Hello.. I am starting to get interested in developing a 3 to 5 finger approach for the right hand to improve my speed, accuracy, and increase the options available to me when playing. I currently own a Fender Jazz Highway 1 and have found its set up and tone to be somewhat frustrating for me when trying to develop a new approach to playing. I realize that any great bassist could sound just as great playing my bass, but I was wondering if it might be good to try something else and see if I can get comfortable with a new bass. I am very interested in the playing styles of Richard Bona and Dominique Di Piazza.

Any suggestions you have would be appreciated.

For fretless, the Gary Willis signature Ibanez is expressly built for fast three-finger technique. The string spacing is nice and narrow. I reckon the Warwick Corvette 5-string is also be good for this. Also, the "small" neck for Warmoth's 5-string Gecko would also be good, from what I reckon. I believe narrow string spacing is also good for picking. Of course, the narrower it is, the less digging room you have if you're a slapper.

Of course, Dave Murray (Iron Maiden) does all kinds of chords and stuff on a P-bass, which has way wide spacing if I remember correctly (I know the neck's too fat/wide for the likes of me). He definitely uses 3 fingers. Although from concert footage... it looks like he's got massive hands, and he plays with his fingernails (on flatwounds).

i play with 4 fingers prett fast, and i use a spector performer, and it seems pretty easy for me, gets great sound also.

Of course, Dave Murray (Iron Maiden) does all kinds of chords and stuff on a P-bass, which has way wide spacing if I remember correctly (I know the neck's too fat/wide for the likes of me). He definitely uses 3 fingers. Although from concert footage... it looks like he's got massive hands, and he plays with his fingernails (on flatwounds).

Whoa, when did Maiden kick Steve out and replace him with the otherwise guitar playing Dave Murray? ;)

Oops!!! :eek:

Steve Harris is the bass player of Iron Maiden (see my Avatar and up the Irons!).

HE NEVER USED 3 FINGERS!!!! He uses index and middle finger (including his famous galloping technique). And for chords he adds his thumb(if by 3 you mean this, apologies). His hands are not big. He doesn't use his fingernails while playing, his bass has a very low action, that's how he got his percussive sound.

I use 4 fingers on my right hand to play (as much as I can). I never saw one bass better than other for this. This is just how you get to used it. For the basses I play, it ranges from 16,8 to 19 mm string spacing and I don't see any difference while playing. I believe the frustration comes from this new approach. I sounded pretty bad for a long time when I first decided to use 4 fingers, it got better by the time.

The bass is immaterial. If you want to do it, you should be able to do it on any bass.

There's a big thread at the top of this forum about the "Matthew Garrison" technique, I think this is what you're looking for.

I've been playing this way for quite a while now. I've found that I like very low action to keep me moving fast, and using light guage strings allows me to pull a fatter sound from the bass. Heavier strings with higher tension tend to sound a bit thinner (at least for me) with this technique because you're generally playing more with the tips of your fingers, rather than the "meaty" parts.

I also used a ramp when I started learning. It definitely helped at the time but now I find that I'm sort of tied to it - my four-finger technique goes to crap when I pick up a bass that doesn't have a ramp. Obviously I need to spend some time practicing without it.

As far as string spacing goes, my main bass has fairly wide spacing, so I honestly don't feel that it makes a difference. Whatever your left hand is most comfortable with is probably the best.

+1 to the post above. A ramp, low action, and lighter strings all help a lot when using a freestroke plucking style. My four-finger picking goes a bit down the tube when playing a bass without a ramp as well, but you know what? Since I keep ramps on all my basses, I don't really need to worry about it :D The bass is almost irrelevant so long as you can good a good low action from it.

The ramp helps, but I don't think it's necessary at all- how many classical guitar players do you see with ramps?

The ramp will help even out stroke-to-stroke volume and attack, but you'll get this with a serious amount of practice time anyway like any guitarist would. If you model your technique after a classical player (ie, raised wrist, NOT palm flat against strings like a lot of bass players do), it's much easier to developn really good hand technique but does take a while to build up strength and endurance in your wrist, besides just being able to hit each string evenly. It'll take a lot of practice. Piazza plays with his wrist pretty much flat, but that's because he uses a thumb pick for almost everything, which is again different altogether. He's an amazing player, but I wouldn't strive to emulate his technique because it's definitely not economical.

It'll work the same on any instrument, there is no bass that works better than the others for it, since it's just a technique, not something bass specific.

I use thumb/index/middle/ring and pinky when necessary.

The ramp helps, but I don't think it's necessary at all- how many classical guitar players do you see with ramps?


I think the thing that helps bassists by using a ramp is the string spacing. It's much closer on a guitar, so your fingers are stopped the other strings much more easily. It's much harder to do that on a bass with 19mm spacing.