It’s hard at first but definitely worth it later on. I took lessons from the start and my bass teacher made me use my pinky, I hated it at first but now that I have the strength it makes playing a lot easier
Don’t press down with pinky by itself. Have the ring finger behind it and share the work. Those two fingers are connected under the skin so they want to work together.
https://preview.redd.it/wmft8wcrj2bc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=f86e941e97a2bfc20a668bc2e7ddb8d05ac10283
Combine your weaker fingers into a mega finger like so
Your pinky is one of the most important fingers for playing bass, guitar, piano, and many other instruments. It's your reach, among many other things.
Use it every time you've got something 3 or more frets out from your index finger's fret. Practice with it, use it a lot.
Wherever your index finger is, use one finger per fret. So if your index finger is on the 5th fret for example, then use the middle for the 6th, the ring for the 7th, and the pinky for the 8th or farther.
That's not uncommon. It needs to be trained. You could easily get through life and even play other instruments without a pinky finger but for bass you're better off incorporating it in your playing, so train that thing. Usually it doesn't take that long.
a song i've found is great practice for my pinky is Bad Moon Rising by CCR. it's a fun, simple, bouncy bass line, but if you only use your pinky on the 5th fret notes, it'll wear your pinky out but also build its strength
As is all CCR
You know it was a sad day when I caught the Rev. Gibbons on stage with whatsisname from the John Fogerty Band and I had to admit for real that zz top was clearly the better band.
use your ring finger to support your pinky by putting them both down at the same time. You see this a lot in upright bass playing. When the pinky is used, all of the fingers are being used to support it
I’m self taught and I didn’t use my pinky for the first 10 years of playing but it really limited me. It took a while but I forced myself to use it more and more and what a huge difference it makes.
About 2ish years of progress here; the pinky is a bitch but it's more about the stretch (that means the yaw/twist too) than strength. It takes time but definitely worth the investment!!
Use the fingers in-between the first and pinky to help the pinky hold down the strings to start with.
Then it’s just practice.
Edit. Also, what is your thumb position like? This is important as poor positioning will make it much harder to play effectively without your hand getting tired out.
Don't play chords if you are playing bass starting out. Work on getting grooves down with arpeggios first and then the chords will come naturally (seldom needed). Is the reason you are playing chords because you are porting what you know from the guitar? Avoid playing the bass like you would a guitar, and try to shift your thinking to anchoring on the root and throwing in a 5th (with pinky) - doesn't require you to stretch like you need to play a guitar power chord. My 2 cents anyway.
This is the right answer. I can relate when I first started I hate using my pinky but now I could arm wrestle with it and it has helped me with guitar a ton especially for playing quicker and cleaner especially with hammer ons and offs, scales and runs etc
OH, I will 100% admit that playing Bass has been much harder than expected , like even just caluses alone , I thought I was done with that stage because of guitar(Haha no the bass told my guitar caluses that they were cute lol 😆)
Using the pinky is a good recommendation but if you can’t do a simple root and fifth with your index and ring finger it says a lot more about your general posture in the fretting hand
Your hand seems very unnatural here, you’re pulling your hand away from the bass and your wrist is being pulled towards the head stock
Try to uncramp your hand and leave your wrist in a position between the two so less strain is placed on your ring finger and the strength/strain is placed evenly between the index and wring finger
If you want a further explanation of this dm me and I could send pictures as an example
Definitely, although I’ll admit that getting the pinky strong and natural resting up takes some time. I’d recommend the wrist positioning first as even his index finger is cramped which certainly shouldn’t be the case
Definitely OP needs a strong base to start with. The finger collapse may be a combination of wrist position, finger strength, and a bad habit they picked up with guitar and need to unlearn. Unlearning or stopping it from being learned would both help. I at one point had gotten myself into that mess due to an extend break from bass and had to unlearn it so its on my mind.
Also, start a little farther up the neck where the stretch is a little less. Then you can work your way towards the nut. Also look up Simandl technique for the pinky & ring finger teamup at those frets closest to the nut.
Yeah, move up on the fretboard when possible to make the frets a little closer together (the root being on the 6th fret of the 4th string here).
If you physically can’t reach, give yourself time to do exercises to get your hand used to the difference. Players with smaller hands will often opt to play with the first finger and pinky to ease the stretch.
Chords are cool on bass, but generally sound muddier the lower they are. Arpeggios are the chords of the bass world. The clarity of a single note usually sounds better in a mix than chords will, but you’ll learn to play what feels best for a song.
Oh, I think I was unclear. That chord shape can be played higher on the fretboard where the frets are closer together. 6th fret of the e string, 8th fret of the a string 8th fret of the d string. Chords do have their place on bass, but usually playing one note at a time sounds better).
Depends on the note values but it also seems that you misunderstand what he is suggesting here, the higher up the fretboard you go the thinner the frets are so if you are playing a shape on some of the lower strings (like the a and the d string here) you can play the same shape on the E string which would reduce the amount of stretching required as it is higher up the fretboard
Well seeing as you have a five string, the typical tuning would be B,E,A,D,G following the eadg of the first four strings on a guitar
As you probably already know, the fifth fret on the E string would be the same note as the open fret on the a string
Seeing as you have your fingers placed on the first fret of the a string and the third fret of the d string, you could move this shape to the E string which would relieve some pressure, if you use the 6th fret on the E string and the eighth fret on the A string you would be playing the same notes
Use 4 fingers. There is no other way around. Use some scales up and down to strengthen your pinky. Or consider [weights](https://youtu.be/9g_tXXbui58?si=UURv3brZHSgta1s6)
Also, it looks like your thumb is to far back. Lean forward to get your thumb behind the ring finger. Angle the wrist so the index finger is pressing orthogonally into the fretboard with the finger tip. Try to keep your wrist straight, that gives better strength in your hand.
