Exactly which part of your upper finger do YOU "pluck" the string with?

[Fender32]

After 25 years of (self-taught ) bass playing, I got my first ever bass tutor last year . He's moved to another town now, but I'm back to thinking about something that he said, after watching me play for the first time ....

When I pluck the strings, I tend to use just the top quarter of my top finger joint (in other words, my finger-tip). This allows me to play fairly quickly and consistently, producing a naturally "bright and breezy" kind of tone. My teacher suggested that I try to pluck more from the lower-middle part of my upper finger (i.e. from the centre of the fingertip pad). Doing so produces a "duller but warmer" tone, although I find it harder to play more consistently this way, as I haven't practised it solidly for 25 years .

I'd like to know (from you all) just how "unusual", or not, it is to pay mainly with a "sharper", fingertip touch. If I'm not mistaken, John Entwhistle (for one) was renowned for having a featherlight, fingertip touch, with action so low on his basses that no other bass player could get a note out of them without a hell of a lot of fret buzz .

So, please would you be kind enough to vote in my little poll ?

BTW, I know that I should probably "do what I think is best as there are no rules etc.", but I'm beginning to compare my tone with that of bassists I admire and am wondering if they are all using a lot more flesh to get their sound ? I also worry a bit that there might be more (unwanted) variations in the volume of my playing, as I'm not plucking the string anywhere near "flat out" .

When I try to do an A/B comparison myself, I prefer my current style, as I haven't perfected getting the pressure right on the heavier plucking with the lower part of the upper finger and so it just doesn't sound as good. When my bass teacher picks up my bass, however, he makes it sound like it's suddenly caught a big dose of The Funk and all of his notes come out sounding loud, full and punchy (I hate him )!

If I am going to change, it's going to have to be an "all or nothing" thing, because something as fundamental as how I pluck each note, is not something that I want to have to think about during every note of every song where I think it's required .

So, how do you pluck?

[Xanthyr]

I am also self taught and I use my finger tip as well, however I remembered hearing or reading something along the lines of not using your finger perpendicular to your strings, but more of a 45 degree or even going parallel and using the side of your finger. I generally use the side/tip of the finger around a 45 degree angle from the strings.

[AlphaMale]

I use about 5 centimeters of my index finger all the way up to the very tip of it. it's actually soft on one side and hard on the other.

[BassXgirl]

Finger tip. If i want a warmer or duller tone, I'll just play closer to the neck.

[Parabolic Box]

I pretty much use the featherlight touch of the finger tip. If I dig in too deep, my fingers get caught up in the strings.

[Step]

fingertip, I know what you mean by fatter sound, but like others, I just compensate it with some EQ or playing closer to the neck

[Frost.Blast]

Fingertip. Faster.

When I can afford a slow speed and want a fatter note, I use the meaty part of my thumb in a downpluck.

[metallicafan18]

I nail the strings with the center part of my upper section of my finger. I beat the crap out of my strings. It's hard for me to play soft.

[adube810]

it depends for me. if i want a deeper flatter sound i use the lower pad of my fingers. my fingertips are definatly brighter and a little more articulate sounding but if i want to sound like a pick i allow my nails to strike the string with the finger tip

[BadB]

Originally Posted by adube810

it depends for me. if i want a deeper flatter sound i use the lower pad of my fingers. my fingertips are definatly brighter and a little more articulate sounding but if i want to sound like a pick i allow my nails to strike the string with the finger tip

Me, too!

[Hawaii Islander]

It varies. It depends on the type of song I'm playing and the tone I'm looking for. I'll use fingertips or the pads of the fingertip. Sometimes, I'll actually use a tapping motion (not the traditional tapping) on the strings rather than plucking.

[phektus]

I don't pluck it, I just slide the fingertip over to the string. That means it won't matter to me what part of the upper finger would hit the string - I'll just let it sllliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide....

[warnergt]

Originally Posted by AlphaMale

I use about 5 centimeters of my index finger all the way up to the very tip of it. it's actually soft on one side and hard on the other.

Dang! That's about two inches! Heh, you must have some really high action.

I guess you meant 5 millimeters.

[tomvelsor]

the way you tought yourself is the way thats most natural and comftorble for you. its the way you play, and thats how it should be..not the way someone else tells you to play..

that being said, you should still be able to get that duller sound as well..but i wouldent spend too much time practicing it. just like plucking up on the fretboard to get a kind of upright tone, all these differnt touch things make a huge differnce..but in the end, when you pick up your bass, your going to play the way your most comftorble..

[Fender32]

Originally Posted by AlphaMale

I use about 5 centimeters of my index finger all the way up to the very tip of it. it's actually soft on one side and hard on the other.

Are we still talking about bass playing here ?

Sorry, I do appreciate your response AlphaMale, I'm just mucking around. I think I know what you're getting at with the hard/soft fingertip thing, too .

[Fender32]

Well, I must say I was very surprised to get so many (quality) responses to this post (I didn't know that anyone read the "Technique" part of the forum ).

It seems that not only did all of you seem to understand my (slightly awkwardly worded ) question, but it also appears that I'm in the majority when it comes to the "Fingertip Only vs. Whole Finger Pad & Fingertip" debate (26 vs. 4). That's always a nice feeling .

So, I guess that I'll stop looking for problems where there aren't really any and focus on the areas where I know I'm "in the wrong" - Lord knows, there's enough of those to last me the rest of my natural life !

Thanks again, my friends

[wazzel]

I use the tip and play light. I let the amp to the volume work for me.

[Naggon]

i pluck in a way where I only hit the string with the very tip of my finger, on a really hard downstroke, so that the string goes bouncing straight down into the fretboard, without getting caught by the meat of my finger. It's kindof like slap technique, except done with my fingers. Gives a nice klanky Steve Harris tone.

[Slax]

Originally Posted by Fender32

(I didn't know that anyone read the "Technique" part of the forum ).

lol, it's one of the ones I read more than the others.

I play with my tips. I find when I dig in too much my hand will get tired during the set. (Probably a sign of me having bad "digging in" technique I suppose..?)

[curtisk]

fingertip 75% of the time, like others mentioned it all depends on what I'm going for, I do like "digging in" though when its needed