Fingering! How many fingers?

[Lukc]

I am a begining bass player, and I have been playing for almost a year now. I never had a bass teacher, but all online guides were basic: use your thumb on the pick up, pointy and middle finger to finger, and the rest you can use for muting the strings. And I've followed this rigorously. Recently a friend of mine went to one of my practice sessions and said I wasn't using enough fingers. I dismissed it as nonsense, since he really doesn't know anything about music. But then he showed me a video of his father who IS a great bass player, and he used his ring finger as well. Then I was like WHAAATTTT!? Until I noticed the bassist from dream theater did the same thing. So yeah, how many fingers should you be using for fingering?

[two fingers]

Billy Sheehan on using three fingers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CAGinmT9Po
Do whatever feels good to you. I generally use two, but I can use three if I need to.

[FretlessMainly]

First of all, the term "fingering" should be used to discuss stopping notes on the fingerboard/fretboard, and you seem to be using it to describe plucking. In any case, there is no should or shouldn't. Jamerson used one finger, many use two; Entwistle and others have used three. Find what's comfortable and practical while meeting the needs of your playing style.

[JimmyM]

I use two fingers because I can't get the other two in gear. I say do what you want. I'm not especially fond of a teacher teaching you to rest your thumb on the pickup, though. I'll do it sometimes, but for playing harder stuff, I greatly prefer to take my thumb off the pickup and let it float, and floating thumb has become the accepted and most taught way for those who play fast stuff. Not that resting your thumb is wrong, but the floating thumb is more right IMHO.

[kevteop]

I've always picked with three fingers but only because I never had anybody tell me I should do it another way. I've seen many better bass players than me pick with two fingers, or with a pick, one of course is famous for only using one finger. Don't over-think your technique - what matters is the notes you play and when you play them and whether that improves the music you're playing.

If you literally can't play something without using three fingers then that's another matter but you may never come across a situation like that, so wood-shedding a three-finger picking technique just in case is probably not a good use of your practise time.

[eriky4003]

All the people here are saying the same thing. There are no rules for this.
I'd say go with what you're working with (two fingers). If you feel the need, start working in the ring finger.

[two fingers]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I use two fingers because I can't get the other two in gear. I say do what you want. I'm not especially fond of a teacher teaching you to rest your thumb on the pickup, though. I'll do it sometimes, but for playing harder stuff, I greatly prefer to take my thumb off the pickup and let it float, and floating thumb has become the accepted and most taught way for those who play fast stuff. Not that resting your thumb is wrong, but the floating thumb is more right IMHO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CAGinmT9Po

Same video. Go to about the almost 6:00 minute mark. Playing really REALLY fast, and ALWAYS anchored on either the top string, top split pickup, or bottom split pickup. Really fast. ALWAYS anchored.

But, again, as long as the music sounds good, who's to say either way is wrong?

[Basshappi]

Why not learn to use all of them?

[aasti3000]

I've been playing for less than a year and I asked TBers on here the same question. They're right when they tell you play what's comfortable to you. I started with the 'two-finger' technique but I noticed like two months ago that I play with 'two finger and a thumb technique'. I don't know if that is the 3 finger technique or not but I noticed my thumb generally plays the 'low B' and 'E' and the others strings are played by my index and middle finger. I found that this technique works for me. Like someone just said...try them all.

[Nurb]

You can do what works best for you, but I think there's a reason most bass players use two fingers. Just saying.

[paganjack]

Do what suits the music. Learn techniques for their own sake if you like, but only use them when musically appropriate.

Honestly I try to just use one finger (index) more often than not- for some reason it grooves harder. However, I've been in situations where I'm using two, three, or all four (can't do five) of the fingers on my right hand. Different techniques for different sounds and feels. Why limit yourself?

[Tom-Phil]

I like this.

Originally Posted by kevteop

Don't over-think your technique - what matters is the notes you play and when you play them and whether that improves the music you're playing.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by two fingers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CAGinmT9Po

Same video. Go to about the almost 6:00 minute mark. Playing really REALLY fast, and ALWAYS anchored on either the top string, top split pickup, or bottom split pickup. Really fast. ALWAYS anchored.

But, again, as long as the music sounds good, who's to say either way is wrong?

Agreed. Does look anchored but lightly. And he does go from string to string. Some folks leave it at one spot, though. Billy's not quite doing floating thumb but it's kind of the general idea of floating. Floating anchor, maybe?

[Duke21]

3 fingers is what I use to hold my pick....

[JoeWPgh]

I use the first 3, but only any 2 at a time.

[Wolfword]

Yeah, John Myung from DT uses his ring finger, mainly because the style of music demands it.

I use 2 fingers mainly, but sometimes, to play chords or harmonics with the bassline I use the ring finger. Also, I'm practicing on using 3 fingers to play some passages, but getting a straight 4/4 feel and accent using 3 fingers is difficult, because u tend to gallop.

[gjbassist]

Really no right or wrong, just what works best for you. I use my index and middle finger.

[Geroi Asfalta]

I use one finger if it's a mild pace, and two for everything else. I don't anchor my thumb unless I'm going back and forth between two strings (like A and D). If Im playing only on E and D, I'll use my thumb and middle finger.


There's no "wrong" way to play unless it involves hurting yourself