This article is written by Toru Hoshino, a jazz bassist and instructor based in Japan who teaches online lessons to students worldwide.
“My pinky just doesn’t reach the string on bass.”
If that’s you, here’s a simple tip that can make a big difference. The key is your elbow.
Contents
Bring Your Elbow Forward
If you have small hands or short fingers and your pinky won’t reach, here’s a hint: tuck your elbow in and push it slightly forward. Your pinky will naturally land on the string. It doesn’t affect your form’s appearance either, so if you’re struggling with fingering, it’s worth a try.
Just a Little Push Forward
I have a student whose pinky is quite short, yet she uses it freely and confidently — she’s just a regular high school student, nothing special about her hands.
I asked her how she manages to use her pinky so well, since my fingers have always been naturally long and I’d never had to deal with short-finger struggles.
She told me: “When I use my pinky, I tuck my elbow in toward my body as much as possible.”
Here’s roughly what that looks like.
↓ This is the typical posture:
↓ This is what my student does:
Push your elbow forward, just a little bit, in a firm motion. Doing that brings your pinky naturally onto the string.
If Your Pinky Is Short, Try Pushing Your Elbow Forward
There’s only so much you can do about the physical length of your pinky finger. When that’s the case, just try bringing your left elbow forward a bit.
It won’t affect how your form looks, either.
A 3-Minute Daily Pinky Exercise for Bassists
With all that in mind, here’s a video you can use to put it into practice. Just three minutes a day, and you’ll gradually find your left hand stops flailing around, helping you lock in a smoother, more controlled form.
More on Bass Playing Form
Building the right form for your body will speed up your progress. The article below covers right hand, left hand, strap length, angle, and more — worth a look as well.
My Electric Bass Playing Form: Right Hand, Left Hand, Strap Length, and More
Thanks for reading all the way through!
Want Personalized Feedback on Your Playing?
This is exactly the kind of thing that’s hard to fix alone — and where having a teacher makes all the difference.
At Line on Bass, I offer an online lesson service where you send me a video of your playing, and I give you specific, detailed feedback — every single day if you want.
Students from around the world are using this to fix exactly these kinds of issues and steadily improve their jazz bass skills.