Discussion
Has anyone got any advice on finger picking for bass guitar?
I started off just using my first and second fingers (trying to alternate as consistently as possible 1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2...) but a friend - who cheats with a plectrum for all his bass playing - said you should really be using three fingers and 'the holy grail is actually to use four'.
Is that an exageration? Is three-finger picking a standard technique I should be doing from day on or is that starting to get more advanced?
Having played the guitar previously I'm conscious that I can produce something which approximates to what's on the tab quite easily, but getting that consistent groove is harder.
I started off just using my first and second fingers (trying to alternate as consistently as possible 1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2...) but a friend - who cheats with a plectrum for all his bass playing - said you should really be using three fingers and 'the holy grail is actually to use four'.
Is that an exageration? Is three-finger picking a standard technique I should be doing from day on or is that starting to get more advanced?
Having played the guitar previously I'm conscious that I can produce something which approximates to what's on the tab quite easily, but getting that consistent groove is harder.
I used to mostly use two but three sometimes for speed and odd timings. Sometimes two plus thumb or whatever 'came to hand'. Depending on what I was playing I'd use a plectrum as well.
If you watch someone like Geddy Lee you'll see a lot of picking techniques used in various pieces to give different feel.
Use whatever allows you to play the music you want to play and experiment.
Sadly I've not played seriously for years and would have to re-learn if I wanted to get back in a band.
If you watch someone like Geddy Lee you'll see a lot of picking techniques used in various pieces to give different feel.
Use whatever allows you to play the music you want to play and experiment.
Sadly I've not played seriously for years and would have to re-learn if I wanted to get back in a band.
Sorry for wall of text but on PS3 where there is no enter key.I've been playing bass for two years and play primarily with two fingers, chucking in a third when I have to do a speedy bit. It is however very comfy to do scales with three.I'd say it's down to personal preference. There's no "right" way to play it but you CAN manipulate the many different techniques to get a different tone. Using a plectrum is a valid technique, it gives a chunkier tone. Find what is comfortable, practice it until you are efficient, then learn a different technique.
Interesting. The thing is, I tried it (just playing an open string) and I seemed to be playing quicker, but then I went back to two fingers and realised I could pick just as quickly that way.
Logically it must be possible to pick faster with three digits than two, but I clearly haven't got the hang of it just yet!
I was being a bit flippant with the plectrum comment. I know it's a valid way of achieving a specific result. It's just I'd imagine it's easier for a competent finger picker to go back to a plectrum than vice versa - that was certainly my experience on lead guitar (not that I was particularly competent at either style, but you get my point
)
Logically it must be possible to pick faster with three digits than two, but I clearly haven't got the hang of it just yet!
I was being a bit flippant with the plectrum comment. I know it's a valid way of achieving a specific result. It's just I'd imagine it's easier for a competent finger picker to go back to a plectrum than vice versa - that was certainly my experience on lead guitar (not that I was particularly competent at either style, but you get my point
)Remember the advice - one finger is funkiest of all. Now, it's not a hard and fast rule but take it from where James Jamerson left it. If you can do it with one finger, do so because it will give you the most consistent sound.
Ideally, you want to be working up to a two finger approach, using fingers 1 and 2 (index and middle). This approach was used to great effect by some of the best fignerstyle players around. Listen to the stacatto sounds of Jaco Pastorius, or the clean and consistent runs by Stanley Clarke and Mark King. Thats the two finger approach.
Billy Sheehan and John Myung are probably the best known players who use the three finger approach regularly. Sheehan is a real master at it. When most people try it, everything comes out in a triplet because they pluck in a 1-2-3-1-2-3 or 3-2-1-3-2-1 manner. Unless you want to get that rolling stream of notes effect that Sheehan very occasionally uses I wouldn't get too hung up on playing with three fingers.
Just decide whether or not you want to play with a floating or anchored thumb and go from there. When playing with two fingers it doesn't always have to be alternating. Eventually you'll get the dexterity necessary to properly seperate the actions of both fingers in your head. I tend to lead lines with my middle finger, as it gets you a bit of a rounder sound and I'll accent note with my index finger. If it requires something faster or an even, consistent tone then I will 'pedal' the fingers in an alternating motion.
4 finger plucking in the traditional 1-2-3-4 style is next to useless. What has developed a lot over the past decade is the hybrid 4 figner style developed by Matt Garrison, Hadrien Feraud and the rest of the new fusion elite. It centres around using the index, middle and ring fingers and the thumb. You can create a great rolling sound with it by going 3-2-1-t-3-2-1-t, because the thumbed note breaks up the triplet. Practice with this can lead to it becoming an extremely useful technique for playing a lot of modern fusion stuff. I'll include some videos below demonstrating this style:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7tIfOHruZA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qig3yw5XqQ0
Ideally, you want to be working up to a two finger approach, using fingers 1 and 2 (index and middle). This approach was used to great effect by some of the best fignerstyle players around. Listen to the stacatto sounds of Jaco Pastorius, or the clean and consistent runs by Stanley Clarke and Mark King. Thats the two finger approach.
Billy Sheehan and John Myung are probably the best known players who use the three finger approach regularly. Sheehan is a real master at it. When most people try it, everything comes out in a triplet because they pluck in a 1-2-3-1-2-3 or 3-2-1-3-2-1 manner. Unless you want to get that rolling stream of notes effect that Sheehan very occasionally uses I wouldn't get too hung up on playing with three fingers.
Just decide whether or not you want to play with a floating or anchored thumb and go from there. When playing with two fingers it doesn't always have to be alternating. Eventually you'll get the dexterity necessary to properly seperate the actions of both fingers in your head. I tend to lead lines with my middle finger, as it gets you a bit of a rounder sound and I'll accent note with my index finger. If it requires something faster or an even, consistent tone then I will 'pedal' the fingers in an alternating motion.
4 finger plucking in the traditional 1-2-3-4 style is next to useless. What has developed a lot over the past decade is the hybrid 4 figner style developed by Matt Garrison, Hadrien Feraud and the rest of the new fusion elite. It centres around using the index, middle and ring fingers and the thumb. You can create a great rolling sound with it by going 3-2-1-t-3-2-1-t, because the thumbed note breaks up the triplet. Practice with this can lead to it becoming an extremely useful technique for playing a lot of modern fusion stuff. I'll include some videos below demonstrating this style:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7tIfOHruZA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qig3yw5XqQ0
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