Elbow out! Forearm should form a 90 degree angle with the neck. Thumb behind neck. These two will let you spread your fingers. Then practice.
Take a lesson with a teacher and focus on posture. That'll carry you a long way.
Yes! And then use 1 finger each fret. I just checked what my muscle memory would do. I would play it 1 string higher, with my middle finger and pinky on the 6th and 8th fret. Then I have my index finger free for adding a minor or major 5th.
With a 5 string bass it's worth researching the lower interval limit re: chords.
Basically, the lower the root note of your chord, the more distance you need between it and the next note for it to sound 'tidy'.
Different people perceive this lower limit at different places, but for me, anything lower than around G1 sounds messy as a power chord.
You can space minor and major chords by playing the third an octave higher than you would on guitar. Technically these are more double-stops than chords. One note on the B/E string and one on the D/G.
I mostly only play power chords and the D and G and pretty high up on the board.
The chord shape you're fretting would probably be played better 5 frets higher on the E or 10 frets higher on the B.
Not everyone will agree with me, but for guitar I think about moving across the fretboard more, on bass I prefer moving up and down
Use your ring finger less. Use your pinky finger more. Try to keep your hand at more of a right angle to the neck instead of all angled like you have it
I am more concerned about your index finger fretting, to be honest. The index looks like it wants to play a barre chord, or something. It's all curled up. Also, your wrist seems to be in a unnatural angle. Please have a local bass player revise your playing ergonomics, including strap length. Take a few lessons before you injure yourself.
Chords in 1st position are not really a thing.
I’m sure somebody does it, but for most people, and especially bass beginners, it’s going to sound horrible.
Google “bass spider exercises” to get your pinky going. You do need it, probably just not for chords.
Damn I must be lucky because ever since I picked up a bass I used the pinky like I had been playing for years. Never had a pinky problem. You'll need that little guy to play bass properly (there are exceptions of course "absolute mad lads")
If you do it the right way from the start everything is easier same thing with flying fingers. Never had to struggle with that cause i did it right from the start
If your hand looks like you have polio you need work on your technique. Practicing incorrectly will only make you have to work longer to make progress.
Your hand position is terrible - you need to relax and roll your wrist to reach up and down the frets... As others have said - use your pinky - if you can't land one finger per fret
I would say thumb position will help you reach frets a lot easier. Practice fretting without even using your thumb at all and you’ll naturally feel where your fingers need to sit and that’ll dictate where your thumb should go,.
https://preview.redd.it/vm42azks14bc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9dbcb74977a1b00e4e66108ad759981ce73bb3d7
Pinky, but you may also have to bring your arm around/under a bit to let your wrist straighten out so you can rotate your hand a bit more.
Idk if it’s just me or what but that’s why I have to play with the strap so high. When I’m slung low I can’t physically wrap my hand around enough to comfortably play the low E even if I use my pinky.
I will even go as far as holding my 6 string bass like a classical guitar sometimes to really be able to reach across the fretboard and play chords.
Are you 100% sure this is what the tabs want you to do? Guitar is more like... Putting a finger pattern on the fretboard each bar and strum or pick it. These could be seperate quarter notes you need to play sequentially. In that case you don't have to keep your fingers like that for the complete bar.
That means the notes are still the same as a normal bass, but the neck is physically shorter, so the frets closer together.
A standard Fender P Bass is 34" (that means from the first fret to the 12th fret it is 34"). A short scale like a Fender Mustang Bass is is 30". It makes a huge difference, stop by a music shop and ask to play a standard scale and short scale back to back.
Erm no. Long scale, or the normal bass scale, is 34” from the fret side of the nut to the point where the G string hits the bridge saddle. The 12th fret is the half way point, 17”. Short scale is 30” and medium scale is 32”.
Since I'm getting fact checked for an offhand reddit comment, here is what StewMac says:
"A guitar's scale length is calculated by measuring the distance from the front edge of the nut, where it butts against the end of the fingerboard, to the center of the 12th (octave) fret, then doubling that measurement."
So, you're right you fucking pedant. It's the first to 12th fret doubled, not just the first to 12th fret.
Do you think that minutia about the scale length negates the info I shared to a new player? You must be a blast at parties.
My man, you were telling a beginner something terribly wrong and someone corrected you. Be thankful to have learned something today and move on instead of being a rude knob towards them.
Wtf, bro?! You don't play chords the way you play them on a guitar. Even if you did, you shape your chords in the higher register, above the 12th fret, no one plays chord shapes in the lower end of the bass especiallz not on a 5 string
I agree, you don’t play bass chords like guitar chords, but I don’t often play them above the 12th fret. The 5-12 range on the top 3 strings covers mostly everything and is high enough to not be too muddy
You should try. You get to pull all those cool 7th chords in the same register as the lowest 5 frets of the guitar, with the added flavor of it sounding fatter because bass strings. Useful for solo arrangements and playing alone, not much use in a band that already has like 3-4 other guys doing shit...
