Do you ALWAYS have to alternate fingers?

[Tupac]

In some songs, alternating fingers while plucking is just too difficult. I find myself double tapping every now and then with one finger just because it feels more natural. Like in My Friend of Misery, you pluck G D A, G D A, G D A, G D A throughout the entire song. It gets too confusing to alternate the whole way, so I use my middle finger to pluck G D and my index to pluck A.

Is this abnormal or bad technique?

[MarkusBass]

One finger worked for Jamerson!

[john keates]

I strongly recommend practice alternate fingering as much as possible. Yes, it feels odd sometimes but so did walking when you first tried it. Imaging if you hopped around all your life!

Try playing triplet patterns on two strings (aabaabaab...).

That said, it can be perfectly valid to use one finger repeatedly in certain situations, ts just that there is a lot of benefit from being able to do things both ways.

[Papa Dangerous]

I pretty always hear that you should do what is more comfortable. I think being able to use your fingers in different ways can only help.

If you were to play some Maiden, which is known for a galloping bass line of triplets (I do not know the song you are referencing) I *think* I try and alternate 1,2,1 1,2,1 1,2,1. I like this because triplets in this case usually take the value of a quarter note (even though it may be three eight notes). I feel decently comfortable alternating this way because it really outlines the triplet feel and separates the third note from the fourth.

[Tyler C.]

When playing bass you don't always have to do anything, but being able to alternate your fingers without it feeling weird will make you a better player.

[Thunder Pulse]

Originally Posted by Papa Dangerous

If you were to play some Maiden, which is known for a galloping bass line of triplets I *think* I try and alternate 1,2,1 1,2,1 1,2,1.

Triplets don't sound like galloping. Galloping is an 8th note followed by two 16th notes.

As far as your fingering, I assume you meant 1-2-1, 2-1-2, 1-2-1, because strict 1-2-1 doesn't make sense.

[Papa Dangerous]

Originally Posted by Thunder Pulse

Triplets don't sound like galloping. Galloping is an 8th note followed by two 16th notes.

As far as your fingering, I assume you meant 1-2-1, 2-1-2, 1-2-1, because strict 1-2-1 doesn't make sense.

Oh, well I just assumed the gallop was the same note value. a quick 1,2,3 1,2,3... with a bit of swing almost too it.

And no, I meant 1,2,1 - 1,2,1. I treat each triplet (when ever I do noodle around with it) as its own section that requires the same motion.

[Thunder Pulse]

So if you're playing The Trooper you do strict 1-2-1 ???

Even TRYING to do that slowly on my knee feels beyond awkward. How in god's name can you employ that kind of right hand fingering at a fast tempo?

[GeoffT]

I would go with what sounds the best as opposed to what is the easiest, especially for a repeated pattern.

[Tanner5382]

No way man. In music, or any other art form, you can do things however you want.

[Jeff Huber]

FWIW: I try to stick to alternating unless i have a good reason to, uh, pluck otherwise. There are, I think, definitely times when you want to double-clutch and/or rake, especially if you're like me and you have to do the best you can with catcher's mitt hands.

Two instances that come to mind involve blues riffs. In Cross-Cut Saw, I play a root-3-5-6-5-root pattern throughout. I cannot possibly do that unless I double-clutch the root-3 at the top with my index finger and then rake with the index finger again is I come down through 6-5-root. That means I only pluck with my second finger the as I play the 5 on the way up.

My take is that raking is a legit electric bass technique and it's meant for just that kind of rapid pattern riff where you have to come down (high string to low string) quickly across two or more strings.

Having said that, I try to only rake when it really seems called for.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

[CopperheadLXXIX]

Originally Posted by Tanner5382

No way man. In music, or any other art form, you can do things however you want.

This is true, but often with musical instruments there are easier and more efficient ways to approach things.

[Rockmusician]

Originally Posted by MarkusBass

One finger worked for Jamerson!

+1

When I first started playing with fingers, I always used just my index finger. Now I mainly use my index and middle fingers but occasionally use all my fingers and even my thumb. Play however you feel the most comfortable.

[Mayers]

If you plan to be the best you can be ( well on technic side of thing ) you have to work on finger alternation in every situation possible.

How did I practice that ? With arpegos that spawn accros 4 strings ( or more ) up and down from the 12th fret to 1st fret. Slowy and than you can speed thing up ... the moment you'll have to do it fast you'll do it no problem but like everything, you have to practice.

[Waterpilot]

I think we all lean toward what's most comfortable. Generally, what is most comfortable stems from whatever strengths we have had prior to starting. Alternating can be learned and can become a strength with practice and is usually better served once you start picking up speed. IMO

[Jazzdogg]

Alternate fingers?

I'm still using the same ones I was born with.

[Tupac]

Originally Posted by Mayers

If you plan to be the best you can be ( well on technic side of thing ) you have to work on finger alternation in every situation possible.

How did I practice that ? With arpegos that spawn accros 4 strings ( or more ) up and down from the 12th fret to 1st fret. Slowy and than you can speed thing up ... the moment you'll have to do it fast you'll do it no problem but like everything, you have to practice.

Thanks!

[LilloEsquilo]

You know the answer here is really so simple. The answer is NO you don't HAVE to do whatever the "purists" tell you, they aren't your dad when you're 14 and they aren't gonna come and whip your butt if you don't eat your veggies like your mom said. You DON'T have to do whatever they tell you to do, or you go to jail. You don't even HAVE to play the bass in the first place, no one is going to hold a gun to your head saying "You WILL play that instrument and you WILL play it the way we say, or else!"

Frankly I've thought about this for some time, and have seen numerous instructors attempting to teach people to play one particular way which is perfect for themselves as the "only" correct way to play the instrument, entirely forgetting that EVERYONE is different and what is best for one person isn't ideal for the next person. I will grant, there could be fine reasons for the way they teach, and certainly it's "ideal" for them, but that doesn't mean it's going to work so smoothly for you or I.

I say, do whatever you are comfortable with that does the job properly for you, and don't worry about what the purists tell you that you "have" to do.

Keep in mind that there are a lot of bass players out there who do very well who never had any formal training, they play it their way and it works great for them. I'm sure the purists would insist they can't even play the instrument and aren't musicians because they don't do it the way they order everyone to play, oh well, f em is my view. When they become absolute dictator of the land they can come break down my door and break my bass over my head for doing it my way, until then, I have another suggestion for what they can do with those fingers

[fingerbun]

Alternating fingers will get more speed. In fact alternating three fingers is better than alternating two.

To me alternating fingers sounds different from using one finger as well, just as alternating pick strokes sounds different from all down strokes.

In gigs I decide what has the sound I want and what feels comfortable in choosing how to play something, and depending on my mood I will change the way I play the same song.

In practice, however, I deliberately confront things I am weak at.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by LilloEsquilo

You know the answer here is really so simple. The answer is NO you don't HAVE to do whatever the "purists" tell you,

Well then don't ask the question then is the obvious start.
But purists????good solid fact based instruction is not purist, it is desirable to move forward. You are taught correct quantifiable information, what you do with it is your business, its not purist it is just facts.