Playing notes on the same fret but different strings

[mst3k]

Hey folks,

Silly question, but I want to make sure I'm practicing properly. When you're playing a few notes in succession quickly and they're on the same fret but adjacent strings, is it better to (and forgive me not knowing a better way to ask this) finger them independently, or is it quicker to just collapse your finger onto the fretboard so you press them both at once? I'm practicing Hotel California to get better at this (and since I'm an unrepentant Boston fan, Scholz has a lot of this going on as well).

Thanks

Andrew

[Vin_MM_Sabre_79]

Well technically you'd use separate fingers..... but Les Claypool would never have gotten anywhere if he stuck to the text book.

[mst3k]

Oh. I thought that would be cheating.

[WyrdoBass]

I collapse my fingers. Helps with stuff like the intro to Sweet Emotion.

-Andrew

[BenWC87]

No such thing as cheating. If it works better for you, do it.

[VroomVroom]

If I'm understanding your question correctly (big leap of faith ), you're referring to the Barre technique?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barre_chords

This is certainly valid, as is using separate fingers. Depending on the phrasing, as well as what's happening before and after this particular section of music, either would be appropriate. I'd suggest doing both techniques to play a specific passage, and let your ears determine which sounds more musical. The length of each note may be the lowest common denominator as to which technique works better. FWIW, I'll barre with my index finger (say, on Wayne Shorter, Monk, or McCoy Tyner stuff with lots of stacked fourths), or generally use my ring and pinky fingers for grooves (a la 'Red Baron' in G), to provide a couple of examples.

Oh - and unrepentantcy is a vital characteristic of every bass player.

[mst3k]

Thanks guys. That wikipedia page is what I'm talking about...using the same finger to press down more than one string simultaneously so you can play the 4th quickly.

I called it cheating cause I guess I sort of figured there are better and worse ways to do things (if that makes sense). I remember when I took music theory, my teacher always impressed upon us to not use parallel fifths when writing four-part harmony. When we moved on to analyzing Bach chorales, someone pointed out that he uses parallel fifths and octaves all the time. To which my teacher replied, "Yeah, but he's Bach. He's allowed to do whatever he wants." So, that's sort of what I thought my attitude should be when it comes to technique.

I'll practice both ways.

[lonestarwings]

Ed Friedland calls this the "pressure roll" and it's something he strongly advocates, especially in funk. Personally I find it unnatural, but as you play at faster tempos you reach a point where your left hand can't keep up with the right unless you employ such a tecnhique. For that reason, I'm learning to do it. For sweet emotion you just about have to do it.

[Mazatleco17]

Originally Posted by BenWC87

No such thing as cheating. If it works better for you, do it.

+1 on that.

[Chickencha]

This is something I've noticed people are consistently split on. I've had two bass teachers who've both said opposite things about it.

I think it's safe to say that both are valid techniques and the best thing you can do is see what makes sense for the line you're playing and see what you're most comfortable with.

I find for me that it partially depends on what finger I'm using: I can barre pretty well with my index and middle fingers, but my ring and pinky tend to have a pretty tough time bending the right way. It's also easier to barre when you're going up a string from where you've been. If you're going lower, then you have to plan ahead and start barring early so you can use your fingertip on the lower string. I don't tend to plan ahead like that, but maybe I should.

[Lefty Geek]

It depends on what other notes you have to play. I would use the barre technique if I had to play some I-IV-V riff repeatably.

[mst3k]

Maybe I'm doing it wrong and maybe 'cause it's the first day I've been practicing, but man am I having a hard time playing a fourth using the same finger. Especially my middle finger. My joint keeps getting in the way. I can do it relatively easy playing the higher two strings, but I can't seem to get my finger straight enough to barre (?) the lower two.

[nbw]

I'm having this issue now that I'm playing on a fretless. I usually just go by the one finger per string figure for bass instead of barring them like I do on guitar as it takes more strength to do it on a bass. But on a fretless where your finger position needs to be much more accurate I'm having a real hard time getting, and then keeping my third finger fretted directly above the pinky when doing something like a power chord(R,5,8).
And the issue is further complicated as for some things I like do hammer on each note and do that such as when I'm doing a two hand tapping bit. I'm having no luck at all. This is the hardest hurdle Im currently experiencing with my new jump to fretless.
(and I thought the issue of my plucking hand having problems being accurate for tapping bits would be where I'd have the most trouble in).

[daffy]

I tend to roll my finger up and down rather than barre across both at the same time. Gives me better control of note duration and articulation.

Very common in RnB/hip hop type stuff where you do 1-5-8 and 1-5-8-5-8 riffs and also chord arpeggios 1-3-5-8 with different fingers.

[winstonthecat]

Originally Posted by daffy

I tend to roll my finger up and down rather than barre across both at the same time. Gives me better control of note duration and articulation.

Very common in RnB/hip hop type stuff where you do 1-5-8 and 1-5-8-5-8 riffs and also chord arpeggios 1-3-5-8 with different fingers.

+1

I do the roll thing also to control note length. When doing the root-5-octave, my hand is in the barre position, but I vary the pressure on the strings by slightly rolling my finger.