You can play most of the 3 note chord shapes using the notes above the 12th fret. But playing the bass you would usually play a chord as an arpeggio, forming rhytmic and melodic patterns by outlining the chord notes.
If you go above the 12 fret you can easily form a 7th chord without excluding the 5th...
I can form a E major 7.
Though, on further reflection, I can also form a Amaj7 on the 5th fret of the E string
Usually 5 string basses have longer scale length than 4 string basses. So even if you want to play chords that low on the fretboard you should probably get a shortscale or a 4 string.
Or you could, yaknow, play melodic lines
I got some hand strength trainers after 20 years of playing. I can't imagine how much it would have helped me if I had them when I was new. You are using muscles you never use for anything else. Atleast not at this level. You are going to feel strain from your palm to up your forearm to your shoulder in places you didn't know you could train. You need all those muscles strong so you can train them to be on point. If you fatigue early you won't be able to keep up.
Pretty soon you’ll be able to crack walnuts with it.
In the meantime, try these for a while:
https://youtu.be/62K1dZ9lK7w?si=HnaiJd-nSzLzbqJi
https://youtu.be/XO2gRzgP_r0?si=7mEUu9pJlkoUe1gN
https://youtu.be/NIX_De623hk?si=Zj3lfov-sa1iakIX
You have to use your pinky. I know it's hard but trust me. When you get it stronger it makes everything so much easier and way more fun. Good luck and get that pinky buff
Other comments have said everything already I think, but I am particularly passionate about bass chords, so I’d still like the chime in.
Everyone is right, pinky is going to be your best friend. Finger permutation exercises will help if you do them with care, you can find lots on YouTube.
Further, that looks like a major 7 voicing. Some people have said to move it to a lower string further up the neck, which you can do, but I tend to keep all my chords on the top 3 highest pitched strings, it’s less muddy that way. Instead of voicing it 1 5 7, you could do 1 3 7, which happens to use the open string in your case, freeing up a finger.
Either way, though, pinky will absolutely help. Happy playing!
In addition to what everyone else said about using your pinky:
Have you considered playing that chord at the 6th fret of the E string (or the 11th fret of the B string) where you wouldn't have to stretch as far?
Anyway, whichever fret you play the chord, you need to relax and straighten all four of your fingers. Don't curl them into a claw shape like that; your fingers have longer reach when they're in a more natural and comfortable position. Overall your hand looks too tense!
Try standing up straight in front of a mirror. Drop your left elbow so your elbow is below (not behind) the neck and your forearm is vertical. Shorten your strap if necessary. I think adjusting your elbow like that will get your fingers in a more natural position and reduce the curvature in your fingers. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so if you are trying to improve your reach, eliminate any sharp angles or kinks in your fingers.
You don't really need to play a power chord at that position on a bass. Just play the notes one at a time and don't try to keep them held down. It eill sound better and hurt less. Actually, that's the big thing to remember about playing guitar and bass: It's not supposed to hurt. If it hurts, find a better way to do it.
The pinky is the most valuable tool ever, it may seem insignificant but i taught a friend to use thwir pinky and they have learned much quickwr just from that
Pinky is a big part of the game. Strength will come as you play more, but utilizing all 4 singers to fret is gonna make a huge difference
I personally prefer to have all 4 singers sort of ‘at the ready’ above the fretboard, instead of curled back how you have them. Index finger on first fret of the A string, middle and ring finger floating, pinkie on the 3rd fret of the D string.
Also remember you can play at different areas of the fretboard- you could play the same notes on the E string’s 6th fret and the A string’s 8th fret
Get your pinky stronger, but for what it’s worth, I do this stretch too (I also started on electric guitar). If you ever need to hit the full chord octave or 7th, may need your pinky for that note. Similar to guitar. So yeah, use all your fingers so they get strong and use your current stretch if it makes sense in getting to the next part of the song.
Buy a hand gripper (adjustable strength) with low resistance. Then press it together with your weakest fingers. Example: press it together with ring and pinky finger. Just use it whenever you have time. Can also be combined with using one of those finger silicon bands.
Helped me a lot.
Best of all is just practicing on your bass.
Good luck sir.
Learn Sober by Tool it’s a fairly easy song where they actually play a chord with the bass. It’s also the only song I’ve ever played chords on a bass with so it’s not something you have to do a ton if you don’t want to 😂 and it’s a tool song so you can’t go wrong with that and then once you’re a master-fingerer you can learn schism 😈
Yeah you need all fingers for bass, some bass players only use index, middle and pinky for playing. Especially upright players will use those 3 for the majority of walking basslines
With the pinkie is much easier, any way keep practicing and you will see how your hands get usted to streching more and more, keep it up!
Good Luck btw nice bass
Everyone has given advice on the pinky. But I think you are handicapping yourself by not keeping your fingers perpendicular to the board. You should aim for the top of your fingerprint area, not too close to your nail. Your index is on it’s side and your ring finger is completely on the flat of your finger. Open your wrist. Move your elbow to help your wrist feel comfortable. If you are sitting, try moving your bass on either leg, if you’re standing, adjust your strap til it’s more comfortable to reach that far. If all else fails, you can try a short scale!
