Playing bass with lost finger?

[break-even]

Hi

I like to start to play bass guitar.

I lost a few years ago my little finger on the left hand (amputation), and I'm right-handed.

 

Does somebody can tell me what is better?

 

As right-handed to buy a bass guitar for right-handed people, and play with 4 fingers, or to buy a left-handed bass guitar, and play with 5 fingers.

 

Does somebody has can give me a idea or advise?

 

Kind regards

 

[Old Horse Murphy]

There was a well known bass player in Watford who had the imaginative nickname of "stumpy" due to having no little finger on his left hand and half a ring finger too. He played right handed and managed to adapt his style to suit his abilities. He was a cracking player. 
 

Similarly if you haven't already, check out Django Reinhardt who only had (I think) two useable fingers in his left hand due to a fire. He played right handed too.

 

I'm sure you'd ably manage to play right handed but it's possibly worth looking at a shorter scale Bass to help with the reach until you develop a style that's right for you. 
 

Good luck with it all, you have my absolute respect. 

[alyctes]

There are a couple of related things which might have an effect. 

If you play left-handed, then you need a left-handed bass.  I have the impression that for left-handed basses the choice tends to be smaller and the basses often more expensive.

Also you might find it harder to find a teacher who's left-handed, which could make it harder to teach.

 

It will be worth doing some research.  The For Sale section here separates left- and right-handed basses; have a look, see how the number of basses available compares (because I might be talking complete nonsense ).

 

Good luck whichever you try.

Edited August 11, 2022 by alyctes

[Downunderwonder]

I think I would adapt to no pinky in about 5 minutes.

 

I guess it would depend on how ambidextrous you are swinging a bat. If you feel like you would take to it there wouldn't be any harm in trying lefty first. Certainly would be advantageous if it worked out.

[Maude]

"Playing bass with lost finger?" 

I'd use the other nine, it'll be easier! 😉

 

Sorry, with that out of the way, I'll just add that I have what appears to be an odd left hand technique (right handed player) in that I don't really use my pinky. I can reach further with my ring finger due to playing this way for years. I'm trying to use my pinky more but it feels unnatural and weak. This technique hasn't really limited me at all. 

I suppose if you are somewhat ambidextrous then playing left handed could advantageous, could you borrow a bass for a couple of weeks and try left and right handed, either a lefty bass or a righty upside-down would probably tell you what will feel natural. 

If right handed feels way more natural then you'd probably go further playing right with a missing pinky than playing left and always feeling 'wrong'. 

 

[meterman]

It also might depend on what style of playing you want to do. But if you’re right handed then maybe start playing right handed and see how it works out for you.

 

I never use my left pinky finger when playing bass (I’m right handed) as it’s very ‘clunky’ and tends to lock in a straight position if I try to use it, or if I reach for a note with it, it might lock and go to a wrong note or stick to my ring finger. I can’t rely on it to go where I want it to, so I don’t use it. My left hand technique looks weird but I make it work for me, I use 3 fingers and sometimes my thumb for root notes. You wouldn’t guess from hearing recordings as they sound alright. But my mates call my playing style “the mitt” because it looks like I have no finger interdependence. Skinny bass necks and short scale basses work better for me.

 

This is my playing from 20 years ago without using my pinky, it’s only an old funk vamp and I’m not Jaco Pastorius or anything but don’t let that put you off 😂

 

 

Definitely give it a go, you never know. You might love playing and be amazing.

[Mykesbass]

So many players out there don't use their little finger. At least you have a genuine excuse! Go right handed - it will feel much more natural than trying left handed. 

[break-even]

Hi all,

thanks for your inputs and support.

 

I'm listening to rock, grunge and heavy music, but I don't know yet if that will be the music that I will play as well.

 

I wasn't sure if everybody uses the pinky finger while playing, that's why I was thinking about to try left-handed bass, even I guess that it will take more time to get used to it, and to feel well during playing.

 

Was it hard for you right-handed to try playing left-handed?

Does the "unnatural" style inhibits you to play your favorite songs with the same feelings?

 

 

[Mickeyboro]

I slammed my index in a car door pre-gig four years ago.

 

I somehow played the set without it, using a tumbler of ice between songs. It’s amazing what the brain can do. And the feeling has never returned fully…

Edited August 12, 2022 by Mickeyboro

[meterman]

2 minutes ago, break-even said:

Hi all,

thanks for your inputs and support.

 

I'm listening to rock, grunge and heavy music, but I don't know yet if that will be the music that I will play as well.

 

I wasn't sure if everybody uses the pinky finger while playing, that's why I was thinking about to try left-handed bass, even I guess that it will take more time to get used to it, and to feel well during playing.

 

Was it hard for you right-handed to try playing left-handed?

Does the "unnatural" style inhibits you to play your favorite songs with the same feelings?

 

 

I’ve tried playing left-handed but it’s too weird for me. Didn’t feel natural at all. I’m not ambidextrous or talented enough to get away with it. Might be different for you though?

[Mykesbass]

32 minutes ago, break-even said:

Hi all,

thanks for your inputs and support.

