My Pinky is Nonconformist

[Kopusetic]

Brand new noob here. Started the lessons and my pinky (fretting hand) is an absolute rebel and does whatever it wants regardless of how hard I try to control it. Is there a specific technique to fix this or does it simply get better with practice? Thanks!

[PamPurrs]

@Kopusetic There are tons of comments in different threads very similar to yours. It’s a common complaint among new bass players.
Your pinky has been just hanging around doing nothing all it’s life, and now you are telling it to get up and go to work. Of course it’s going to rebel… but who’s the boss here?
Give it time and practice and it will come around.
Do a search and you’ll find loads of good pinky advice here in the forum.

[Kopusetic]

Thanks PamPurrs! Honestly, I didn’t even think to search this topic. I just thought this was an anomaly to me. It’s good to know I’m not alone! Lol.

[PamPurrs]

@Kopusetic

It’s good to know I’m not alone!

Far from it. Here’s my post from nearly a year ago:

My pinky is useless

It must be a birth defect! I cannot move my pinky on the fret board without my ring finger going with it. Same if I move my ring finger to an adjacent fret, my pinky goes right along with it. It’s as if the two fingers are glued together! I end up just using the ring finger where Josh says to use the pinky, and micro shifting as needed. The pinky stays right there with the ring finger like a shadow. I end up essentially playing with three fingers on the fret board. Is this defect going to …

[Jazzbass19]

@Kopusetic

Honestly, I didn’t even think to search this topic.

That’s OK, @Kopusetic . . . you’re not alone in that area either.

Go to the little magnifying glass icon on the upper right of the screen, click on that, and then enter “pinky” . . . you’ll see lots of threads on this topic.

HTH and all best, Joe

[rory]

Isn’t that funny?
With my disability, my first finger doesn’t work so I can only play with 3 fingers.
As a result my pinky is the equivalent of everyone’s ring finger and it‘S working really well.
Better than I expected actually.
It’s not quite as strong but it’s getting there very quickly.
I’m wondering if it’s because I tend to use it more than you “normal “ people and as a result it’s stronger.

[Gio]

@Kopusetic

my pinky (fretting hand) is an absolute rebel and does whatever it wants

I just love your thread title. Sounds like your pinky is a badass.
The James Dean of pinkies.
And, I’ll just second what everyone here has said. Yes - totally normal, and there’s good stuff in the threads to bring you hope!
Best of luck.

[Kopusetic]

@Gio

I just love your thread title. Sounds like your pinky is a badass.

I almost titled it; “My Pinky is a Little @$*hole”. Lol.

[AntonioM]

You just need keep practise and follow Josh tips. Practise and lots and lots of patients. I had the same problem as you but after a bit started to get stronger and stronger. It is so nice use the 4 finger as you don’t need to stretch that much your wrist. Keep practising!!!