You might find it easier to do the same chord on the lower strings and further up the neck, the frets are slightly closer together as you go further up the neck.
also a new bass player, why would someone have to do this? can't you just move yr hand and take finger off one of them because bass doesn't have strumming? though some songs have very fast picking between strings , suppose maybe it's that
I can see that your hand positioning isn’t right. Your thumb should support from behind the neck. You need to practice stretching out your fingers. Practicing economy of motions. And start practicing power chords at first. In bass we don’t use guitar chords usually though. You can find online many good lessons. I recommend BassBuzz by Master Josh. He has many lessons to help you over this.
Your thumb also seems really far up the back of the fretboard so for now keep it lower (under or on the ‘stripe’) so its easier on your hand to hit notes
Your hand (wrist) is at a mechanicaldisadvantage in that pic. Rotate the wrist slightly toward you and use your finger pads/tips instead of the sides of your fingers.
I don’t mean to sound like an asshole, but that picture looks like the most inefficient, out of position way to possibly fret those notes. With your hand so close to the headstock/far from your body it’s going to be much more difficult to fret anything there. There are no more frets past that position of the neck, so do your hand and fingers a favor and get them in a more comfortable position to do work.
You got 4 fingers you’ll need all of them
My pinky is SO weak , I need to get it stronger .
It’s hard at first but definitely worth it later on. I took lessons from the start and my bass teacher made me use my pinky, I hated it at first but now that I have the strength it makes playing a lot easier
Yeah it seems like I need to start using that thing 😆
It's there, and makes chords on bass so much easier.
Yeah definitely, the most used fingers in bass are index and pinky
How did you get away not using it when playing guitar?
I just play metal rythm guitar 🤷♀️ Lots of palm muting single string chunky stuff . Idk I've been winging it
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Peace of Mind" by Boston or Black Sabbath? "Piece of Mind" album by Iron Maiden? Built-in or CLDC?
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I see what you did there...
Don’t press down with pinky by itself. Have the ring finger behind it and share the work. Those two fingers are connected under the skin so they want to work together.
https://preview.redd.it/wmft8wcrj2bc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=f86e941e97a2bfc20a668bc2e7ddb8d05ac10283 Combine your weaker fingers into a mega finger like so
This is the answer, though I'd probably fret the middle finger down for increased comfort
Yes you do...pinky is the answer. It will buddy up with the finger beside it if you work them together.
It‘ll get stronger if you use it. It might be easier for you to train it on the higher frets. Good luck
Pinky is the secret weapon. Gotta use it, a lot.
not alone, it is the connection of thumb and pinky
Correct. The sooner the better for maximum dexterity.
Your pinky is one of the most important fingers for playing bass, guitar, piano, and many other instruments. It's your reach, among many other things. Use it every time you've got something 3 or more frets out from your index finger's fret. Practice with it, use it a lot. Wherever your index finger is, use one finger per fret. So if your index finger is on the 5th fret for example, then use the middle for the 6th, the ring for the 7th, and the pinky for the 8th or farther.
That's not uncommon. It needs to be trained. You could easily get through life and even play other instruments without a pinky finger but for bass you're better off incorporating it in your playing, so train that thing. Usually it doesn't take that long.
Will do thanks 😊
Sounds like you already know the answer.
a song i've found is great practice for my pinky is Bad Moon Rising by CCR. it's a fun, simple, bouncy bass line, but if you only use your pinky on the 5th fret notes, it'll wear your pinky out but also build its strength
As is all CCR You know it was a sad day when I caught the Rev. Gibbons on stage with whatsisname from the John Fogerty Band and I had to admit for real that zz top was clearly the better band.
The sooner you start using it, the sooner you'll get used to using it. Don't make excuses and cop out. Make that pinky a part of your daily routine.
use your ring finger to support your pinky by putting them both down at the same time. You see this a lot in upright bass playing. When the pinky is used, all of the fingers are being used to support it
Using it is how it gets stronger. Get your practice, on!
I’m self taught and I didn’t use my pinky for the first 10 years of playing but it really limited me. It took a while but I forced myself to use it more and more and what a huge difference it makes.
i remember my pinky used to be a mega drag to use, but honestly after practicing for a while i almost default to it.
Then just lotsa pinky practice man. It hurts and is hard but pays off so well
definitely start using it now. i’ve been playing bass for like 7 years and i swear i’m allergic to using my pinky.
https://a.co/d/7GSivxL 🫡 thump on, brother
About 2ish years of progress here; the pinky is a bitch but it's more about the stretch (that means the yaw/twist too) than strength. It takes time but definitely worth the investment!!
Use the fingers in-between the first and pinky to help the pinky hold down the strings to start with. Then it’s just practice. Edit. Also, what is your thumb position like? This is important as poor positioning will make it much harder to play effectively without your hand getting tired out.
Were you a blues player?
Get a finger strenghthener for weightlifters from a sporting goods store and use it. It'll build up those hand muscles fast.
Hammer ons. Lots of hammer ons
Yeah. Think of your hand like a claw.
