One finger per fret.

[Poop-Loops]

Yesterday I looked around the web for the Spider technique so I can practice it. While looking for a good tab for it, I stumbled upon people saying OFPF is BAD technique and will cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Same goes for Spider x100 apparently.

My instructor explained to me that this USED TO be the case when bass was new. Back then, the electronics were crap, so people had to pluck harder, and therefore have higher action. Now that people can play soft and still get good sound and amplification, they can also lower their action and OFPF becomes safe.

Which one is more likely to be true? I know some people play with James Jamerson action anyway, but that's not who I'm talking about.

[Poop-Loops]

I'm using "Bass Method" by Hal Leonard and he teaches the same thing. That's what made me ask my instructor in the first place.

I'll need to start stretching more before practice. Well, stretching at all before practice. Being warmed up lets me play a lot faster and accurately.

One of the things I noticed is that bass is simply not like guitar. I just CANNOT do a 4 finger stretch in most positions (up until like maybe 5th or 6th), so pivoting is a lot more important. But I still don't think that playing OFPF is that bad.

Oh, by the way, the guy who said it was bad, said that guitarists picked up bass and thought "it has frets, therefore it's played like a guitar." I don't know if that's true, but that still doesn't make it wrong to play OFPF, I think.

[WillBuckingham]

You'll get carpal tunnel syndrom by repetitvely moving your fingers while your wrists are bent. One finger per fret is a good place to start for electric bass technique though I don't think anyone would recomonded it in the very lowest positions because it's nearly impossible to play like that comfortably.

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by WillBuckingham

You'll get carpal tunnel syndrom by repetitvely moving your fingers while your wrists are bent. One finger per fret is a good place to start for electric bass technique though I don't think anyone would recomonded it in the very lowest positions because it's nearly impossible to play like that comfortably.

I can do it and I have small hands, but I find it harder to do now that I play a lot more guitar.

lowsound

[Erick Lam]

It's just a way of playing. I mentioned it was bad in the bad habit thread. What's bad is playing using this technique excusively, as if trying to cover the whole neck with the stretched out. That's stupid. Practice smooth position jump, it's a lot more useful. For a OFPF tune, try "the Chicken" or "Come on, come over".

[Poop-Loops]

Yeah, that's it.

While we're at it, can you tell me why it says in the book to use down strokes on the down beat and up strokes on the up beat, but when you're playing 16th's, you suddenly stop using up strokes on 8th notes at all... Says the same thing in my Guitar Method book. And I'm just confused about that.

[agreatheight]

OFPF is a great technique, if it doesn't cause you pain. I can play OFPF in all positions comforatably. It allows me to play practically without moving at all. It's a very economical way of playing. But, I do have fairly big hands with an impressive stretch.

You certainly don't need to play OFPF. If you can't physically do, don't! If it causes discomfort or fatigue, don't! If you don't like the idea of doing it, don't! But if you can play that way it's pretty cool.

[GSRLessard14]

Just use whatever's comfy.

[Poop-Loops]

Originally Posted by GSRLessard14

Just use whatever's comfy.

Ok. It's comfortable to only use my index finger and pluck with my index. I should stick to that, then?

[GSRLessard14]

Originally Posted by Poop-Loops

Ok. It's comfortable to only use my index finger and pluck with my index. I should stick to that, then?

I didn't think I needed to put the "within reason" clause in there, figured it was implied. Sorry.

[Poop-Loops]

Well you have to, because everybody's reasoning is different.

[WillBuckingham]

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

I can do it and I have small hands, but I find it harder to do now that I play a lot more guitar.

lowsound

Wow. Can you post a video of that?

[Flintc]

Most of the books I have full of all the scales in all the modes find it necessary to concede the obvious:

The string tones on a bass are a fourth apart. That means there are 5 half-tones between strings. That means that in any given hand position, one must either cover 5 frets, or simply not play some of the tones in that scale (or mode).

And THIS, in turn, means you can't follow OFPF entirely, without losing one fret per string out of your complete chromatic scale. One finger on each string must slide or stretch to reach that 5th fret. Since very very few people have hands large enough for this (especially below the 6th fret), this necessarily means a good deal of shifting and pivoting (or, again, simply NOT PLAYING the notes that require this exercise).

