Pinky Above the 12th Fret?

[micguy]

I think the highest I’ve gotten in my last year of gigs was the 13th fret. It was an octave (with the fundamental on the 11th fret), and I think it was my pinky on the 13th. So yes, but barely.

 

[Thumpin6string]

I use it everywhere it needs to be used to play what I'm playing.

 

[N4860]

Sorry, I didn't read all of the responses to see if it's been mentioned, but what I do that helps with access higher up for the left hand is to push the neck forward away from your body. For example if you are playing on the first few frets of your bass, the orientation of the neck would be parallel to your shoulders but as you play the higher frets you would push the neck forward as if you were starting to point the headstock towards an audience (hopefully that makes sense)

 

[Koshchei]

I'm just now getting into some songs that require a lot of fretting above the 12th fret and it's quite a bit more difficult to play cleanly. I was wondering if you guys use your pinky while playing up high? I've seen some people do it but it makes it way worse for me. Any advice?

Practice - you have four fingers: develop the strength to be able to use them where you need them.

 

[MonetBass]

As usual, the answer is "it depends". What line am I playing? It may or may not require using my pinky.

 

[wraub]

Typically I'm OFPF on the whole neck, regardless of position, but it varies depending on what I'm playing.

 

[Fun With Dirt]

I use my pinky all the time no matter where I am on the neck. ...so... yeah, I do.

 

[dkelley]

Biggest thing that prevents upper playing being comfy/possible is neck joint shape/thickness changes and string height getting higher up the neck. The latter can sometimes be adjusted... the former is just each instrument.

 

[dkelley]

I normally use my pinky everywhere but definitely it's part of lower position playing, while up high it's more of an effect thing when needed if I'm doing fast complex stuff. It should be able to work as well as anything else - although vibrato can be harder with your pinky due to the angle it tends to lie at, and inherent lack of strength.

 

[Fun With Dirt]

Biggest thing that prevents upper playing being comfy/possible is neck joint shape/thickness changes and string height getting higher up the neck. The latter can sometimes be adjusted... the former is just each instrument.

Good point on the difference from instrument to instrument. I have had basses where somewhere between the way I held the bass and the geometry of the bass, it just wasn't as conducive to doing certain things as it might be on another instrument. ...at least to me.

With my Jazz, I have never played something so comfortable.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

I'm just now getting into some songs that require a lot of fretting above the 12th fret and it's quite a bit more difficult to play cleanly. I was wondering if you guys use your pinky while playing up high? I've seen some people do it but it makes it way worse for me. Any advice?

I absolutely use my pinky up there. Otherwise it seems limiting. Think of it as one finger per fret, all the way up the neck. Practice playing chromatic scales above the 12th fret, across all strings.

 

[HolmeBass]

I do, but as I go higher than 12 I start using my pinky only on the higher strings. Above the 17th fret only on D and G, above 20th only on the G.

Also depends on the bass; mostly I only go that far north only on my neck-through 24 fret basses. Going above 15th/17th on a 20-fret Fender almost never seems worth it.

 

[bherman]

The best resource that I found for developing finger independence, and pinky strength, is "Bass Fitness - an Exercising Handbook" , by Josquin Des Pres. Daily for 15 minutes and in several months you'll be in fine shape.

 

[Killing Floor]

First rule of bass:
There's no cash above the hash.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I'm just now getting into some songs that require a lot of fretting above the 12th fret and it's quite a bit more difficult to play cleanly. I was wondering if you guys use your pinky while playing up high? I've seen some people do it but it makes it way worse for me. Any advice?

Finger tips. Angle your fingers more downward.

 

[BassBrass]

How do you play 3 note power chords without your pinkie? strumming OR arpegiating, (not a word) I see the pinkie involved bigly.

 

[JRA]

per the OP: sure. these days i'll use whatever works, but i've always tended to use 1-2-4 on lower notes and 1-2-3-4 up higher, so the "pinky" always gets a workout, wherever.

 

[Valvehead]

Depends on the motion my hand is in when playing melodic stuff. When grabbing chords up high I do use the pinky all the time.

If you are having trouble making it sound good, start practicing at a slow pace. Then when that seems to work start speeding it up again. Your pinky technique will become stronger within days.

Edit: Also make sure your bass has moderate or preferably low action beyond the 12th fret. This will help tremendously.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

Sometimes I use my pinky up there and sometimes I don't... Just depends on what feels good and what notes are coming up.

 

[ole Jason]

If it's a physical issue reaching the frets your bass is likely too low. Sit with the bass in a classical guitar position (left leg raised, bass resting on left leg) and you'll probably notice it is much more comfortable to play up high at the expense of making the low frets feel like too much a reach but it really just depends on the bass and your particular physicality. You just need to find a happy medium to make playing in all registers with all fingers comfortable.