are you trying to make your ring finger do?
what scale, what intervals, which frets, are you crossing stings ? etc...
Specifics can tell us if you're experiencing normal ring finger issues
or approaching the problem less effectively.
What are you trying to make your ring finger do?
what scale, what intervals, which frets, are you crossing stings ? etc...
Specifics can tell us if you're experiencing normal ring finger issues
or approaching the problem less effectively.
I could be the minority - my ring finger is normal strength while my pinky is weaker. Before I'd practised a bit of Simandl, I used to press octaves with my ring finger! The plus side is that one-finger-per-fret feels a lot more natural to me.
devnulljp
Supporting Member
Simandl is meant for upright bass fingering for other reasons. I play three finger on upright, four on bass guitar. As others have stated, properly played scales in every key is a good place to start. There are some other good routines like spider exercises. I think it's important to find something that is going to encompass using the entire neck.
This guy's videos are super dorky, but this lesson is a good one for building dexterity using all fingers. The lesson is more of what I would call a skills and drills thing, not necessarily highly musical. If you do something like this for 10 minutes day, starting slow, keeping disciplined, you will notice it. I like to use this as a warmup, taking it as high up the neck as I can get comfortably, then I take it in reverse from there all the way back down.
There really is no substitute for this stuff. You just have to put in the work and build slowly.
This guy's videos are super dorky, but this lesson is a good one for building dexterity using all fingers. The lesson is more of what I would call a skills and drills thing, not necessarily highly musical. If you do something like this for 10 minutes day, starting slow, keeping disciplined, you will notice it. I like to use this as a warmup, taking it as high up the neck as I can get comfortably, then I take it in reverse from there all the way back down.
There really is no substitute for this stuff. You just have to put in the work and build slowly.
While I agree with you on this (and the rest of your post), I would add that there is big value in combining fretting techniques, since each of those has strengths and weakness. I often use Simandl on lower bass guitar frets, especially if speed is not goal. Also, switching between fretting techniques (same with picking) allows stressed muscles to relax or at least change range of motion, thus reducing chance of RSI.
For the last 4-5 years, I combine Simandl, OFPF, and even intentionally baseball-grab for fretting hand, and classical two fingers, three fingers + palm mute, slap/pop, and pick for picking hand. 3 hours continuous gigs don't tire my hands at all. Also, my range of sounds and playing dynamic have widely expanded.
I’m with RattleSnack. I pretty much shift fretting and muting techniques without any need to think about it.
Whatever technique gets the job done is A-ok with me.
The endurance aspect is kinda like swimming a longer distance. Changing strokes periodically make it possible to rest muscle groups sequentially.
Points for elegance and speed? Nope. Not drowning? Yes
Whatever technique gets the job done is A-ok with me.
The endurance aspect is kinda like swimming a longer distance. Changing strokes periodically make it possible to rest muscle groups sequentially.
Points for elegance and speed? Nope. Not drowning? Yes
Remove your pinky and put it in the freezer. Once the ring finger is up to snuff have the pinky re-attached. Tons of YT vids on how to do it at home.