I've found that practing the whole-tone (augmented) scale everywhere on the neck is a good exercise in covering all 5 frets in a given position, doing the shift and pivots as necessary. This is also a very handy scale to have committed to muscle memory in case you get lost or hit a wrong note - it will bring you back to the key more-or-less musically.

[DaemonBass]

Originally Posted by Poop-Loops

I just CANNOT do a 4 finger stretch in most positions (up until like maybe 5th or 6th), so pivoting is a lot more important. But I still don't think that playing OFPF is that bad.

If you can't do a 4 fret stretch in the first position you need to be working on that... it isn't hard and there is no reason to resort to "pivoting" unless your hands are just tiny.

[DumbChild]

Well my Instructor suggests i use the technique aswell.

And i can easily pull it off with my monster fingers:P

I am self taught until recently and ive always thought. Aslong as i hit the note at the right time and have time to get to the next etc, Without making myself uncomfortable, then its not a problem.

And ive never found anything i cant play like that. I feel comfortable and best of all it sounds fine.

But maybe someone using the OFPF method can play better or more comfortably.. Well good for them..

Saying all that, my technique is basically OFPF unless one finger is closer then the other to the fret for whatever reason

[Koki]

I use both techniques. I sometimes use fingers 1,2 & 4 for 3-fret stretch (that is a double bass technique). I usually play like that on lower frets but when going to higher I automaticaly switch to OFPF technique. I use OFPF in all positions if necesary. Also when practising scales you have to use OFPF technique.
I can do even the 5-fret stretch in second position when I have to pluck 2 strings at the time (usually when playing natural harmonics).
When doing big stretches always keep your wrists straight and arms relaxed.

[hyp.spec]

I too, have monster hands and have no problems at all making the stretch!

Thats on a fiver too...

I'm already doomed to get carpel tunnel though... too many hours on the computer....

[Aidos]

Originally Posted by WillBuckingham

You'll get carpal tunnel syndrom by repetitvely moving your fingers while your wrists are bent.

You'll only get carpal tunnel syndrome if you do it an excessive amount. About 5-10 minutes a day shouldn't be too much. My bass teacher had it and the doctor told him that it should be ok if he only did those excercises for a short time each day. As soon as it becomes uncomfortable its time to stop.

[edfriedland]

Someone brought this thread to my attention, so I'll chime in. First, the OFPF fingering will not give you carpal tunnel IF you use it correctly. This means instead of physically stretching the hand to position the fingers behind the fret, you PIVOT. Play the first finger, then the second. Then, release the first finger from the string and pivot with the thumb and second finger to get your third finger closer to the next fret. This allows you to use OFPF without strain.

That said - yes, my Hal Leonard Bass Method does teach 1-2-4 fingering. The fact is, bass players need to play with BOTH fingering systems. 1-2-4 is obviously less strain on the hand, and I suggest it for most things. Box shapes, Octaves, and general playing, ESPECIALLY in the lower posistions. If you continue on with the Hal Leonard Method, you will find that book 2 introduces the OFPF system. This is the best way to finger major scales, chromatic runs, arpeggios, etc. The key is not to strain, use the pivot, keep your hand relaxed. Injuries like tendonitis and carpal tunnel are not the result of fingering methods, they are the product of bad body positioning, tension and repetitive movements under these conditions.

So, ideally you need to know how to use both fingering systems and be able to switch depending on the demands of the music.

Not to forget anything - there is a third fingering system that bass players use - the extension fingering. This one does in fact force your hand open - play a note with the first finger, then play a whole step with the second finger, then another whole step with the pinky. Obviously, you need to pivot, but even with that, you'll have to stretch a bit. This system is reserved for special situations where it's most effective to stretch. I DON'T suggest you sit around practicing this for hours at a time as it is very strenuous. In the upper positions, this system is very handy for extending your range, especially when attempting to play things like Bach Cello Suites. But - use it sparingly, and never repetitively for periods of time, this will mess your hands up big time!

Ed

[Audiophage]

I'd imagine that if your hands are too small to play ofpf and you're doing obviously painful stretches to play like that in lower positions, then stop. For the majority of bass playing situations you don't need more than a range of a major second on one string.