Pinky finger

Technique
41

Holy :poop: I was just about to start an identical thread but with a slightly different pinky problem. See this? You folks unintentionally made me feel included.

Here is my issue: I have broken both my pinky extremities, along with all other digits, many times. When I’m practicing, especially the 5 Steps finger practice, my pinky on my fretting hand will literally lock into place 45 degrees in the air!

I don’t have much success keeping the finger down after fretting a note if I make it that far. What I at first thought was a strength issue now seems to be a physical dilemma.

I see folks like Kirk Hammet tape his pinky to his ring finger and never understood why. Do you think this would help if instead of fretting with the pinky, I fret all notes normal except for ones that would be played by pinky get ring and pinky?

Show me the divine way…

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42

I have broken both pinky fingers, the pinky knuckle, 4 other fingers, multiple times.

It is true with continued play, it will get stronger and more flexible.

I have used my pinky so much that it is now my 2nd strongest finger, and my go to over the ring finger anytime there is a choice.

With more play, it will get stronger as will my other 2 fingers.
I would think it a bit premature to go to extreme methods like taping, and would suggest just doing some simple finger excercises a few min a day for a couple of months and see how you progress.

If you want to get extreme about it, there are some finger strength vids on YT than can push you along faster.
Mark at Talkingbass has one he calls the pinky push up in one of his videos.

You fret from the 9th fret with your index and ring finger in the shape of the Major scale on the 3rd string.
So index on 9 and ring on 11, and simply lift and fret, lift fret, lift fret, over and over with your pinky.
Try for sets of 30, do this several times a day for a few weeks and see what happens.

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43

However, I’m certain there are 3-fingered bass players out there who are better than most of us will ever be, so if you find your pinky really can’t be used this way, don’t get down about it.

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44

I fully agree with this

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45

T, thanks so much for the response. I’ll happily trust that if someone in a very similar situation has been able to make it happen, I’m going to try my hardest to as well.

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46

I agree that pinky finger needs practice for a long time.I try index-ring-middle-pinky,pinky-ring-pinky-middle-pinky-index,index-pinky-ring-pinky-middle-pinky-ring-pinky etc those kind of finger exercise

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47

Mark from talking bass showed one that I do where you walk fingers from the 5th and 6th fret, starting on the E string across to G string, step down a fret, so you are on 6 & 7, walk back to the E string, step to 7 & 8, walk back to G string, move to 8 & 9 and walk to E, move to 9 & 10 and walk to G, move back to 8 & 9, walk to E…
2 fingers at a time.
5th fret to 9th (starting finger on 9th fret)

Example for first 2 fingers
Index - Mid
E 5-6 A 5-6 D 5-6 G 5-6
G 6-7 D 6-7 A 6-7 E 6-7
E 7-8 A 7-8 D 7-8 G 7-8
G 8-9 D 8-9 A 8-9 E 8-9
E 9-10 A 9-10 D 9-10 G 9-10
G 8-9 D 8-9 A 8-9 E 8-9
E 7-8 A 7-8 D 7-8 G 7-8
G 6-7 D 6-7 A 6-7 E 6-7
Then
Index and Ring fingers
E 5&7 A 5&7 D 5&7 G 5&7
G 6&8 D 6&8 A 6&8 E 6&8
…
Keeps going with finger / frets as such, walking across strings

Index - ring (continued)
7&9-8&10-9&11-10&8-9&7-8&6
Index - pinky
5&8-6&9-7&10-8&11-9&12-11&8-10&7-9&6
Mid - ring
5&6-6&7-7&8-8&9-9&10-9&8-8&7-7&6
Mid - pinky
5&7-6&8-7&9-8&10-9&11-10&8-9&7-8&6
Ring - pinky
5&6-6&7-7&8-8&9-9&10-9&8-8&7-7&6

And for fun, after you do that, plucking every note played…
Go back thru the excercises, plucking the first note, and hammer on the 2nd note

So pluck index finger on 5th fret of E string and Hammer on the 6th fret with your middle finger
Then pluck your index on 5 and hammer the 7 with your ring…pluck index on 5 and hammer 8 with your pinky.

