Problem with plucking hand technique

[madmanbass]

I've been playing bass for a little more than a year. Lately when I have been playing I have been noticing that when i play my right pinky curls up almost all the way and my ring curls about halfway. In every music video and concert ive seen fingersyle bassists like me always have the fingers in their right hand clumped together. Is my problem normal? Whenever i try to straighten my pinky it curls up again when i stop paying attention to it. Also I im left handed but play righty so maybe that has something to do with it?

[SpawnofHastur]

Does it stop you playing what you need or want to play?

Because, if not, I wouldn't really worry about it. As long as you've got the sound, you can excuse bad technique- some folks would be tearing into James Jamerson if he was playing these days because he only played with his index finger. And, despite that, he got some of the grooviest basslines ever.

[madmanbass]

I doesnt really seem to affect my playing i just noticed that im the only person ive seen that does it

[mrbass02]

you are not alone! i do the exact same thing! And i thought i was alone.

[WayneS]

I do the same thing. I read that if you only use two fingers (index and middle) then this is the recommend technique.


This is what my hand does.

[billjr]

Yeah, my fingers do the exact same thing, as I thump with two fingers. It's natural for the fingures to curl up like that, and I think if you tried to change it, you would have to work hard at concentrating to keep the fingers straight, which could take away from other things you need to be thinking about.

[Fergie Fulton]

It's the natural action of a healthy hand, so don't sweat it.

[dwightofpower]

Don't worry about stuff like that, you should think just in playing while you're in stage. And that does not seem to bother you for playing, right? So, just play!.

[Lulz]

If it feels tense, then that's bad, your technique will suffer.
If it feels comfortable, then that's bad, you're ignoring the tension.

It's best to keep all four fingers in the same shape, in my experience.

[NORCurley]

In my experience every unnecesary movement in either right or left hand will create tension, and that tension will wear on your playing-stamina, speed, etc.

IMO the best right-hand technique is to be as relaxed as possible, and to focus the energy from your hand into the middle and index-finger.

On the other hand you don't need great technique to make great basslines (as mentioned before). But I advice you to get rid of all "energy-stealing" technique as early as possible to avoid arthritis etc.

Kristian Jacobsen

[wysiwyg248]

You can curl your fingers, there is nothing wrong but it is inefficient.
If you want to advance as a player, check the technique of great players.
Curling your fingers results in wasting energy because you must uncurl, press the string and curl back when you use them.
If there are passages when you will not use your pinky at all, then go ahead, but in general I'd say that is not a goo habit to have. Again, I am not sure what kind of music you play, I am writing this comment based on personal experience.
Here are two videos showing classical technique (not the position of the bass, almost vertical):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu7BC...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wCyX...eature=related