Pinky's stronger than my ring finger?

[SoerenEsbensen]

How come my pinky is stronger then my ring finger?
My pinky automatically frets where my ring finger should be supposed to...
Is this normal? Ive played for about 4 months

Søren

 

[Ten Four One]

The ring finger is oddly tied to the middle finger.

Try this - hold your hand out straight. Now bend just your index finger. Now bend *just* your pinky. Did your index finger move? Now bend just your middle finger. Did your ring finger move? Now bend just your ring finger. Did it require more concentration than the other fingers? Did your middle finger move?

 

[Slax]

124 finger technique is fine, it's actually proper for double bass.

You can use 1 finger per fret with electric, but it isn't bad if you don't.

There are a bunch of threads about 124 fingering and 1 finger per fret. If you search, I'm sure there's a ton of useful information far beyond what I can say in a single reply.

 

[Insanity^2]

124 finger technique is fine, it's actually proper for double bass.

You can use 1 finger per fret with electric, but it isn't bad if you don't.

There are a bunch of threads about 124 fingering and 1 finger per fret. If you search, I'm sure there's a ton of useful information far beyond what I can say in a single reply.

It's not quite 'fine', as he should be aiming for greatest economy of motion. When he reaches his peak ability playing 124, he'll find he could go further using one finger per fret.
For now it will work, but training to use one finger per fret will take very little time (it'll be second nature within a day) and pay off in the long run.

 

[Drifta]

I started out using the 124 technique too. then i read responses like this and amde sure i did the 1234 technique.

and then I realized the it was more confortable to do 124 & throw in the ring finger when needed. really helps playing in certain positions. I can think of some songs that you definately can't use solely 1234 and play at the right tempo, accurately. So basically, don';t box yourself into one technique, use both because both are right.

 

[winstonthecat]

The ring finger is oddly tied to the middle finger.

Try this - hold your hand out straight. Now bend just your index finger. Now bend *just* your pinky. Did your index finger move? Now bend just your middle finger. Did your ring finger move? Now bend just your ring finger. Did it require more concentration than the other fingers? Did your middle finger move?

I tried this, and my ring finger is pretty independent from my middle finger.

I guess practicing the Vulcan "Live Long and Prosper" sign when I was a kid really paid off

 

[Ten Four One]

So you can "ball" your middle finger without your ring finger moving at all?

 

[X Wolf]

I tried this, and my ring finger is pretty independent from my middle finger.

I guess practicing the Vulcan "Live Long and Prosper" sign when I was a kid really paid off

+1....LOL.

George

 

[Graeme Moss]

Just started a similar thread. If your playing the root note with your index and then move on to a major second do you use ring or pinkey?

 

[professor_bills]

I've read a similar thread to this one before and still am perplexed because my ring finger is far stronger than my pinky... As for the independant thing I can move my middle and ring and nothing else moves. My ring follows my pinky big time and my middle follows my index justa bit.
So what does that mean?? BTW I am an outboard mechanic/teacher by day so dexterity to get little nuts and screws in wierd places is a plus.

 

[Arizona Jones]

Check out the first part of this Fender Players Club PDF -

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Parabolic Box]

So you can "ball" your middle finger without your ring finger moving at all?

lol I can't ball any finger without the others moving at all. Yay poor motor skills.

 

[BruisedOoze]

The ring finger is oddly tied to the middle finger.

Try this - hold your hand out straight. Now bend just your index finger. Now bend *just* your pinky. Did your index finger move? Now bend just your middle finger. Did your ring finger move? Now bend just your ring finger. Did it require more concentration than the other fingers? Did your middle finger move?

The tendon interplay I find really interesting, especially among the muscle sets for the middle to pinky finger.. There's a few interesting tricks you can do to illustrate the dependence as you suggest.

A recent mallet finger illustrated this lesson really well to myself. I tore the exterior tendon on my right ring finger. Many thought I was lucky because it wasn't my index or middle for my bass playing. My playing was severely affected by the injury. Because the ring finger was held straight at the last knuckle in the splint my grip strength suffered, my pinky finger couldn't curl properly or uncurl with the strength as before. Some similar things, not as bad, happened with the middle. It was very frustrating.

If only there was a way to unattach tendons without harming ourselves. Then I wouldn't need to injure myself so frequently to perform tests

 

[jisawyer]

if you are playing upright bass 124 is the proper technique because if you use your ring to often you tend to get tendonitous. it is ok to use your ring but in most situations avoid it unless it is necessary.