Finger Dexterity HEEEELLLLP PLEASE

[MoeBass6]

I've asked this question once before and I may not have made it clear enough to get the answer I was looking for, so hear it goes.
1st finger=index, 2nd finger=middle, 3rd finger=ring finger, 4th finger=pinky. When I play and use my 4th finger=pinky my 3rd finger=ring finger always bend. So when I try to play fast It's hard to keep the two in tempo with each other. When I try to keep the 3rd finger= ring finger straight I cant't seem to apply enough pressure to the string using the 4th finger= pinky, it sounds like I'm muting the string. I practice scales, modes I even bought The Bass Fitness Book and nothing seems as thought it is making a difference. This is hendering me from picking up speed I need some suggestions, HELP PLEASE this is getting a bit frustrating. Is playing with the index, middle, and ring finger only limiting me from being a good bass player. Any advice will be welcomed.
Thanks

[Godsbassman]

I've asked this question once before and I may not have made it clear enough to get the answer I was looking for, so hear it goes.
1st finger=index, 2nd finger=middle, 3rd finger=ring finger, 4th finger=pinky. When I play and use my 4th finger=pinky my 3rd finger=ring finger always bend. So when I try to play fast It's hard to keep the two in tempo with each other. When I try to keep the 3rd finger= ring finger straight I cant't seem to apply enough pressure to the string using the 4th finger= pinky, it sounds like I'm muting the string. I practice scales, modes I even bought The Bass Fitness Book and nothing seems as thought it is making a difference. This is hendering me from picking up speed I need some suggestions, HELP PLEASE this is getting a bit frustrating. Is playing with the index, middle, and ring finger only limiting me from being a good bass player. Any advice will be welcomed.
Thanks

I told you before there's a device you can buy in the music store to work on fingers or just one at a time.
Also you can learn to play down to up. Like I do now. I call it down to up but,it's just another mode someone. else can explain to you.

I mean learn to play this way

You do a 135 this way below.You got a four finger pattern
from the 2 to 5  then look at the pattern below this one
--------------             ------------------
--------------              -----------------
-----2 5-----             ---0---------0--
---3-----------            -----0-----------

You can play above this way and only use 3 fingers

------------------          ----------------
4--------------------      -0---------------
-------5------------       -----0----------
---7----------------       -0-------------

[Godsbassman]

I told you before there's a device you can buy in the music store to work on fingers or just one at a time.
Also you can learn to play down to up. Like I do now. I call it down to up but,it's just another mode someone. else can explain to you.

I mean learn to play this way

You do a 135 this way below.You got a four finger pattern
from the 2 to 5  then look at the pattern below this one
--------------             ------------------
--------------              -----------------
-----2 5-----             ---0---------0--
---3-----------            -----0-----------

You can play above this way and only use 3 fingers

------------------          ----------------
4--------------------      -0---------------
-------5------------       -0--------------
---7----------------       -------0-------

I messed up the first pattern for 3 fingers

You can play above this way and only use 3 fingers

------------------          ----------------
4--------------------      -0---------------
-------5------------       -0--------------
---7----------------       -------0-------

[Bullitt]

Starting on the first fret of your lightest string, play the following:
NOTE: Numbers in paranthesis denote which finger to use.


-Play frets 1(1), 2(2), 3(3), 4(4) as though you were doing a shout run.
-Play frets 2(1), 3(2), 4(3), 5(4)
-Play frets 3(1), 4(2), 5(3), 6(4)
-Play frets 4(1), 5(2), 6(3), 7(4)

-Repeat this pattern until you reach the 12th fret then move up to the next lightest string. Do this unitl you've played the pattern on every string.


-When this becomes easy for you, play the pattern in reverse, starting at the 12th fret and going backwards:
Play frets 12(4), 11(3), 10(2), 9(1)
Play frets 11(4), 10(3), 9(2), 8(1)
etc...

-Then go to the next string.


Practice doing all of these with a metronome and when it becomes easy for you to play each pattern fast.  Experiment with moving the pattern around the neck and between strings while staying in time.


God Bless,
-J

[Torch7]

Bullitt,

Provided a great dexterity excercise, when  you master that one moving across strings work well too..in parenthesis denote finger

From lightest string to heaviest string:

          Frets
               1       2       3       4      5       6      7      8      9     10   11     12    13      14    15
G string :  (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)                                                       
D string :          (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)                                     
A string :                   (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)                       
E string :                           (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)     
B string :                                   (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)

Once you get to the 8th fret( with your pinky finger (4)) start working your way back up to the lightest string:
    Frets
               1       2       3       4      5       6      7      8      9      10      11     12    13   
G string :                                                                             (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
D string :                                                                     (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
A string :                                                             (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
E string :                                                     (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
B string :                                            (1)    (2)     (3)    (4)

Then work your way back:

Here is another one that my friend Levester White, taught me, he plays a four string, so I use only 4 strings.
Couldn't diagram it like above so I am gonna try to explain it in tab.

G -1------------5-3-------------7-5-----------------------------------
D --2---------4-----4---------6-----6--------------------------------
A ----3-----3---------5-----5---------7-------------------------------
D ------4-2-------------6-4------------8------------------------------         
 
The fingering is 1-2-3-4 all the way down.
 

