1-finger alternate plucking

[0rion]

One day when I was messing around I noticed I can alternate pluck really fast with just my index finger or middle finger, faster than I can with 2 fingers combined... I wish I had a webcam so I could show you.
Is this an established technique?
Any known bass players that do this?

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Chuck Rainey explains this technique in his instructional tape from Hot Licks Video.

And Geddy Lee! Currently, that's one of his "secret weapons". BTW, this technique is one example of his evolution as a bassist. IIRC, he incorporated it to his bag of tricks in the 90's.

[Joe P]

Yup - that's the only way I can play the main groove-part of Bootsie's Hollywood Squares.

Joe

[WalterBush]

Cliff Burton did it with Metallica to keep up with the guitarists, and The Ox did it before him with The Who.

It's a useful technique if you can get it to sound consistent.

[0rion]

Well damn I thought I invented a new technique lol

I find the notes are very consistent, but only from down by the bridge, due to the higher string tension. So it's not as loud as when I play with my full attack near the neck.

[Tuvoe]

Could you clarify what you mean by "1-finger alternate plucking". Do you mean you pluck and strum on the string with your fingernail? I was thinking you meant alternating with one finger and I was in a total zone.

[0rion]

Originally Posted by Tuvoe

Could you clarify what you mean by "1-finger alternate plucking". Do you mean you pluck and strum on the string with your fingernail? I was thinking you meant alternating with one finger and I was in a total zone.

Srry for the terminology, not sure what else to call it.
Basically I pluck a downstroke and then an upstroke like you would with a pick, just using 1 finger. My fingernail doesn't really hit the string much though, only a little. I guess it's because my right hand stays more parallel to the body than most peoples and I don't hit the strings that hard, just use the fingertips.

[Prozactrooper]

Been playing self taught about a year and a half now and I thought I'd invented this one as well

I play with three fingers (index > middle > ring > middle. Yes, I know I’m using my middle finger twice as much) but so far I've only really been able to get the tone to an acceptable level doing alternate picking on the index and middle fingers (I'm still doing strength training on my ring and index due to bad initial playing habits).

I'm plucking: index up > middle up > index down > middle down

Works a treat for me because I've been a pretty bad nail biter from a young age and I've got freakishly short nails with at least 5mm free on the tip of each finger. Just got to work the third finger in to a point that it’s usable. As the gods way of getting even I have about 10mm missing from the end of my little finger on my right hand. 4 finger alternate picking would be great.

I don’t know any theory and I’m self taught, so I'm a genius

[Foxworthy925]

that sounds what I've learned to do recently. I've just started using three fingers and do it "ring-middle-index-ring-middle-index, etc". I can do the first three on the down stroke, and then hit em again on the up stroke (fingernail side). when it's all put together and fast, it blends to keep a steady beat at just amazingly (by my low standards) fast. when using three fingers though, I think I end up only hitting once with index on the upstroke, which is why it comes out sounding like four even beats and not 6 or two triplets.

[Prozactrooper]

Originally Posted by Foxworthy925

when it's all put together and fast, it blends to keep a steady beat at just amazingly (by my low standards) fast.

You want to be able to use it at any speed though so I'd be forgetting going fast to bleed the notes, you want to build it up slow, steady and accurate with even tone like all techs.

[PilbaraBass]

you know, guys...victor wooten's famous "double thumbing" technique is basically just this with a thumb....

the advantage of vic's method is that it leave the other fingers free for plucking...it's the coordination of the plucking with the thumbing in a clean fashion that makes what vic does work...

I use a variation to this technique...for wicked fast stuff, I support the end of my index finger with my thumb, like I was holding a pick and let it rip.

[Prozactrooper]

Yep, that double thumb lesson on youtube gave me the idea.