I've been playing with my index, middle, and thumb, but is it easier to play if I learn to do it with my ring and pinky aswell?

How many fingers do you use????????????????


http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/confused.gif (I love these faces)

I think it´s best to use thumb, index, middle & ring... not my pinky

I think that´s the most common thing to do http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/smile.gif but hey, that´s just me..

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hmm... what´s that noice??? AHHHHHHH!!

...as many as she'll allow!

I think JimK is saying : "to do what?!"

Or it might be something along the lines of "I'm bored with this topic now" as it has come up 15 times already in various guises.

I use more fingers to play the piano. http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by Bruce Lindfield (edited May 10, 2000).]

I use all the digits of my fretting hand, depending on the situation. If playing a "standard" bassline, I'll use fingers 1,2,3 (index, middle, ring) in the pattern, 1,2,1,3,1,2,1,3...etc. (I think Gary Willis plays like this). If slapping, I use my thumb and fingers 1,2 and 4 for snapping. I use my little finger to pull on the G string (I use very light strings, 30-50-65-85), while my middle finger pulls the D string and my index pulls the A occassionally.

David

Three for me! I use index, middle, ring and I try not to force myself into any set pattern. Although in general I stick to a 3-2-1, 3-2-1. In depends on the figering of my left hand.

Just make sure that each finger you use can pluck the string with a decent amount of power. http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Unless, its really busy, I just use my thumbs.
j

I play with my toes. And BOY, does my bass stink... http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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"I'm no hero. I just like to hit people on the head." - Nelson

I'd use more than just my index & middle finger, but my ring finger is sorta odd shaped. It's curved almost like ), and I broke my pinky and now it's sorta...twisted around and out of shape, along the lines of an 's' except nowhere near that curvy.

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Über Sheep

Your whats curved? Better put a sock on it if you are gonna play out.

jc

Well to pick my bass I usually use 2 fingers, on occasion I will use 3. Now to pick my nose I use generally only 1 finger per nostril.

Chris A.

All 10!!! Sometimes I even reverse my hands. The pinky is hard to use, but it helps sometimes. I've tried with my toes (they are very long) and had some success, except I lay the bass on the ground and it gets out of tune. Eventually I hope to be able to play with my toes, tongue, teeth, and of course my d......g2g

I play with all 5 on my fretting hand and all put my pinky on my other hand. Although I am slowly but surely bringing that one in as well.

Bassphreakz. I am in no doubt that you need serious help. http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/smile.gif

But from now on you are my own personal god.
http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/cool.gif

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I almost forgot.
Just for everybody's information. I use my thumb, index and middle on the picking hand: The thumb for the E string and my two fingers for the rest. I use my index, middle and ring on the fretting hand.

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Never trust a man who doesn't drink - Winston Churchill

3---> pointer, middle, and ring, although sometimes its easier just to use middle. Although! some times I use the pointer and ring alternating, sometimes middle/ring, sometimes just the "walking" kind (pointer middle)

We ARE talking right hand, yes? Then index, middle and ring.

Andy

It really doesn't matter how many fingers you use, as long as you are able to play what you want. I've seen Paco de Lucia's
bassist and he uses a pick, and the middle and ring fingers, and it's amazing how he plays. Flea uses 2, Jaco used 2, etc.

Good point Manlio And don't forget Jamerson.. he used one finger.. "the hook", he called it, and he played some of the most incredible bass lines ever.
I use two most of the time, just for the record. I used three to type this. http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by Dave Siff (edited May 19, 2000).]

I only use two, index and middle. Occasionaly I use three, but only when I am going to do a set of gallops, then I use a 3-2-1-3-2-1-3-2-1 set up. But usually just the regular two.

Rock on
Eric

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Do you know why the tape measure is so much better than you? You have what, six feet in you? IT has 25 feet in it. THAT'S why it's so much better than you.

i broke my pinky popping the other day, it was the coolest thing ever, it hurt like a whore so now i play with 2 fingers

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Some people say smoking herb is a crime, and if they catch you smoking they're bound to drop the dime

On my fretting hand, I use all of them (except the thumb). On my picking hand, I use index, middle, ring, with an occasional thumb. I used to use my pinky, but I don't play anything fast anymore!
The two guys that amazed me to watch were Jack Bruce, who made figure-eights with his index finger all night, and Billy Sheehan, who has all his digits so finely co-ordinated that he literally makes a lot happen with very little movement on the neck.

I generally play with index/middle and can keep several bars of 16th notes going. Why play more?

By the way...how does one break a pinky while slapping? And, what exactly were you slapping? http://www.talkbass.com/ubb/confused.gif

Sorry but I gotta say that I laugh at you guys that pluck with index middle ring pinky.
3 finger is fine but 4.Comon I would really love to see someone do this well and make it sound good.I did see Billy Sheehan demonstrate it once and it sounded ok but thats Billy Sheehan.He actually only uses 3 fingers in real situations though.I dont see how you could possible acheive an even sound with 4 fingers.You plucking the string in such different areas it creates a different tone for each pluck.Gary Willis has amazing 3 finger technique but his is kind of a hybrid.He only uses his ring finger when when crossing or playing adjacent strings.If he were too play 16th notes on one string he would just alternate index middle.
I personly use index middle.All the best bassist in the world do this.Jamerson used one finger and played some of the baddest lines ever.Period

i always use my index middle and ring finger sometimes my thumb

All 32!!!!!!!!!!!!