 

I'm listening to rock, grunge and heavy music, but I don't know yet if that will be the music that I will play as well.

 

I wasn't sure if everybody uses the pinky finger while playing, that's why I was thinking about to try left-handed bass, even I guess that it will take more time to get used to it, and to feel well during playing.

 

Was it hard for you right-handed to try playing left-handed?

Does the "unnatural" style inhibits you to play your favorite songs with the same feelings?

 

 

I used to be able to slowly form some basic chords and pluck a few simple lines on l/h guitar but there is something very different about the two sets of motor skills required for the two hands on guitar/bass. I think it might be @uk_leftywho had some good knowledge on the subject (sorry for tagging if I got the wrong person).

[Lozz196]

I use my little finger on my left fretting hand a lot, but thats due to the reach factor - if I had 5 fingers & thumb it would still be the one furthest from my thumb that I would use so in your position @break-evenI would still play right handed and just utilise the wedding ring finger.

[Franticsmurf]

If you're starting to play bass from scratch, i.e. no previous fretboard experience, then you'll be able to more easily develop a style of playing that suits you and your circumstances than if you were re-learning. As has been said above, borrow a bass if you can, or get a cheap one, to try things out for feel. Once you have tried the bass, you'll know what you like and don't like and there are plenty of people here who can advise you further based on what you've found out. If you go down the cheap bass route, you could restring it to try it left handed.

 

Good luck.

 

 

[JapanAxe]

I would be inclined to learn right-handed. You may have to move your left hand further and more often than if you were using your little finger, but that’s no bad thing - if you try to play in fixed left-hand positions (in the way that scales are often presented) you can end up stretching your left hand too much and causing discomfort and/or damage to it.

[ezbass]

Welcome to the low end, dive right in, the water’s warm. 
 

As has been said above, because you’re learning from scratch, having a missing digit is something you’ll work around naturally and you won’t be aware of any compromise. As to whether right or left handed, try a bass and go with what feels natural, just be aware that left handed players are not catered to nearly enough as they should with regard to range and availability but it’s not insurmountable, as many of our southpaw members will testify.

[PaulThePlug]

I'd go Right Handed as the 'Motor Factor' of being right handed must be easier than getting the other hand to do as its told...

You could go Short Scale 28.6" - rather than the std 34" (Check oiut the 'Short Scale' Thread) to reduce the stretch on the left at the lower end... Ibanex Mikro? or any of the Shorty P's Squier or Harley Benton etc... But If you got fair normal size mits a std 34" scale might be fine... just move about a bit more...

One Finger Per Fret may be OK for Guitar and a Pinky needed Full Std Chords... but i can't do it down the bottom end... and some times ya pinky may not have enough ooomph to hold the thick strings when learning... But a Bass is for 'Free Thinkers' anyway!

You have prolly worked around the issue with other things... Just jump in and go for it!

Edited August 12, 2022 by PaulThePlug

[neepheid]

As mentioned above, lots of bass players don't use their left pinky at all - I had to train myself to do it.  Just means you might have a bit more moving around the fretboard to do than some but you'll find your technique.

Wouldn't recommend going down the left handed route - I'm not saying you couldn't train yourself to play lefty (particularly as you're just starting out - now's the time to do it!) but there's much less choice of instruments in left handed and some basses look damn weird in left handed config.  You know how weird your face looks if a photo of it is mirrored horizontally, I think it's the same thing.

[Geek99]

FWIW I never use mine 

[nilorius]

It could make some problems at start, but after You will complete Your 4 finger teqnique - it will be pretty ok.

[bass_dinger]

It took me 25 years to properly use my left hand little finger - and even now, I sometimes look at with surprise to see it getting involved in playing...

 

I used to use  my right hand ring and middle finger to pluck. I managed to break the bone in my hand attached to my ring finger,  and over the week I relearnt the bass using my index finger.  The other two fingers were straped to each other to aid healing. 

 

I never returned to using my ring finger, as, after the bone healed, the finger was 1/2cm  shorter, and kept missing the string due to the lack of reach!

 

So, one can adapt.

[Nail Soup]

I'd stay right handed, and learn to play without the little finger.

So many players reject the 'one finger per fret' approach which needs a little finger.

A lot of people just don't use that finger anyway.

 

I do use the little finger, but I just picked up the bass, 'tied my little finger behind my back'........ and I could adapt to it pretty well almost straight away.

And if you have any further doubt look at some vids of Django Reinhardt playing six-string guitar with his limited finger-set.

[Beedster]

Judging by callouses on my fingers I never use mine when playing bass 👍

[Downunderwonder]

2 hours ago, break-even said:

Was it hard for you right-handed to try playing left-handed?

''Hard'', no. Try ''impossible to wrap head around''. For me, very much worse than trying to hit a golf ball lefty, but that's all I got for an analogue.

[Japhet]

Don't think I ever use either pinky to be honest. Would be a problem on guitar obviously, but Django got round it OK.

Edited August 12, 2022 by Japhet

[Franticsmurf]

As an aside, I'm surprised how many here don't use their pinky. I never used to but thought I had to so learned to bring it in to play. 😀