I have noticed that my pinky finger seems to always “lock up” around the second joint(the one that’s further away from the finger tip), regardless of which string I am fretting. My finger is not entirely locked up, that is it can still move around freely. But I remember hearing that fretting like this could harm my finger joints. Is fretting like this a safe technique? If not, how should I maintain a curved finger? I tried to hold my pinky in a curved manner but the moment I pressed down the middle section just flattens like this:
Django Reinhardt (born Jean Reinhardt, 23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953) was a pioneering jazz guitarist of Romani (Manouche) heritage, and is widely regarded as one of the most influential European jazz musicians of the 20th century.
Before I started the BB course, I had 3 lessons with a local bass teacher. And it was good that I did, because he noticed what I was doing wrong and gave advice on how to improve my technique.
In the beginning I was having the same problem with my pinky. The second joint would lock up straight. My teacher gave me some exercises to correct my fretting. One of them was to fret the G and D strings, focusing on pressing the string with the tip of my fingers, and keeping them curved. Then fretting with each finger in turn, and moving from to the other strings and back.
When you bring your palm a little forward, then the pinky will have to curve if you are fretting with the tip of the finger. It is a good exercise to develop finger strength, specially because normally the pinky is the weakest finger.
In this photo you can see how the pinky will curve when the hand is brought forward and you press with the tip of the finger. It is a good exercise:
This is my finger moving to the A string. On the A and E strings it will be more difficult to keep the pinky’s middle joint from locking, so be patient.
In both pictures, your palm is too far from the back of the neck and too flat which creates more angle to the fingers, you are using your thumb as an anchor to provide more force to the fretting pressure. Try hugging your palm closer to the back of your neck and use less thumb force. Much much less. Your fretting pressure should be just a hair trigger away from dead notes any more you are just wasting your energy and promote blisters.
Light touch, like holding a live bird in your hand.
Except he didn’t use either his pinky or third finger at all. Which just meant he had to be blindingly quick with micro shifting (or major shifting). In fairness it was probably a little easier with the playing style he had. But he was fast.
I would agree with @Al1885 and take a look at your hand position, he has said most all that I would have said. But I would add that using your pinky as it is in your second photo could result in damage. That’s a lot of bad leverage going on which wouldn’t be the case if you were more on the tip of the finger. However if you to go onto the tip you might find you want to get those nails a little shorter. I wonder whether your nail length is maybe pushing you into that sort of flat style.
It won’t do any massive or terrible damage or harmful things to your hands.
You’ll be fine.
Over time, working (like @andrea-slndr offered above with great photos) towards a curved finger technique will be much better.
But it will take time. You’re having to develop a weird strength and coordination that has only one application - bass playing.
So, if you’re very consistent and also very patient, it will get better and better.
And, like @Al1885 said, if you can make some adjustments so you’re playing with less stress and pressure, you’ll have way way way less to worry about no matter how you play the bass.
I’ve seen players at all levels have absolutely weird fretting techniques. As long as you’re stress-free, it can be very functional and non-damaging.
I will add an alternative thought, which is something I have, which is called Trigger Finger. In my case the second joint of my middle finger on my right hand locks up.
It can also happen to a pinky - I just checked. You might have something physical going on there. It can be fixed with surgery - which I opt out of as I would sidelined from playing for months.
Ah yes trigger finger, didn’t think of that. I have it on exactly the same finger, and now made worse by some damage sustained skiing last season (physio looking at it tomorrow ) fortunately it’s still ok plucking but there’s no way I could fret with it!
I also agree with Al1885, but also think its something that can be fixed somewhere within his first couple hundred hours of practice without help or input from others.
Doctor it hurts when I do it this way, - ‘then don’t do it that way’.
Thank you all for your advices! After adjusting my palm to be closer to the back of the neck and bring my palm a bit forward, my pinky is much more relaxed and curved. The next step I guess is to practice fretting with minimum pressure and building pinky strength.
) fortunately it’s still ok plucking but there’s no way I could fret with it!