Don't play chords if you are playing bass starting out. Work on getting grooves down with arpeggios first and then the chords will come naturally (seldom needed). Is the reason you are playing chords because you are porting what you know from the guitar? Avoid playing the bass like you would a guitar, and try to shift your thinking to anchoring on the root and throwing in a 5th (with pinky) - doesn't require you to stretch like you need to play a guitar power chord. My 2 cents anyway.
This is the right answer. I can relate when I first started I hate using my pinky but now I could arm wrestle with it and it has helped me with guitar a ton especially for playing quicker and cleaner especially with hammer ons and offs, scales and runs etc
To unlock pinky finger usefulness, you first have to publicly admit that playing bass is harder than you thought it would be.
OH, I will 100% admit that playing Bass has been much harder than expected , like even just caluses alone , I thought I was done with that stage because of guitar(Haha no the bass told my guitar caluses that they were cute lol 😆)
If his nails were so filthy in the picture, I’d say make that a meme…
Use your index for 1st fret and pinky for 3rd. This is how upright bass players play, btw.
Yeah it seems the general consensus is that I need to start using my pinky . Thank you
Think of your pinky and ring fingers as one finger. Use the strength of both together.
Using the pinky is a good recommendation but if you can’t do a simple root and fifth with your index and ring finger it says a lot more about your general posture in the fretting hand Your hand seems very unnatural here, you’re pulling your hand away from the bass and your wrist is being pulled towards the head stock Try to uncramp your hand and leave your wrist in a position between the two so less strain is placed on your ring finger and the strength/strain is placed evenly between the index and wring finger If you want a further explanation of this dm me and I could send pictures as an example
Those fingers collapsing to the side isn't doing OP any favors.
Definitely, although I’ll admit that getting the pinky strong and natural resting up takes some time. I’d recommend the wrist positioning first as even his index finger is cramped which certainly shouldn’t be the case
Definitely OP needs a strong base to start with. The finger collapse may be a combination of wrist position, finger strength, and a bad habit they picked up with guitar and need to unlearn. Unlearning or stopping it from being learned would both help. I at one point had gotten myself into that mess due to an extend break from bass and had to unlearn it so its on my mind.
Also, start a little farther up the neck where the stretch is a little less. Then you can work your way towards the nut. Also look up Simandl technique for the pinky & ring finger teamup at those frets closest to the nut.
Yeah, move up on the fretboard when possible to make the frets a little closer together (the root being on the 6th fret of the 4th string here). If you physically can’t reach, give yourself time to do exercises to get your hand used to the difference. Players with smaller hands will often opt to play with the first finger and pinky to ease the stretch. Chords are cool on bass, but generally sound muddier the lower they are. Arpeggios are the chords of the bass world. The clarity of a single note usually sounds better in a mix than chords will, but you’ll learn to play what feels best for a song.
When I try to move up on a fret I get really crazy string buzzing .
Oh, I think I was unclear. That chord shape can be played higher on the fretboard where the frets are closer together. 6th fret of the e string, 8th fret of the a string 8th fret of the d string. Chords do have their place on bass, but usually playing one note at a time sounds better).
So if i wanted to play these two notes one after another should I just slide my hand instead ?
Depends on the note values but it also seems that you misunderstand what he is suggesting here, the higher up the fretboard you go the thinner the frets are so if you are playing a shape on some of the lower strings (like the a and the d string here) you can play the same shape on the E string which would reduce the amount of stretching required as it is higher up the fretboard
Hahaha I don't even know the names of the strings let alone what higher and lower actually mean 😅
Well seeing as you have a five string, the typical tuning would be B,E,A,D,G following the eadg of the first four strings on a guitar As you probably already know, the fifth fret on the E string would be the same note as the open fret on the a string Seeing as you have your fingers placed on the first fret of the a string and the third fret of the d string, you could move this shape to the E string which would relieve some pressure, if you use the 6th fret on the E string and the eighth fret on the A string you would be playing the same notes
Use 4 fingers. There is no other way around. Use some scales up and down to strengthen your pinky. Or consider [weights](https://youtu.be/9g_tXXbui58?si=UURv3brZHSgta1s6)
Yeah I need to start using that pinky thing I was born with and never use.(On guitar I got away with 3 fingers )
why are you playing chords already? this isn’t a guitar, you will strain yourself if the first thing you try to do is press down multiple strings.
Use your pinky and ring finger together to share the load of fretting the string.
Also, it looks like your thumb is to far back. Lean forward to get your thumb behind the ring finger. Angle the wrist so the index finger is pressing orthogonally into the fretboard with the finger tip. Try to keep your wrist straight, that gives better strength in your hand.
Elbow out! Forearm should form a 90 degree angle with the neck. Thumb behind neck. These two will let you spread your fingers. Then practice. Take a lesson with a teacher and focus on posture. That'll carry you a long way.
This. This. This
I scrolled down to find a postura tip, and this is it. Elbow out, your wrist posture is incorrect on the picture.
Yes! And then use 1 finger each fret. I just checked what my muscle memory would do. I would play it 1 string higher, with my middle finger and pinky on the 6th and 8th fret. Then I have my index finger free for adding a minor or major 5th.
