2 finger as fast as 3 finger plucking...

[holytiamat777]

is this possible? i've heard Juan Alderete's work on Racer X and he does pretty fast stuff with only two fingers.

i wanna know, do you guys think its possible to go as fast as say, Billy Sheehan, with only the use of 2 fingers plucking at the strings?

[DanRJBrasil]

yo can be pretty fast with two, but with three you can be 33% faster and with four 50% faster, is pure math, but you have to take your time to develop your technique, i am more faster with three finger then with four , as my four finger tech is not as good as my three fingers tech, pratice pratice pratice , the mtronome is essential to develop skill and strength

[molenam]

one finger is as fast as a pick if done right and sounds loads better, IMHO. Me? I use all, if needed*G*

[Step]

Originally Posted by DanRJBrasil

yo can be pretty fast with two, but with three you can be 33% faster and with four 50% faster, is pure math, but you have to take your time to develop your technique, i am more faster with three finger then with four , as my four finger tech is not as good as my three fingers tech, pratice pratice pratice , the mtronome is essential to develop skill and strength

no, it is not pure math

4 fingers is not 50% faster as 2 fingers, simply because it takes time 'resetting' the fingers to their original positions

personally I think it might be faster playing with 3 fingers, but playing fast with 3 fingers is harder than playing fast with 2 fingers

so, 2 is faster for most people, but with a LOT of practice, 3 can be faster, and 4 will still be faster, but 50% faster is a bit high IMO

[holytiamat777]

Originally Posted by DanRJBrasil

yo can be pretty fast with two, but with three you can be 33% faster and with four 50% faster, is pure math, but you have to take your time to develop your technique, i am more faster with three finger then with four , as my four finger tech is not as good as my three fingers tech, pratice pratice pratice , the mtronome is essential to develop skill and strength

i'm not sure if i agree with you on this. i mean, look at the pick. it's essentially down/upstrokes --- hitting the string twice. when playing with 2 fingers, its about the same -- except it's more about workingout/excercising the two fingers you're plucking with to achieve the shredding speed a guitarist can do with a pick.

imo, i think playing with 3 fingers really just saves energy and gives better endurance.

[holytiamat777]

Originally Posted by molenam

one finger is as fast as a pick if done right and sounds loads better, IMHO. Me? I use all, if needed*G*

hmm... good point there. kinda like what geddy lee does.

[Gintaras]

I play with three fingers and for some reason just came naturally. There was no conscience decision to do it that way. I am wondering if being a drummer for 15 years had anything to do with it. The right hand when drumming used all four fingers.
I do some four finger stuff but it takes some hand adjustment because of the shorter pinky.

[metalbass777]

Yes. Watch Steve Harris. Also Jeff Berlin is pretty fast.

[Lincoln]

I'm not sure speed is really the intended full result of using 3 or even 4 plucking fingers.

I can move 2 pretty fast - approaching the Garrison type speed. And I occasionally use 3. It comes down to the economy of motion and the reduction of overall stress on two fingers. I've not yet mastered 4 fingers, but 3 has come in hand occasionally - mostly for single string runs or rhythmic purposes - the string skipping is still coming....

[Valerus]

Originally Posted by metalbass777

Yes. Watch Steve Harris. Also Jeff Berlin is pretty fast.

I was waiting for someone to mention Steve

[greencow]

My point is that it depends on what you are playing. When it comes to just fitting a fast note to somewhere the 3rd finger just fits there.

If it comes to keeping a steady pulse(I can't spell and am to lazy to check it....) I personally prefer 2 fingers as it is easier for me atleast to keep the rhythm. Also my 3rd finger just sounds weaker then the other 2 fingers(I have freaky hands btw).

[Traver]

If you can find me someone who can play 16ths at 190+ BPM with two fingers, then I'll agree that two fingers are as fast as three. Until then, I'm firmly convinced that three are faster than two. Whether or not you need that speed is a different matter.

[namraj]

and a thumb?

[Erick Lam]

Originally Posted by Traver

If you can find me someone who can play 16ths at 190+ BPM with two fingers, then I'll agree that two fingers are as fast as three.

I have done it in the past. I'd need a little practice to do it now though. I do play with three fingers but not for speed.

I think the time and effort people put in adding a third finger for the sole purpose of speed can be used for other things. Playing faster with just two is one. There's also muting and string crossings. From what I've seen, a lot of shredders can't skip strings to save their life.

[Parabolic Box]

Originally Posted by holytiamat777

is this possible? i've heard Juan Alderete's work on Racer X and he does pretty fast stuff with only two fingers.

i wanna know, do you guys think its possible to go as fast as say, Billy Sheehan, with only the use of 2 fingers plucking at the strings?

It's possible. The ring finger is a little muscle dumb.

[SeayBass]

what does Gary Willis use?

[Valerus]

Originally Posted by Parabolic Box

It's possible. The ring finger is a little muscle dumb.

[LavendarSunrise]

Jaco played primarily with two.

[Blunt]

Originally Posted by LavendarSunrise

Jaco played primarily with two.

Jaco only ever played with two. He used his thumb on the chrordal and harmonic stuff.

The thing is Jaco was playing intervals that metal bass players don't play. I think he achieved about 140bpm playing lines and solos. And this was on a fretless for the most part.

I have seen metal techniques where 3 fingered style achieves lines way above this bpm. But you must note the intervals are close and they are mainly scalar runs or single note lines or open string tricks.
I mean this is remarkable speed of course.
But I have yet to see these speeds transferred into a valid harmonic solo over jazz changes,with dynamics and phrasing.

When I see melodic string crossing on non adjacent strings at death metal tempos I will be a believer. The only way that happens now is the Garrison technique and other variations on the 4 or five finger technique incorporating the thumb.

[Codger]

Rocco Prestia? Two I think.