Three Finger Plucking Issue

arielk · #1 11-03-2009, 01:56 AM

Hey all.

I've been playing with three fingers on my right hand for quite some time now, and I seem to be at a loss as to how to overcome the one big issue I'm having: When I go 3-2-1, 3-2-1 etc. (3 being ring finger, 1 being index finger, etc.), my pinky, being attached in its muscles to my ring finger, moves from being straight to being bent to back depending on which finger is plucking at the moment...anyway, it seems as though my pinky is thus hell-bent on hitting the lower string (e.g., the A string if I am plucking notes on the D string) while I'm trying to just get the note of the string I am playing! This is very frustrating because it sucks hearing a dissonant note while I'm trying to play something...

To elaborate: When my pinky bends down while my ring finger is the one which is currently plucking, it (the pinky) bends just enough to touch the lower string, so when I move on to plucking with the middle finger (remember, I pluck 3-2-1, 3-2-1, etc.) the pinky comes back up again and thereby in pulling away from the string it was on/lightly grasping, sounds that lower string...

Anyway, I hope this hasn't been asked before...any help would be VERY appreciated. All the best!

BarkerBass · #2 11-03-2009, 02:32 AM

I would imagien this is a problem other people could help with more as I've never really experienced it myself however when I play with 3 finger plucking my right hand pivots at the wrist so that the fingers all contact the strings at approximately the same point. It's a natural thing for me and just sort of happened as I was learning but it means that with my hand pivoting ever so slightly (and often quite an arched hand, I tend not to rest my forearm on the bass) my little pinky is moved away from the strings enough when the middle and index finegrs are plucking that this problem never occurs.

it's quite a subtle thing that I've only really noticed recently, also if you try 3-2-1-2-3 plucking instead of the 3-2-1 3-2-1 repeated maybe this'll help. My pinky tends to hang under my hand when using 3-2-1 3-2-1 and raises slightly above the other fingers when using 3-2-1-2-3 i think it's something to do with the reverse motion from the index, middle, ring pattern and the linked muscles... justa thought, hope something in that waffle made sense and perhaps even helped

BarkerBass

Fergie Fulton · #3 11-03-2009, 02:41 AM

Easy solved, give your little finger something to do. I will not go into the anatomy of it here so follow the link if interested.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?f...ogId=507420416

Just hold something like a small coin gently in the joint of the little finger

The secret is slowly develop, so blend it in. On the first time try it on a table, hold the coin and tap the table with your fingers as in playing, then go to the bass a and try it without the coin and see if the little finger has learned anything from that.

When you practice it on the bass you will find that this will keep the little finger occupied and train it to keep out the way.
This can be a bit hard at the start, because now you have to move the fingers across strings, but it will eventualy help the middle/ring finger to have more independence as the tendons will be gently stretched by developing this action between ring and little finger.

The thing is to start easy and work into it, practice holding the coin and then work on increasing the duration till the coin is needed no more and the act of playing is now the exercise it needs to hold its position. Stop using it when cramp or discomfort set in, this is normal for a new use of muscles. Just have a break and stretch the fingers. You may have to go back to the coin a few times just to re-educate the hand, as i have done in the past 30 years, so don't sweat it.

I'm sure you'll figure it out how to give the little finger something to do, and never try and restrict the fingers, just give them something else to do, that in itself is what your trying to develop, finger independence.
If you have pain stop and see a medical profesional, pain is not a part of bass playing so don't tollerate it or justify it in your playing.

Tholossi · #4 11-03-2009, 11:05 AM

And also, while talking about finger independence, my old bass teacher made a pretty good training about that, it's not something against the problem you have, but i just wanted to mention it now since we are talking about such technique :P

I'll refer to the left hand and the fingers there as 1(index), 2(middle), 3(ring) and 4(pinky) and the right hand's fingers as p(thumb), i(index), m(middle) and a(ring) and i'll call them things like 1i for index on both fingers, 3m for ring on left and middle on right and alike.
Play it on whatever fret or string, it doesn't matter, but play 1i 2m 3a 1m 2i 3m 1a 2m 3i 1m 2a 3m and repeat, you can turn it around and make your own and everything, but the point is that you have one pattern on your left hand(1 2 3 1 2 3) and another on the right(i m a m i) and they don't match. Just wanted to mention it while talking about finger independence technique :P

arielk · #5 11-06-2009, 02:25 AM

Hey all, thanks for the responses (esp. the very detailed response from Fergie!).

I've been reflecting upon this, and I realize it probably has a lot to do with where I rest my thumb on my plucking hand, while plucking. Here is the problem: If I force it such that I always have my thumb on the immediately lower string - e.g. on the A string if I am plucking the D string - it seems impossible to do string switching in a clean manner. But if I do what I have been doing in the past, and what motivated my starting this thread, if I leave a one-string gap in between where my thumb is and where my plucking fingers - index, middle, ring - are, e.g. if I have my thumb on the E string while I am plucking notes on the D string, then the problem I have mentioned arises, wherein my pinky hits the A string (middle string in this example) whenever my ring finger plucks...

This dude does not seem to have this problem, so much:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTkVO...eature=channel

Neither does Billy Sheehan, for that matter.

I really wish there were a "common mistakes in fingerplucking" video or something...

Incidentally: Where do you all put your thumb while plucking...? (How many strings down from the string you are plucking?) How does your pinky not hit the string just below the one you are plucking? Is it "above" the string as with the dude whose video I just posted...?

Thanks in advance for all responses!

Ariel

NYC_bass_artist · #6 11-06-2009, 02:58 AM

i use the same technique but never ran into the problem you're having...i can't imagine your pinky being styrong enough or long enough to really cause that much of a problem...wish i could help you out

Fergie Fulton · #7 11-06-2009, 06:37 AM

Cool video, but he is playing from a fixed position so not really much good for seeing the changing the anchor position.
But what he does, is let his thumb control the depth of his fingers.
I use this along with a floating thumb technique( see sticky at top of techniques) and rest my thumb on the E string. By allowing the thumb to slid along the string towards the neck it will lower the hand, and bringing it back lifts it. Simple Body mechanics.
I also hold the thumb and move the hand back toward the bridge for the same effect of lowering and lifting the hand, this gives me subtle tone variation that i can use ( great for funking lines up). Also note how his pinky is trying to get in on the act, very subtle movement, good movement in fact, but it is ever so slightly involved.
There are many ways to pluck, just experiment and find the right one for you, follow the link below for more ideas

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?f...ogId=475980040

arielk · #8 11-07-2009, 03:31 PM

Thanks for the responses. I'll read the sticky and the article...if I keep having trouble I fig. I'll post a video of my right hand while I'm playing. Thanks!

Ariel

arielk · #9 11-07-2009, 04:03 PM

Okay, it looks like the "floating thumb" technique might save me here - thanks for recommending the sticky to me!

Basically, as I see it, my problem is fairly analogous to the problem of one who just switched to a 6 string bass from a 4 string bass - I accidentally sound the strings below the one I'm trying to pluck. Therefore, "floating thumb" should help.

Thanks again!