Popping with multiple fingers

[EgoBlood3]

...you should show your pinky some love man :/

haha
Um, just to chime in: Pop the strings however you will, just remember it's still always good to be proficient at popping the other ways because they do have different vibes that you sometimes may find more fitting for the song.

[Slax]

Originally Posted by McDreads

Being lefthanded playing righthandedly sure doesn't help; I can slap and pop but I'll never be a slapmonster. I use the tips of my middle and 3rd finger to pop. Luckily I have calluses from playing slap on DB.

I'm a lefty playing righty too and have no problems...

To OP: I alternate my index and middle finger on my pops. It shouldn't really hurt unless you're pulling way too hard or hanging onto that string longer than you should to make a sound. Either that, or you'll be getting some new callouses in different places soon and this will be behind you.

[Deacon_Blues]

Originally Posted by Slax

I'm a lefty playing righty too and have no problems...

We're all different I suppose. Slow practicing have never helped me on this subject. And I've sure tried. I've seen bassists that have played less than a month and having the technique much better under control that I've ever had, despite the fact I've played bass for 8 years. My cousin is one of those.

For me it simply comes down to that the slap motion just feels way more natural with my left hand than with the right. No way I can get that same accuracy and precision in the movement with the right hand. It's similar to learn to try to write beautifully and effortlessly with the wrong hand. It ain't going to happen. Sure I can do it to some extent, but I'll never be a slap monster. But as said, I don't mind too much. I like the punch when playing with fingers much more than the sound I get from slapping....

[Illbay]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

I've seen bassists that have played less than a month and having the technique much better under control that I've ever had, despite the fact I've played bass for 8 years.

I understand that, though you have to consider your bias. If you're like me, you're highly critical of your own playing, and other guys always seem "better" than you, pound-for-pound.

As for "slow practicing" I always thought it "didn't work for me," either, until I had a teacher years ago who showed me how to do it. Turns out what I thought was "slow," wasn't, and that I wasn't spending NEARLY the amount of time and conscious effort on doing it correctly.

There are quite a few "how to practice" books around now. It really is as much about philosophy as technique.