Gets fun when you are Ring to pinky, but this builds strength pretty quick.
Do it 2-3 times a day, thruought the day, just pick up the bass for 5-10 min and fun thru it once, and come back later and do it again.

2-3 times a day for a week, and tell me you don’t notice a difference. In a month, you are strong.

Not as strong as years playing, but well on your way.

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48

That’s really good

Thank you

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49

I know Mark from talkingbass,i watch some his free video too.Thanks!

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50

I realize now, I could have just linked the actual video.
Course I already typed it out when that brite idea hit me.:joy:

But I figure some won’t watch it, and others may start it, and many might not sit thry it.

So maybe some will do the excercises because I typed it out, where they may not have tried it if I linked the video, because either they just won’t watch it, they don’t like him (I do, but who knows) or because there is too much talking and not enuf, just show the excercises already.

At least that’s what I am gonna tell myself.

Mark does not talk way too uch, most of the time, like other YT bass instructors (like me :crazy_face:) But this particular video is long, and the excercises is short, so it is a case where he told a lot of story IIRC

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51

I moved my reply to another thread: Groove & Scale Practice Website - #16 by juli0r

I didn’t have a chance to try the exercise but just like the spider exercise it sounds useful. Maybe a bit boring but all purely technical exercises are.

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52

If you take a look at talkingbass.net there is a lot of great content on there that Mark offers at no charge. Lot’s of great exercises, including ones to develop your pinky. All you have to do is sign up to the site, but you’re not required to purchase any of the courses to access the free stuff.
I’m only pointing this out to save you a bunch of time coding etc. that could be utilized practicing :guitar: :hugs: :smile_cat:

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53

Thank you Pam

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54

For sure, that’s where I git the excercises from, and I like others he has too. I have used the, a lot, and got great results. My fingers are pretty strong now.

Not where I want to be, but that may never happen, will always be trying to get stronger, more coordinated, etc… it’s just a part of learning and getting better…progressing.

@juli0r, that excercises, although it looks long and boring, when you actually run thru it it is not that long. It actually, cuz of the finger changes, and isolation, find it challenging and fun, if you can beleive that.

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55

Sure I can.
Boring was also a bit too strong a word for what I meant but I could not think of a better one. I think it’s a good exercise.

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56

New Talking Bass video for Pinky Finger (and ring finger, and index finger if you really want to get down to it) from Mark this week.

GREAT EXERCISE, and a catchy little tune, sounds somewhat classical.
I can play it better with my thumb stretched out the back and my fingers somewhat angled. It gets much harder when holding my fingers parallel to the frets, and with my finger down and wrist out. Almost painful, but in a good way, not the “gonna hurt yourself” way. This is how I know it is working, because I can feel the burn. “No Pain, No Gain” (again, in the NON INJURY way)

Have any of you tried this one out yet. I can get thru it about 2 times, then fatigue gives in. I want to keep playing it until I get enough strength to play it for a couple minutes without stopping. Things to work on, it is definitely added to my daily practice routine.

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57

Sometimes on stage, my thumb will try to do hand stands on the fretboard. The other hand usually hears this, and slides over to get involved.

It never ends well.

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58

Many times when I’m playing a selection that has a lot of “pinky” work, I’ll group my fingers like a double bassist does: index finger, middle and ring paired, pinky to cover a three note “box”. It takes the pressure off of stretching my pinky finger. One thing, you really have to know your arpeggio shapes and be intimate with every note on your bass guitar………not intimate like “oh, baby, oh, baby” intimate, but knowing exactly where every note is on your fretboard and how to get to it no matter where you are positioned without thinking about it.
Sometimes four fingers, four frets works great for a ton of songs, sometimes I need to compress my fingers like a double bassist. It just depends on the song.
As with many techniques talked about on a forum, nothing beats in-person lessons from an experienced bassist/bass teacher.
I need to throw out a caveat……I’ve been playing since 1976 and my techniques are the result of years of trying to figure stuff out to make my playing as efficient as possible without the benefit of being able to afford teachers.
Hopefully, you’ll find a teacher worthy of your desire to learn and who has a curriculum vitae filled with real world bass playing experiences.

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