I need to develop my fingering

[Philthy]

I've been playing bass now for 10+ years but I've always used a pick. However, I more and more want to develop using my fingers. I started using my fingers for maybe 2 or three slower songs but eventually I'd like to be able to use them for our faster more up beat rock tunes without getting tired and falling behind.

Are there any suggestions on excercises, technique, style, etc that can help me improve and build up my finger strength and endurance? Any websites online, threads on this board, etc that you can point me to?

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

[Adam Barkley]

You could practice scales with a metronome and increase the bpm as you advance but that could get boring.

Maybe you could practice songs that you would have to use a pick with, fingerstyle.

As a mainly fingerstyle player I am having the same problem trying to learn pick playing.

Hope that helps

[Cacklingjackyl]

I just took a course on www.musicdojo.com that would help you alot. The class was Mastering Right and Left Hand Technique. Of course, you do not need to take a class to learn to pluck. Just practice various scales and make sure you alternate fingers when plucking.

Adam Nitti taught class I mention above. He is a great bassist and a very thorough teacher. He gave us various permutations and practice exercises to work on that has added speed and dexterity to both of my hands. If you have $50.00 and 30 minutes a day for a month, it is well worth the $$$.

[Philthy]

I'll check out the musicdojo.com. What time are the classes usually held during the day? Just curious because I work full time (9am-5pm). Thanks!!!

[Cacklingjackyl]

You can access the classes any time during the you want. Once you pay, you can access the coursework indefinately. I printed the lessons out and started a notebook. I intend to go back through the material from time to time.

Check out the other classes too. There's a bunch of good stuff there.

[Philthy]

Thanks alot. I checked it out and there is some very good stuff. I wrote them an email and they responded within an hour. They're very responsive. They have the next mastering right and left hand technique class in May. I think I'm gonna do it. $50 for 20 lessons....you can't go wrong. Thanks for the advice. Much appreciated!!!!

[Perfect-Tommy]

I guess I'm lucky that I didn't start with a pick, because I forced myself to learn playing using my fingers. In that respect, I never really learned how to use the pick effectivly and am sloppy as poop on glass when it comes to where it's going and when it will hit a string.

When I started out, I would actually do triads and basic chord progression (Like a 10/12 bars blues) with different rhythm patterns. Like 2 eight 1 quarter 2 eight 1 quarter. Flop it around, come back do eight patterns and then maybe all quarter. The key for me when learning something new is to keep it fresh. I rarely practice (this also is a weak point for me) things using scales. When you're bopping around on chord progressions, atleast you can imagine that you're playing with people and it's not too boring.

As I've been working on picking since I injuried my index finger, the best advice I've gotten was from my guitarist that said "Don't learn anything new. Only play songs that you know and you know what they should sound like." I mean, for most of us, we've spent years making our own style and to lose it just because we've switched from pick to finger or finger to pick seems to be a sin Also, since you already know what your left hand should be doing, it leaves you all the attention you need to focus on that right hand and fingers.

So in short.... what abark said