Did Cliff Burton use all 4 fingers?

[Greenantgods]

Cliff Lee Burton is so awesome...i've heard he used all four fingers...is that true?

[Jmann]

no... watch cliff em' all... he always has his pinky sticking out not moving at all

[OriginalName]

Yeah, he extends his pinky really far, it looks weird. I've never seen anyone play that way before.

[TribalisticBass]

I had never heard that. Personally, as a former guitarist, I have developed a odd picking style. Right thumb, and three fingers but I also have an extended pinky never noticed it though. A guitar teacher I had at LA Tech pointed out to me, he said was wrong. I say it's out of the way.

[Tash]

I kinda do the same thing, mostly I just put my pinky wherever I cna to keep it out of the way. The part about cliff's technique that always really threw me was the way he plays about half the time without anchoring his thumb, yet somehow this doesn't effect his timing or anything....I sure as hell could never do that (and I most certainly tried too).

[protoz]

Depending on what I play will be how far I stick out my pinkie. If it's something fast I hold it out almost straight, if it's a slower line It'll be more curled in but still sticking out a little bit. guess it's sort of a speedometer for me

[Ozzyman]

When using three fingers my pinky kinda sticks out but also follow similar movement to my ring finger. Billy sheehan does the same thing with his pinky. Though with two fingers my ring and pinky are almost taped together, again moving slightly with my middle finger.
I don't think cliff really ever used a 3 or 4 finger technique. I'm pretty sure he always used two.

[metalguy2]

When using three fingers the pinky involunarily moves back and forth with the ring finger. So it is easy to mistake a three finger technique for a four finger technique. I have found lots of controversy over this. And I am telling ya.. That the four finger technique is garbage and would not even be useful.

Tash

....he plays about half the time without anchoring his thumb, yet somehow this doesn't effect his timing or anything....

The cool cats play without anchoring!!

[TribalisticBass]

Originally Posted by metalguy2

The cool cats play without anchoring!!

What's anchoring. Acctually I know what it is so don't reply to the question. I just don't use it. If I want to keep my bass from moving around, which it doesn't unless I'm jumping around, I use the base of my palm. This allows me to use all of my attacking fingers (and thumb).