Ed Friedland's 1-2-4 fingering technique

[Febs]

Originally Posted by ishkabibble

Is 1-2-3 also similarly unergonomic and unhealthy??
I find the 1-2-4 approach to be immensely uncomfortable. Even when I was starting out, I was much more dextrous and stronger with my third finger, so I play with 1-2-3 in the lower registers and 1-2-3-34 in the upper ones.
When I play with 1-2-3, I don't feel my fingers stretching or anything, nor do I feel any strain in fretting the strings.

1-2-3 combines the disadvantages of both methods without the advantages of either. As others have noted, the third and fourth finger share a tendon; they work together naturally. If you are uncomfortable with using the fourth finger even in a 1-2-4 approach, I suspect that there is something awkward about your left hand positioning.

[Russell L]

There have also been times when I have played a passage that should use four fingers with only 124. In that case my hand has to shift back and forth to accomodate. Why I ever do that is only due to laziness mostly. Sometimes, though, it's not possible. Depends on the line. But, many times it is possible, and I'm reluctant to change modes. Comfort, comfort, comfort.

EDIT: I noticed last night that I sometimes cover four frets with 124, and never use 3, play the third fret AND fourth one with my pinky (if the lick speed allows). Weird.

[adivin]

Originally Posted by precijazz

When I started playing on my own, I tried one finger per fret and found it hard to stretch that far in the lower register. To read about 1,2,4 after few week's struggling was a revelation. Improved my playing immediately.
Now I find myself playing 1,2,3,4 more and more, and down there too, but only if the bass line demands it. If not, 1,2,4 is still cool, even within the same line. Gives your left hand a short break while still playing. My brain got used to switching, obviously, especially if I manage to just not think about it too much.

+1

[ishkabibble]

Originally Posted by Febs

1-2-3 combines the disadvantages of both methods without the advantages of either. As others have noted, the third and fourth finger share a tendon; they work together naturally. If you are uncomfortable with using the fourth finger even in a 1-2-4 approach, I suspect that there is something awkward about your left hand positioning.

My fingers are generally parallel with the frets, though when I attempt to use my pinkie my other fingers sort of curl inwards and pull up from the fretboard, and when I attempt to straighten them out I feel pain. The only way I can play with them near the fretboard is if I angle my fingers by about thirty or so degrees to the fret.
And it isn't just bass where I feel my pinkie's particularly weak, either. I have one of those spring loaded finger strength trainer things, and the weakest finger on that too is my pinkie, to the extent that it's outright painful to depress it more than a few times, even on the lowest setting. Even when I was just starting out, my index, middle, and ring fingers were all significantly stronger than my pinkie, and were all much more dextrous and I felt I had much better control over them than my pinkie.

[whitedk57]

Originally Posted by edfriedland

While this has been discussed at length on TB before... I'll add my .02¢ and leave it at that.


1-2-4 does originate with double bass methods, and yes, I played that first so it was something I was already used to. That said, for many years I started everyone out with a simple 1-2-3-4 fingering exercise to get their hands working. If you look at my book Building Rock Bass Lines, I show this exercise as a first step toward playing the bass.

But when I started putting together the HL method series, I realized a few things: 1) Many of my younger students could not physically make that reach, even with a pivot technique. 2) Playing fifths and octaves with 1 and 3 not only is stressful to the hand, it's not effective. 3) I (and MOST players I see) don't use 1-2-3-4 for typical box shape lines, and lower position playing, and that was most of what Book 1 covered.

So I changed my mind and decided that 1-2-4 was the best approach to start with. As noted, in Book 2 I do bring in 1-2-3-4 fingering because for many cases, it IS the most effective way to play. For scales, chromatic lines, etc... it is the most flexible way to play.

My point? It's not 1-2-4 vs. 1-2-3-4. You need to be able to use both systems if you want to play effectively in a wide range of circumstances. BTW, I also use and teach "extension fingering" for certain situations. Here is an old article I wrote on the subject: Extension Fingering. Again, it has it's use - I don't suggest you play this way all the time, and follow the instructions so you don't hurt yourself!

The big lesson? Don't get hung up on dogma - "1-2-4 is the right way" or "1-2-3-4 is right"..."I can't learn how to play this way..." Etc. Try learning something new! You might be surprised to find that once you get past the initial awkwardness of adjusting to something unfamiliar, it may just help you play better.

Ed rocks! Tell it like it is!

Imagine James Jamerson being told that he needed to alternate his plucking fingers... Whatever method works for the individual and is comfortable, that shall he do. Learn and try new things and new techniques, and don't get hung up on dogma!

[sgiacomo]

How cool is it that Mr. Friedland responded to this thread and topic directly?!?! I wondered same thing as the OP after starting with the Bass Method book & 1-2-4. For me scales feel natural with 1-2-3-4, and the stretch for upper register is something I do but occasionally catch a little grief on "proper technique and bad playing habits" from friends. Now it makes perfect sense that we use what makes sense for the situation, will point my friends here. TB is a great resource.

[edfriedland]

Originally Posted by dougjwray

Hey Ed,
One of my Brandeis music professors, an esteemed classical composer who was commissioned to write a piece for the Boston Symphony Orchestra when was 20, used to joke that the best way to write "modern" music on the piano was to tape 2 or 3 fingers together. Actually, I don't think he was really joking-- he was talking about physically inhibiting oneself in order to inhabit another place, thus finding something different.

Anyway...

Back to the discussion...

It's also a great way to sound like Monk!