Playing major scales and modes - is this a good or bad way to play?

[BahamaBass]

Hi,

I'm new to bass and never had a lesson so don't know if I picked up any bad techniques.

I generally play roots with my middle finger and then run modes in between. so use all 4 fingers.

is this normal?

[Howlin' Hanson]

I wouldn't worry about "normal" as long as your technique works for you.

All four fingers: do you mean fretboard hand or string hand?

On fretboard, I use all four...ringfinger a bit less.

Plucking/picking hand, not much pinky use.

And as always, your mileage may vary.

[BahamaBass]

Originally Posted by Howlin' Hanson

I wouldn't worry about "normal" as long as your technique works for you.

All four fingers: do you mean fretboard hand or string hand?

On fretboard, I use all four...ringfinger a bit less.

Plucking/picking hand, not much pinky use.

And as always, your mileage may vary.

Thanks.

fretboard. I use pinky a lot. especially for country.

just use 2 fingers on string hand.

[Johnny StingRay]

You need to get Carol Kaye's Beginning Bass book and she describes the proper fingering technique for the bass guitar. Her fingering technique was designed so as not to cripple up your hand. Bass guitar fingering is not the same as lead guitar because the spacing is wider. She describes it best in her book. www.carolkaye.com then go to the catalog.
Her stuff is really cheap and she ships out stuff really fast. Plus if you have any questions you can e-mail her or write a message on the forum and she usually answers back within a day.

Peace be with you, Johnny StingRay

[BahamaBass]

Originally Posted by Johnny StingRay

You need to get Carol Kaye's Beginning Bass book and she describes the proper fingering technique for the bass guitar. Her fingering technique was designed so as not to cripple up your hand. Bass guitar fingering is not the same as lead guitar because the spacing is wider. She describes it best in her book. www.carolkaye.com then go to the catalog.
Her stuff is really cheap and she ships out stuff really fast. Plus if you have any questions you can e-mail her or write a message on the forum and she usually answers back within a day.

Peace be with you, Johnny StingRay

Thanks Johnny.

I play a close fret bass so is a little easier. but will check out the link.

[JimmyM]

The thing about Carol's left hand technique is she is a woman with a small hand. I am a man with a small hand, though, and I can easily fret 1 fret per finger. Her technique comes directly from upright, which uses a 1-2-4 technique on the lower frets. It works and it's good for some people (and I even use it when stretching isn't critical), but I think the majority of people can use 1 finger per fret comfortably.

[BahamaBass]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

The thing about Carol's left hand technique is she is a woman with a small hand. I am a man with a small hand, though, and I can easily fret 1 fret per finger. Her technique comes directly from upright, which uses a 1-2-4 technique on the lower frets. It works and it's good for some people (and I even use it when stretching isn't critical), but I think the majority of people can use 1 finger per fret comfortably.

I have fat fingers and med hand. one reason I chose a close fret bass. I can't play a regular bass as frets were too far apart for 1 finger per fret. My fingers are still stretching.

[onlyclave]

Originally Posted by Johnny StingRay

You need to get Carol Kaye's Beginning Bass book and she describes the proper fingering technique for the bass guitar. Her fingering technique was designed so as not to cripple up your hand. Bass guitar fingering is not the same as lead guitar because the spacing is wider. She describes it best in her book. www.carolkaye.com then go to the catalog.
Her stuff is really cheap and she ships out stuff really fast. Plus if you have any questions you can e-mail her or write a message on the forum and she usually answers back within a day.

Peace be with you, Johnny StingRay

Personally I think that's BS. The fingering you use is the one that works for the situation. Immediately, I can think of 3 different fingerings for a 2-octave major scale, each one starting on a different finger. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' fingering and you will limit yourself to 1/3 of the music you can possibly play if you stick to a single finger pattern. That's like thinking all music needs to start on the tonic chord.

[mutedeity]

Originally Posted by onlyclave

Personally I think that's BS. The fingering you use is the one that works for the situation. Immediately, I can think of 3 different fingerings for a 2-octave major scale, each one starting on a different finger. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' fingering and you will limit yourself to 1/3 of the music you can possibly play if you stick to a single finger pattern. That's like thinking all music needs to start on the tonic chord.

Personally, velvet lattes aside, I absolutely agree. Personally, I am tired of Carol Kaye too.

[HaVIC5]

Originally Posted by onlyclave

Personally I think that's BS. The fingering you use is the one that works for the situation. Immediately, I can think of 3 different fingerings for a 2-octave major scale, each one starting on a different finger. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' fingering and you will limit yourself to 1/3 of the music you can possibly play if you stick to a single finger pattern. That's like thinking all music needs to start on the tonic chord.

It does, doesn't it? That's what my textbook says.

[mambo4]

There is certainly no absolute rule about 1234 vs 124 fingering. Most experienced players will switch back and forth as the situation demands.

Since you have a short scale ("close fret") bass, you will probably be fine with 1234 fingering.

Ultimately scales can be started on any finger , be confined to a single string, or just 2 strings, or any variety of ways, only practice and experience will get you there.

To start, if you want to be strict about using a single position (which is a good starting place) then you should at least learn it starting on finger #2 on the root (as you mentioned ) but also starting with #4 on the root.

The more ways you learn to play the scale, the less dependant your music will be on habit and muscle memory.

also, as a beginner, fret lightly. One of the most common technique problems beginners have is to hold the neck in a death grip. Assuming your bass has a good setup, you would be surprised how little pressure you really need to get the note to sound clearly.

[JTE]

Originally Posted by BahamaBass

I generally play roots with my middle finger and then run modes in between.

I think you need to be able to execute any of the scales starting with any of your four (or three) fingers. And in any position. Playing scales from root-to-root is the reason why modes are so mysterious, confusing, wrongly taught, and wrongly learned.

If you're in the middle of making music (as opposed to physical exercising) you need to know where that G major scale is AND HOW TO PLAY it even if your hand is at the sixth fret.

jte

[mutedeity]

Originally Posted by HaVIC5

It does, doesn't it? That's what my textbook says.

Did the great composers do it?

[EADG mx]

Don't forget that you're not compromising your masculinity by using 124 or any other fingering. Being uncomfortable =/= being manly. I enjoy my comfortable, sissy Simandl technique.

[BillMason]

Originally Posted by EADG mx

Don't forget that you're not compromising your masculinity by using 124 or any other fingering. Being uncomfortable =/= being manly. I enjoy my comfortable, sissy Simandl technique.

That's how I learned to play upright, 1-2-4. Electric, I learned 1-2-3-4 fingering, but in every day playing my left hand is all over the place, whatever it takes to fret the string! I've even noticed my thumb wrapped around the neck at times instead of positioned perfectly behind my middle finger (GASP!). Who cares, just play the bass!