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So who here uses their pinky


Golchen
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I was just wondering whether or not most bassists here use their little finger for fretting? I know quite a lot of guitarists who don't really, unless they are shredders in which case they do! Personally, my little finger is pretty strong so I like to use it.

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[quote name='Hamster' post='172974' date='Apr 9 2008, 11:39 AM']I use mine a lot until it clicks down (and stays down until I shake my hand out or click it back with my right hand.) I'm guessing some kind of carpal tunnel syndrome?

Hamster[/quote]
I doubt it, this is a natural thing to do, especially on 5 and 6-strings when fretting the lower strings. You just have to train your left hand to maintain an arch to all the fingers and wherever possible avoid locking the second joint. I had (and still sometimes do have) problems with that, and I have no hand or wrist ailments. You may find that for a while the distance you can stretch is reduced but your hand will adapt. It also helps to learn to squeeze less with the left hand - less pressure = less likelihood of locking finger joints.

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Without being contentious, I can't see how you can play WITHOUT using your pinky. One finger per fret plus two more frets by stretching (obviously not at the bottowm of the neck - see my avatar).

If you don't use your pinky (other than due to a disability), you really are cutting your potential by 25% or more (because it is the finger that can stretch the furthest).

Edited by bilbo230763
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I honestly attribute a lot of my early progress in bass playing to, at the end of the first month, making myself use my pinky for fretting. Use it! It's great, as bilbo says, I don't know how you [i]can't[/i] use it.

On the other hand, quite literally, I also use my pinky for simulating the sound of foam mutes/mute pads. It's great because you can play everything you can normally play but with a muted sound. You can literally just drop your 'mute' right in whenever you feel like it.

Mark

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always!! I was made to use it by my teacher as soon as I started playing, with the reassurance that it would pay off.

Also, if I ever see youngerbassists at school (I think there's about a dozen), playing with their pinky tucked under, I take it upon myself to correct them :)

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