Fingers locking...

[tjkennelly]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this but I'm wondering if anyone has the same problem as me. Whenever I play, my little finger on my left hand always locks and it takes a moment or two to shift it back and out of the way, putting me off completely. As a result I've developed the technique to only use three fingers on my left hand (disgraceful, I know)

I was just wondering if any other basschatters had this problem and how they got around it if they did

Tim

[Paul S]

Mine did that! I played guitar as a youth and it never happened but seemed to develop as I have got older. When I took up playing bass a while back it the first joint in the my pinkie would lock and take a while to click out again. Usually when stretching for a note. After about 3 years of intermittent playing and now maybe 2 years of solid and regular playing it rarely happens, if at all, so I am guessing the finger strength increases and overcomes the tendency.

[xilddx]

Perfectly normal, it's the way the tendons interact with the little and ring fingers I believe, they are not totally independent. Someone on here is bound to offer a proper explanation.

[moonbass]

It could be trigger finger... maybe see your GP?

[url="http://gpnotebook.com/simplepage.cfm?ID=1899298831"]http://gpnotebook.com/simplepage.cfm?ID=1899298831[/url]

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='tjkennelly' post='506748' date='Jun 6 2009, 12:38 AM']I'm not sure if this is the right place for this but I'm wondering if anyone has the same problem as me. Whenever I play, my little finger on my left hand always locks and it takes a moment or two to shift it back and out of the way, putting me off completely. As a result I've developed the technique to only use three fingers on my left hand (disgraceful, I know)

I was just wondering if any other basschatters had this problem and how they got around it if they did

Tim[/quote]
Firstly using three fingers is not disgraceful just not ideal, but many people get by with it.
The locking is usually due to playing with your fingers too straight with the middle joint clicking into a straight position under the stress of applying pressure to the string. The best approach to undoing this is to slightly change hand position as follows:
1. With you palm facing upwards cup your left hand as though holding a fat baton.
2. gently curl the top of your fingers so that the tips face the tip of your thumb.
3. keeping relaxed place the neck where the imaginary baton was and move the tips of your fingers towards the strings with your thumb resting gently against the back.
4. use the natural weight of your arm to pull gently (rather than squeezing) in a line towards you through your arm into your hand and out through your elbow (thats an imaginary line)

Maintain this position when applying pressure to the strings and if you keep your fingers gently curved you should eliminate the locking problem.

best of luck with it.

Jake

Obviously it's difficult without showing you exactly but I've explained as best I can.

[tjkennelly]

[quote name='silddx' post='506851' date='Jun 6 2009, 11:01 AM']Perfectly normal, it's the way the tendons interact with the little and ring fingers I believe, they are not totally independent. Someone on here is bound to offer a proper explanation.[/quote]

I thought the fingers that weren't independant were your middle and ring, which is why when you put your fingers together and bend down your middle fingers you cant move your ring fingers apart

[tjkennelly]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='506865' date='Jun 6 2009, 11:25 AM']Firstly using three fingers is not disgraceful just not ideal, but many people get by with it.
The locking is usually due to playing with your fingers too straight with the middle joint clicking into a straight position under the stress of applying pressure to the string. The best approach to undoing this is to slightly change hand position as follows:
1. With you palm facing upwards cup your left hand as though holding a fat baton.
2. gently curl the top of your fingers so that the tips face the tip of your thumb.
3. keeping relaxed place the neck where the imaginary baton was and move the tips of your fingers towards the strings with your thumb resting gently against the back.
4. use the natural weight of your arm to pull gently (rather than squeezing) in a line towards you through your arm into your hand and out through your elbow (thats an imaginary line)

Maintain this position when applying pressure to the strings and if you keep your fingers gently curved you should eliminate the locking problem.

best of luck with it.

Jake

Obviously it's difficult without showing you exactly but I've explained as best I can.[/quote]

I'm giving it a shot now and it seems to be working much better, now to strengthen it

[Linus27]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='506865' date='Jun 6 2009, 11:25 AM']Firstly using three fingers is not disgraceful just not ideal, but many people get by with it.
The locking is usually due to playing with your fingers too straight with the middle joint clicking into a straight position under the stress of applying pressure to the string. The best approach to undoing this is to slightly change hand position as follows:
1. With you palm facing upwards cup your left hand as though holding a fat baton.
2. gently curl the top of your fingers so that the tips face the tip of your thumb.
3. keeping relaxed place the neck where the imaginary baton was and move the tips of your fingers towards the strings with your thumb resting gently against the back.
4. use the natural weight of your arm to pull gently (rather than squeezing) in a line towards you through your arm into your hand and out through your elbow (thats an imaginary line)

Maintain this position when applying pressure to the strings and if you keep your fingers gently curved you should eliminate the locking problem.

best of luck with it.

Jake

Obviously it's difficult without showing you exactly but I've explained as best I can.[/quote]

Really great bit of advice. Thanks for sharing.