[Godsbassman]

Bullitt,

Provided a great dexterity excercise, when  you master that one moving across strings work well too..in parenthesis denote finger

From lightest string to heaviest string:

          Frets
               1       2       3       4      5       6      7      8      9     10   11     12    13      14    15
G string :  (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)                                                       
D string :          (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)                                     
A string :                   (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)                       
E string :                           (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)     
B string :                                   (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)

Once you get to the 8th fret( with your pinky finger (4)) start working your way back up to the lightest string:
    Frets
               1       2       3       4      5       6      7      8      9      10      11     12    13   
G string :                                                                             (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
D string :                                                                     (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
A string :                                                             (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
E string :                                                     (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
B string :                                            (1)    (2)     (3)    (4)

Then work your way back:

Here is another one that my friend Levester White, taught me, he plays a four string, so I use only 4 strings.
Couldn't diagram it like above so I am gonna try to explain it in tab.

G -1------------5-3-------------7-5-----------------------------------
D --2---------4-----4---------6-----6--------------------------------
A ----3-----3---------5-----5---------7-------------------------------
D ------4-2-------------6-4------------8------------------------------         
 
The fingering is 1-2-3-4 all the way down.
 

He said he have played scales and modes and they do not work for him. Sound like he need to use the device I posted baout to work your fingers. or learn to play up to down also

[Bullitt]

Bullitt,

Provided a great dexterity excercise, when  you master that one moving across strings work well too..in parenthesis denote finger

From lightest string to heaviest string:

          Frets
               1       2       3       4      5       6      7      8      9     10   11     12    13      14    15
G string :  (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)                                                       
D string :          (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)                                     
A string :                   (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)                       
E string :                           (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)     
B string :                                   (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)

Once you get to the 8th fret( with your pinky finger (4)) start working your way back up to the lightest string:
    Frets
               1       2       3       4      5       6      7      8      9      10      11     12    13   
G string :                                                                             (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
D string :                                                                     (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
A string :                                                             (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
E string :                                                     (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
B string :                                            (1)    (2)     (3)    (4)

Then work your way back:

Here is another one that my friend Levester White, taught me, he plays a four string, so I use only 4 strings.
Couldn't diagram it like above so I am gonna try to explain it in tab.

G -1------------5-3-------------7-5-----------------------------------
D --2---------4-----4---------6-----6--------------------------------
A ----3-----3---------5-----5---------7-------------------------------
D ------4-2-------------6-4------------8------------------------------         
 
The fingering is 1-2-3-4 all the way down.
 

I'm not even going to lie.  I despise doing that last excerise with a passion lol....why? Because it's frustrating to master but soooooooooooo worth doing for the finger dexterity gained.  Patience is a virtue....


God Bless,
-J

[Cherri]

"Bass Fitness" book for real... This book will definitely increase your dexterity if utilized.

[Torch7]

MoeBass,

Here are some other things I found online, don't know if they work... but this guy seems to think so.

http://www.bassentials.com/dxtrtyxrcss.html

[cardfandan]

You can also try this...

G ----------l----------l----------l----------l----------l----------l
D ----------l----------l----------l----------l----------l----------l
A ----------l--(2)----l----------l--(4)----l----------l---------l
E --(1)----l----------l--(3)----l----------l----------l----------l

The numbers in parenthesis equal the finger number. The l equals a fret.

You can do this anywhere on the neck. All of these excercises are also great for warming up with too!

[Andrzej]

I have quickly run through all the exercises that have been posted to this thread and they are all good therapies, so I won't add to your work load  .  I had the same problem with my pinky when I started learning and was frustrating.  It's now just as strong as my index finger!  It takes time and plenty of practice to develop a strong and flxible pinky.  It will come...just a little patience is all you need 

[fluteminstrel]

try this sitehttp://www.gospelchops.com/booyah.wmv it will show you how to use all fingers it helped me but practice at it also this http://www.gospelchops.com/marcusphillips.wmvone

[MikeGee]

did someone mention scales?

[Bullitt]

try this sitehttp://www.gospelchops.com/booyah.wmv it will show you how to use all fingers it helped me but practice at it also this http://www.gospelchops.com/marcusphillips.wmvone

Just fixing the last line for ya...

http://www.gospelchops.com/marcusphillips.wmv


God Bless,
-J

[fluteminstrel]

Just fixing the last line for ya...

http://www.gospelchops.com/marcusphillips.wmv
thanks alot bro

[Cherri]

did someone mention scales?

Definitely scales....

[MoeBass6]

I just want to say thanks for all the help that I have been getting. Thanks alot, will keep you posted on how it's going.
God Bless

[Cherri]

Don't forget the ***metronome***...

[MoeBass6]

Cherri I've notice a couple of times you have mentioned using a metronome. How important is this and why.

[Bullitt]

Cherri I've notice a couple of times you have mentioned using a metronome. How important is this and why.

Using a metronome will help to solidify your timing.  Knowing all the scales, modes, runs, riffs, and chords in the world won't do you a bit of good if you can't play them in the right time signature


God Bless,
-J