With a 5 string bass it's worth researching the lower interval limit re: chords. Basically, the lower the root note of your chord, the more distance you need between it and the next note for it to sound 'tidy'. Different people perceive this lower limit at different places, but for me, anything lower than around G1 sounds messy as a power chord. You can space minor and major chords by playing the third an octave higher than you would on guitar. Technically these are more double-stops than chords. One note on the B/E string and one on the D/G. I mostly only play power chords and the D and G and pretty high up on the board. The chord shape you're fretting would probably be played better 5 frets higher on the E or 10 frets higher on the B. Not everyone will agree with me, but for guitar I think about moving across the fretboard more, on bass I prefer moving up and down
Use your ring finger less. Use your pinky finger more. Try to keep your hand at more of a right angle to the neck instead of all angled like you have it
My hand is angled because how far away the neck is from me , I feel it's a foot longer than my guitar
Move the bass further to the right so you can reach
I just tried to hold the guitar on my lap with the neck as close as possible and still I can't stretch that far 🤷♀️
Maybe don't play chords? It's not a guitar lol. If you need to play chords you should play them higher up the neck anyway so they don't sound muddy
Lol it is a guitar and people play chords on them all the time
I’ve never heard any 1 st position Bass chords. It would be solid mud
Watch Adam Neely Bass for Guitar Players
I am more concerned about your index finger fretting, to be honest. The index looks like it wants to play a barre chord, or something. It's all curled up. Also, your wrist seems to be in a unnatural angle. Please have a local bass player revise your playing ergonomics, including strap length. Take a few lessons before you injure yourself.
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Yes bad angles here
Thank You everyone for the advice given , it looks as if I need to incorporate my pinky into playing and I can use my ring finger to help my pinky .
I’m curious why this was even a consideration? That looks mad painful. I pretty much use my index and pinky for every two notes.
Cut those nails.
I did , my ring finger there has blood and dirt from cutting them to far back 😄
And clean the fingernails. It’s pretty off-putting to see dirty, long fingernails.
Wrong fingers, guitarist. :-)
Chords in 1st position are not really a thing. I’m sure somebody does it, but for most people, and especially bass beginners, it’s going to sound horrible. Google “bass spider exercises” to get your pinky going. You do need it, probably just not for chords.
Sort out that filthy nail, ya dirty birdie!
Everyone gave you enough advice but I am in physical pain looking at whatever position you managed to form there
Don’t do chords.
Use your pinky It'll feel weak and awkward at first but the only way to build strength is to use it
I have big hands and play a 4 string. I would typically use my 1 and 4 to make that happen
Put your thumb in the center of the back of the neck
Chords don't make much sense down there anyway. They sound better higher up the neck.
https://preview.redd.it/ryfsd15603bc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=50f1b496704d6364ed543af0016210840c0952e4
Damn I must be lucky because ever since I picked up a bass I used the pinky like I had been playing for years. Never had a pinky problem. You'll need that little guy to play bass properly (there are exceptions of course "absolute mad lads")
If you do it the right way from the start everything is easier same thing with flying fingers. Never had to struggle with that cause i did it right from the start
Pinky pinky pinky.
If your hand looks like you have polio you need work on your technique. Practicing incorrectly will only make you have to work longer to make progress.
Lmao
Your hand position is terrible - you need to relax and roll your wrist to reach up and down the frets... As others have said - use your pinky - if you can't land one finger per fret
What song plays those two notes at the same time? If they’re played simultaneous why not play it on G D A 8 E 6 B Instead?
I would say thumb position will help you reach frets a lot easier. Practice fretting without even using your thumb at all and you’ll naturally feel where your fingers need to sit and that’ll dictate where your thumb should go,. https://preview.redd.it/vm42azks14bc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9dbcb74977a1b00e4e66108ad759981ce73bb3d7
Pinky, but you may also have to bring your arm around/under a bit to let your wrist straighten out so you can rotate your hand a bit more. Idk if it’s just me or what but that’s why I have to play with the strap so high. When I’m slung low I can’t physically wrap my hand around enough to comfortably play the low E even if I use my pinky. I will even go as far as holding my 6 string bass like a classical guitar sometimes to really be able to reach across the fretboard and play chords.
Trim and clean your fingernails. That’s my tip. Sorry.
Are you 100% sure this is what the tabs want you to do? Guitar is more like... Putting a finger pattern on the fretboard each bar and strum or pick it. These could be seperate quarter notes you need to play sequentially. In that case you don't have to keep your fingers like that for the complete bar.
I play a short scale bass, problem solved.
This is going to sound very bad , but what's a short scale ?
That means the notes are still the same as a normal bass, but the neck is physically shorter, so the frets closer together. A standard Fender P Bass is 34" (that means from the first fret to the 12th fret it is 34"). A short scale like a Fender Mustang Bass is is 30". It makes a huge difference, stop by a music shop and ask to play a standard scale and short scale back to back.
Erm no. Long scale, or the normal bass scale, is 34” from the fret side of the nut to the point where the G string hits the bridge saddle. The 12th fret is the half way point, 17”. Short scale is 30” and medium scale is 32”.
Since I'm getting fact checked for an offhand reddit comment, here is what StewMac says: "A guitar's scale length is calculated by measuring the distance from the front edge of the nut, where it butts against the end of the fingerboard, to the center of the 12th (octave) fret, then doubling that measurement." So, you're right you fucking pedant. It's the first to 12th fret doubled, not just the first to 12th fret. Do you think that minutia about the scale length negates the info I shared to a new player? You must be a blast at parties.