But Seriously,
I use all five on my fretting hand (the thumb is pretty useful) And my thumb, pointer, middle, ring, and pinky on my picking hand. Not always all at once, but every once in a while.



[This message has been edited by Licketysplit (edited July 24, 2000).]

I use three fingers, somewhat like Gary Willis. On the same string or crossing downwards, I play 1-2-3-2 or 3-2-1-2. Whenever I go up a string I always use my ring finger.

I use 2, exept when i´m playing fast triplets (or at least trying to)

I use thumb, index and middle finger. On rare occasions, if my ring finger is really bored, I might let it work with the others, but that's rare. I don't fret with my thumb. I use all five/plucking hand and four/fretting hand for muting.

the jello says "Sorry but I gotta say that I laugh at you guys that pluck with index middle ring pinky."

Guess I missed the funny part. What exactly was it, again? :D

[QUOTE]Originally posted by theJello
[B]Sorry but I gotta say that I laugh at you guys that pluck with index middle ring pinky.
3 finger is fine but 4.Comon I would really love to see someone do this well and make it sound good.

Jello, just let me know the next time you're going to be in the south-central portion of Louisiana (Baton Rouge area), and I'll be pleased to let you see someone who uses 4 finger right hand technique and makes it sound good. Me. I use it for everything, and because I've really worked on polishing it, ALL 4 fingers sound even tonally. Your attitude isn't that unusual though, when I was studying with Dave LaRue, he tried to talk me out of it for a while, but once he realized it sounded fine, he told me to keep doing what worked for me. On the other hand, he could WASTE me with just 2 fingers.....:D

I use my index and middle finger mostly, but also incorporate the thumb and ring fingers. I'm working on using index, middle, and ring for triplet patterns. It works really well.

Sorry I should not have had that attitude.

I do think your an exception though.
Abraham Laboriel plays with all 5 I believe so
I really shouldnt say anything.

You said it.
It ALL comes down to the individual to decide whats best for himself. Unless it sucks do anything.
But if its working, sounds good, and it allow you to play better. More power to ya.

Jello-

No harm, no foul. In the end, within some basic limits, there really are no "rules" about how you do things, as long as it works for you. There are though, more efficient and effective ways at times. Using 4 fingers was very efficient for me, I do not do it for speed, I use that technique because it works well on a 6 string bass, especially when you have to jump across all those strings. It's all a part of my personal laziness, which is why I play a 6 string as well....less shifting is necessary :D.

well ill tell u what, ive only been playing for a year and a half, but i was truly surprised that more people didnt use all 4 fingers like i do. I tend to use 2 or 3 when playing most stuff, but i find i just need to bring the pinky in for the fast bits. I believe Dave Vincent (ex-morbid angel) did this, as did Glen Benton in Deicide's early years. Just takes a lot of work to sound good, not to say that mine does :)

I predominately use index and middle, with an occasional ring(that seems to be the general concensus). Awhile ago someone mentioned that steve harris only used his index and middle. If that is true, then how was he able to produce that "galloping" sound?

[Edited by hell_awaits on 08-15-2000 at 02:41 PM]

I see alot of players on this board use more than 2 fingures. I have a question, does that extra finger help my speed on playnig straight 16th notes? i can kinda see how it could help me on play triplets. But what about playing straight 16th notes.

[Edited by hk2hunterkiler on 08-17-2000 at 10:26 PM]

Originally posted by hk2hunterkiler
I see alot of players on this board use more than 2 fingures. I have a question, does that extra finger help my speed on playnig straight 16th notes? i can kinda see how it could help me on play triplets. But what about playing straight 16th notes.

[Edited by hk2hunterkiler on 08-17-2000 at 10:26 PM]

...well, lessee.....16th's are 4 notes per beat, and I got 4 fingers going usually....yeah, they make it easier SOMETIMES. The main reason I use 4 fingers isn't for speed though, it's to make the jumps across strings easier.

Whatever it takes to get it done. Unless I'm fellin' lazy...then I use someone else's fingers....:)

I play with my thumb (slap :)) and my index middle and ring .... and i use all my fingers on the fret board... sometimes i use my pinky for fingering but not tooo much. and mostly i play slap though..

Will it help my speed, by adding the extra finger?

Originally posted by hk2hunterkiler
Will it help my speed, by adding the extra finger?

Well, as I said before: Not necessarily. I don't use 4 finger technique for the speed aspect of it, but for the flexibility aspect instead (i.e.: string crossing on a wide spaced 6 string). Speed comes from practicing consistently and slowly, with whatever number of fingers you choose to use. In other words, if you wanna play REAL fast, first you have to play REALLLLLLY slow, and preferably with a metronome :D. An example of what I'm talking about is in my very first post on this topic: I studied with Dave LaRue for several years, he only used 2 fingers, and was CONSIDERABLY faster than I was (still is too). He got that way by working on his accuracy, the speed followed. Hope this helps.

i primarily use my index and middle fingers and throw my thumb in when playing some slap bass or classical music. but when i feel like it i will throw in my ring finger and do some 3-2-1s. sometimes i even bring in my pinky and do some 4-3-2-1s. but when i really want to play fast i do some slap-hammer-plucks or slap-hammer-pluck-pluck.

All ten....
sometimes muteing or fretting with left thumb
fretting with all four left fingers
slapping with right thumb
plucking or strumming or popping or whaterver the other four.