My ring finger sucks

[dave_p]

Minor7b5(9) exercises. Jeff Berlin has some dandies.

 

[Lamphun_Lamyai]

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'.

 

[Lamphun_Lamyai]

pinky and ring share same tendon, so it's pretty difficult to completely isolate either one.

Stretching helps then consciously isolating movements of each to develop a modicum of independent dexterity.

 

[SteveCS]

I was thinking more about hands on with the instrument. There is little point learning and practicing gestures and movements you will never use in performance. With that said, I've found boading balls are good for general condition, and the coin rolling is a similar motion.

 

[dougjwray]

This might not be helpful, but Jaco told me that when he was starting out "playing 'Proud Mary' at country club gigs", he would go an entire night fretting only with his ring finger, to strengthen it.
(Sorry about the name-dropping.)

 

[dougjwray]

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.

For best results, use a dull, rusty butter knife.