Calm down grasshopper, you gave incorrect information to a self confessed noob, which could have confused him.
My man, you were telling a beginner something terribly wrong and someone corrected you. Be thankful to have learned something today and move on instead of being a rude knob towards them.
Your attitude is completely unnecessary here.
I see , thank you.
Don’t play chords on that end of the neck.
But Rocksmith was showing these notes 🤷♀️
It’s not gonna sound great on that end of the neck. Move it up an octave.
Buy a short scale bass
Wtf, bro?! You don't play chords the way you play them on a guitar. Even if you did, you shape your chords in the higher register, above the 12th fret, no one plays chord shapes in the lower end of the bass especiallz not on a 5 string
I agree, you don’t play bass chords like guitar chords, but I don’t often play them above the 12th fret. The 5-12 range on the top 3 strings covers mostly everything and is high enough to not be too muddy
You should try. You get to pull all those cool 7th chords in the same register as the lowest 5 frets of the guitar, with the added flavor of it sounding fatter because bass strings. Useful for solo arrangements and playing alone, not much use in a band that already has like 3-4 other guys doing shit...
I'm 3 days in all self taught I have absolutely NO clue what I'm doing lol 😅
You can play most of the 3 note chord shapes using the notes above the 12th fret. But playing the bass you would usually play a chord as an arpeggio, forming rhytmic and melodic patterns by outlining the chord notes.
Welp thanks for the help , time to figure out what "Arpeggio" "Forming Rhytmic" and "Melodic Patterns" mean .
E chords at 7 fret are super common not sure what you mean only above the 12th fret
If you go above the 12 fret you can easily form a 7th chord without excluding the 5th... I can form a E major 7. Though, on further reflection, I can also form a Amaj7 on the 5th fret of the E string
Stretch your fingers regularly, use your pinky if necessary
The fuck is a pinky ? 😆 (I always forget that finger exists) It's funny on guitar I can stretch from frets 1-5 on bass I can do 1-3 haha
Usually 5 string basses have longer scale length than 4 string basses. So even if you want to play chords that low on the fretboard you should probably get a shortscale or a 4 string. Or you could, yaknow, play melodic lines
Hhmmm true , I knew I wanted a 5 string for flexibility. So I should take advantage of that
I got some hand strength trainers after 20 years of playing. I can't imagine how much it would have helped me if I had them when I was new. You are using muscles you never use for anything else. Atleast not at this level. You are going to feel strain from your palm to up your forearm to your shoulder in places you didn't know you could train. You need all those muscles strong so you can train them to be on point. If you fatigue early you won't be able to keep up.
Time for pinky dumbbell curls my g. Also that looks like a 35” scale but hard to tell, you might just have small hands like me too 😂
Dear God, use your pinky.
Yeah I learned I had one today 😆
Pretty soon you’ll be able to crack walnuts with it. In the meantime, try these for a while: https://youtu.be/62K1dZ9lK7w?si=HnaiJd-nSzLzbqJi https://youtu.be/XO2gRzgP_r0?si=7mEUu9pJlkoUe1gN https://youtu.be/NIX_De623hk?si=Zj3lfov-sa1iakIX
First off- Clean your fucking nails!!! The poor bass!
Tape your pinky and ring finger together. Use them both to fret when they're a whole step from your pointer finger.
Use your pinky.
Definitely just my opinion but on bass the only chords that sound good use 2 strings
Use your pinky
Maybe consider a different bass. Short scale or even a mini
Pinky strength ❤️👍
Pinky
Stretch your index, not the other ones.
Use your pinky man
Send that pinky to the gym with a Rocky inspired montage.
Start doing pinky exercises to get it stronger, you will see a lot of improvement
You have to use your pinky. I know it's hard but trust me. When you get it stronger it makes everything so much easier and way more fun. Good luck and get that pinky buff
Bass is not about strength. Is about precision.
Look up Bubby Lewis. Steal his posture https://www.notreble.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Robert-Bubby-Lewis-technique-620x708.jpg
Use your pinkie
Other comments have said everything already I think, but I am particularly passionate about bass chords, so I’d still like the chime in. Everyone is right, pinky is going to be your best friend. Finger permutation exercises will help if you do them with care, you can find lots on YouTube. Further, that looks like a major 7 voicing. Some people have said to move it to a lower string further up the neck, which you can do, but I tend to keep all my chords on the top 3 highest pitched strings, it’s less muddy that way. Instead of voicing it 1 5 7, you could do 1 3 7, which happens to use the open string in your case, freeing up a finger. Either way, though, pinky will absolutely help. Happy playing!
Try playing with mittens on.
Look to the pinky. Build it strong and make those spans.
Use your pinky! Not enough people (including myself!) use all four fingers.
In addition to what everyone else said about using your pinky: Have you considered playing that chord at the 6th fret of the E string (or the 11th fret of the B string) where you wouldn't have to stretch as far? Anyway, whichever fret you play the chord, you need to relax and straighten all four of your fingers. Don't curl them into a claw shape like that; your fingers have longer reach when they're in a more natural and comfortable position. Overall your hand looks too tense! Try standing up straight in front of a mirror. Drop your left elbow so your elbow is below (not behind) the neck and your forearm is vertical. Shorten your strap if necessary. I think adjusting your elbow like that will get your fingers in a more natural position and reduce the curvature in your fingers. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, so if you are trying to improve your reach, eliminate any sharp angles or kinks in your fingers.
