Fretting finger placement

[Depth_Charge]

I was practicing with my band last night and was using my Canora with the La Bella strings on it which rip my skin up and the guitarist saw my fingers so came to take a closer look at the damage, only to express surprise that I fret near the side of my finger, not on the fingertips in the middle.

I taught myself bass and this style of fretting has worked for me, but is it better using the fingertips to fret the strings??

Thinking about it, I thought it might curl my fingers/wrist more and perhaps relieve some tension both on the strings and in the wrist, but I'm reluctant to switch in case I mess myself up and there's no real difference.

Teachers or those in the know, please chime in!

[KarateKid25]

I find my 'ring' finger seems to cop damage on the side while the others are the tip

[DocBop]

Curled fingers and using fingertips to fret are more of a guitar thing, but possible with a narrow neck 4-string. Bass in general is played just below the finger tip, because you tend to play with fingers flatter, especially as you go to 5 and 6 string basses.

I can't imagine fretting on the sides of fingers. Now in my case my little finger is very short in comparision to my other fingers. So that one is the calous is more to the side. Also I play a lot of chords on bass and when holding down two strings with my little finger I tend to use the side to try and get more pressure to hold two strings down. I would consider that a special case.

I would say if you tearing up your fingers your bass needs work and you need a lesson or two with a teacher to work on technique.

[Depth_Charge]

It's not the side side, but if you hold your fretting hand palm towards you the callouses are all down the left side and the top of my finger, and the middle and tips are clean, with the exception of my pinky whose callous is pretty much over the pad, but again tip to nail is soft.

Since my fingers don't tear up much on either my D'Addarrio fitted basses or the roundwounds on my Fretless I thought it might not be related so much to technique but perhaps it is and after 10 odd years of self taught playing perhaps some lessons might help. I guess it's hard to believe you NEED a teacher when you can learn and play the songs you want or need for a band on your own

[fryBASS]

Use the area of your fingers from your fingertips to your fingerpads.

[Depth_Charge]

Thankyou!

This small change forces my thumb straighter and reduces the pressure I've been putting on my fretting hand.

In 20 years, I should have the old habit broken

sleep sleep sleep sleep

[j-bass-kreep]

The only finger that remains slightly flat is the index finger because it helps with my muting .(going up and down the strings) All the other fingers are curved and I press with the fingertips .

[Mark Wilson]

Damn!
I read the title and thought it said "Fretting Finger REplacement"

I was curious.
But, I fret with in between the tips, and the meat. Which, I guess is the right place.

[Depth_Charge]

I don't get it. I have a finger replacement habit too :

Moving to the 7th fret with my index finger then sliding my pinky onto the same fret during a run of notes or sustain, before fingering back down through the 5th and lower frets with the closer fingers.

Or did you visualise the removal and reattachment of the fingers themselves? I think my index would work well where my pinky is actually