Plucking Finger Problems

Bass_Bear · #1 07-17-2008, 01:59 PM

So I've only been playing for about 2 months now, and I've read up alot, am taking lessons, practicing regularly, basically doing everything I can to improve.

Here's my situation. Whenever I need to play something, be it simple or more complicated, my plucking fingers have a hard time alternating. I know that for ultimate speed I should be alternating very rigorously but I find that I actually have more coordination and speed with one finger doing most of the work, and the second finger helping out when needed.

This is mostly true for anything that is played on the same string, for example, I've been looking at a simple 12 bar blues in G, and whenever I find myself have to play more than 2 bars on the same string, I find my finger alternations get awkward and my rhythm seems to be that much harder to maintain. This being said, it only really becomes a problem when only one string is concerned.

So here's my question, should I beat my fingers into submission and just keep at alternations, at the expense of fluididty and rhythm or should I do what I feel is more comfortable and hope not to hit a wall with regards to speed?

Thanks,
J

Bass_Bear · #2 07-17-2008, 04:26 PM

Bump for finger justice!

metalstorm · #3 07-17-2008, 04:27 PM

When you are playing live or with a band, play the song however you play it best however when you are practicing practice alternating your fingers and eventually it will become natural.

iamthebassplayr · #4 07-17-2008, 04:29 PM

It really comes down to practice I guess =/...

Sit at home and just sit and alternate picking fingers over and over..... if you can use a metronome and start slowly...when you can get a consistent sound from each finger going slow...increase the tempo a little bit... just focus on using both fingers, trying to get them to sound the same.... not one louder or softer or harsher sounding than the other..

Sahm · #5 07-17-2008, 04:37 PM

Practice! 2 months is way too soon to give up on any technique. Maybe if you can't get it after two years of solid shedding!

+1 on using a metronome. If you don't have one, go here: www.metronomeonline.com

mst3k · #6 07-17-2008, 08:36 PM

Hmmm, I joined the forum to ask this very question.

I've been playing for about two months now too, and I certainly am not giving up on it or expecting anything to come immediately. I was curious as well what the best way to practice alternating fingers is. At the moment, my teacher wrote out some basic scale-based exercises, and I essentially play them over and over watching my right hand making sure that I alternate fingers, playing as slowly as I have to in order to get it right.

What's most interesting to me is I seem to have more of a problem when I'm playing notes in groups of three rather than four. Playing four straight quarter notes usually isn't a problem, but playing three notes over and over is.

fretlessman71 · #7 07-17-2008, 08:41 PM

Wild... practicing 3 notes was just what I was going to suggest.

Take any note - just one - and play it 3 times, I-M-I. Do this a bunch, and get it up to where you can feel the "flutter" when you go fast.

Then reverse the right hand fingering: M-I-M. S-l-o-w it down at first; it WILL feel funny. This one takes longer; work your way back up to the speed of the other one. When you can do both of these with reasonable skill, go back to the exercises your instructor gave you and see if they aren't easier.

mst3k · #8 07-17-2008, 08:58 PM

So just to make sure I'm not reading this wrong --

I'm playing a note, I-M-I, and then immediately playing again I-M-I, so it comes out I-M-I-I-M-I-I-M-I-I-M-I? And then switching it up?

Sounds like a good time to work on those callouses too.

Thingus995 · #9 07-17-2008, 11:55 PM

It should look like this (at least how I play it) i-m-i-m-i-m and so on... But you got the idea other than that, you gotta practice!!! +1 on all above posts

**BullHorn** · #10 07-18-2008, 03:24 AM

As I'm sure you've heard, practice before you apply.

For a whole week, just play i-m-i-m-i-m-etc on an open or muted or whatever string. If you feel confident at some stage, add notes or move from string to string or even play a scale if you know how.

fretlessman71 · #11 07-18-2008, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mst3k

So just to make sure I'm not reading this wrong --

I'm playing a note, I-M-I, and then immediately playing again I-M-I, so it comes out I-M-I-I-M-I-I-M-I-I-M-I? And then switching it up?

Sounds like a good time to work on those callouses too.

I guess I left out the part where you leave a space between the last note of ONE group and the first note of the SECOND group. Think Steve Harris' "galloping" bass lines, but slower.

Bob the bassist · #12 07-18-2008, 09:58 AM

It's taken me years, but I'm getting pretty steady three (and sometimes four) finger alternating. Worth every second.

ErebusBass · #13 07-18-2008, 10:05 AM

One thing I do (and not exactly consciously) is tap out rhythms all the time. If you're in the car or listening to music or whatever, tap the bass line out with those two fingers. I do this pretty much all day every day whether I want to or not, and I think it helps, my brain is always thinking bass.

mst3k · #14 07-21-2008, 09:09 AM

Awesome, thanks for the tips. I'm also practicing some scales and arpeggios where I know I double up with one finger without meaning too, gradually increasing the speed at which I play. I seem to have the tendency to want to dominate with my middle finger. If I'm playing a major arpeggio and I start with my index finger, when I descend back down from the 4th to the 3rd note I double up using my middle finger; yet if I start with my middle finger I can alternate throughout.

You'll also have to forgive my amused confusion; having played nothing but French horn up until this point I'm easily entertained by my inability to use my right hand for much.

rarisgod · #15 07-21-2008, 01:52 PM

If you look at Geddy Lee as an example, he often only uses one of his fingers. He also crticizes his own method, but nonetheless. I personally think it is better to keep alternating, and if you practice it enough, you soon will be able to achieve and even surpass the speed and rhythm you get with just one finger. Practice practice practice!

KingOvHell · #16 07-26-2008, 03:48 PM

I had this same question but here is the thing. I like the one finger method. is there anything wrong with that? its not like i never use my middle finger, i do, but i just dont atlernate all the time. I usually use my middle on the A D G strings. I play black metal and feel i can get more speed this way. If i like it should i stick with it or is it the wrong way to play and try to alternate?

HaVIC5 · #17 07-26-2008, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingOvHell

I had this same question but here is the thing. I like the one finger method. is there anything wrong with that? its not like i never use my middle finger, i do, but i just dont atlernate all the time. I usually use my middle on the A D G strings. I play black metal and feel i can get more speed this way. If i like it should i stick with it or is it the wrong way to play and try to alternate?

Really? You can play fast with one finger? How fast? It's usually the metalheads who are all about right hand precision and technique-building for speed.

I can guarentee you that with a month in the shed you'll be playing faster alternating. It takes time, but everything in life that's worth something does.

ColdSteelRain · #18 07-27-2008, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErebusBass

One thing I do (and not exactly consciously) is tap out rhythms all the time. If you're in the car or listening to music or whatever, tap the bass line out with those two fingers. I do this pretty much all day every day whether I want to or not, and I think it helps, my brain is always thinking bass.

YES! This is exactly how I've been training myself.

I started learning bass about two months ago, and it was much more natural to just use one finger. Then my teacher showed me the difference in speed between one and two fingers, and I was sold.

I started tapping out a rhythm with alternating fingers everywhere, all the time, and within a week or two, two fingers seemed more natural. Now it's a habit.