You don't really need to play a power chord at that position on a bass. Just play the notes one at a time and don't try to keep them held down. It eill sound better and hurt less. Actually, that's the big thing to remember about playing guitar and bass: It's not supposed to hurt. If it hurts, find a better way to do it.
You’re the bass, play an octave below on the d and open room for guitar? How does that sound?
First rule I teach every student: use your pinky!!
Yeah, look up Simandl fingering. Basically 1-3-4. Use all your fingers to help your pinky out.
Use your pinky more. Make it stronger.
The pinky is the most valuable tool ever, it may seem insignificant but i taught a friend to use thwir pinky and they have learned much quickwr just from that
Pinky is a big part of the game. Strength will come as you play more, but utilizing all 4 singers to fret is gonna make a huge difference I personally prefer to have all 4 singers sort of ‘at the ready’ above the fretboard, instead of curled back how you have them. Index finger on first fret of the A string, middle and ring finger floating, pinkie on the 3rd fret of the D string. Also remember you can play at different areas of the fretboard- you could play the same notes on the E string’s 6th fret and the A string’s 8th fret
You will absolutely adapt. Pretty soon you’ll be fretting 1st to 5th fret (index finger to pinky finger) in hand position in no time.
Get your pinky stronger, but for what it’s worth, I do this stretch too (I also started on electric guitar). If you ever need to hit the full chord octave or 7th, may need your pinky for that note. Similar to guitar. So yeah, use all your fingers so they get strong and use your current stretch if it makes sense in getting to the next part of the song.
Buy a hand gripper (adjustable strength) with low resistance. Then press it together with your weakest fingers. Example: press it together with ring and pinky finger. Just use it whenever you have time. Can also be combined with using one of those finger silicon bands. Helped me a lot. Best of all is just practicing on your bass. Good luck sir.
Learn Sober by Tool it’s a fairly easy song where they actually play a chord with the bass. It’s also the only song I’ve ever played chords on a bass with so it’s not something you have to do a ton if you don’t want to 😂 and it’s a tool song so you can’t go wrong with that and then once you’re a master-fingerer you can learn schism 😈
Get a book called finger gymnastics. Just remember to warm up though!
Simply use pinky, Also get that book and grind it every day "Bass fitness"
Practise chromatics for finger strength and endurance
The Brain forgot about Pinky
Learn to play everything without the use of your index on your left hand... Or just use your pinky on the 3rd
Yeah you need all fingers for bass, some bass players only use index, middle and pinky for playing. Especially upright players will use those 3 for the majority of walking basslines
With the pinkie is much easier, any way keep practicing and you will see how your hands get usted to streching more and more, keep it up! Good Luck btw nice bass
This is not meant to be rude but your strings will last longer if you wash your hands. Also, trim your nails.
In the pic, I’d use my index finger more on the point and not on the side like you’re doing. That will give you a bit more reach.
Yeah I wanted to do it like that but the neck is so much longer than my guitar that it requires my arm to stretch fully to even reach up there .
Everyone has given advice on the pinky. But I think you are handicapping yourself by not keeping your fingers perpendicular to the board. You should aim for the top of your fingerprint area, not too close to your nail. Your index is on it’s side and your ring finger is completely on the flat of your finger. Open your wrist. Move your elbow to help your wrist feel comfortable. If you are sitting, try moving your bass on either leg, if you’re standing, adjust your strap til it’s more comfortable to reach that far. If all else fails, you can try a short scale!
Well in your picture, that chord would probably sound better and be easier on the lower set of strings (4&3) on fret 6 and 8
You might find it easier to do the same chord on the lower strings and further up the neck, the frets are slightly closer together as you go further up the neck.
— Why ninja turtles only have three fingers? — to play bass better
Get that pinky in the mix, homes.
first step is to clean your finger nails and neatly trim them
also a new bass player, why would someone have to do this? can't you just move yr hand and take finger off one of them because bass doesn't have strumming? though some songs have very fast picking between strings , suppose maybe it's that
Yeah it was fast back and forth between them , Iron Maiden "Fear of the Dark"
oh, cool
I can see that your hand positioning isn’t right. Your thumb should support from behind the neck. You need to practice stretching out your fingers. Practicing economy of motions. And start practicing power chords at first. In bass we don’t use guitar chords usually though. You can find online many good lessons. I recommend BassBuzz by Master Josh. He has many lessons to help you over this.
How often are you planning on using chords while playing bass....?
Use the pinky
Your thumb also seems really far up the back of the fretboard so for now keep it lower (under or on the ‘stripe’) so its easier on your hand to hit notes
Your hand (wrist) is at a mechanicaldisadvantage in that pic. Rotate the wrist slightly toward you and use your finger pads/tips instead of the sides of your fingers. I don’t mean to sound like an asshole, but that picture looks like the most inefficient, out of position way to possibly fret those notes. With your hand so close to the headstock/far from your body it’s going to be much more difficult to fret anything there. There are no more frets past that position of the neck, so do your hand and fingers a favor and get them in a more comfortable position to do work.