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05-07-2007, 10:25 PM
|  | Without Stain | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Mentone Beach | | | Using the thumb in fingerstyle - bad?
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I taught myself to play with a bastardized fingerstyle, usually using the thumb on the E string, index on A, middle on D and ring G. I will skip strings to use middle and index fingers for faster eighths and sixteenths.
I joined a band, and the guitar player is really annoyed by my unusual technique. He says I should use my index/middle fingers only, and that using my thumb makes me look like an amateur hack, like I don't know what I'm doing.
I'm kind of put off by his attitude, because I play the songs far more cleanly including my thumb in the mix. However, I am aware of the tonal difference (a little boomier attack) my thumb creates, although It's a lot less noticable when I switch from my P/J to my SR4.
Am I a hack? Is my self-taught technique something I need to undo, pronto?
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05-07-2007, 10:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada. | | | Your guitar player is an idiot. |
05-07-2007, 10:56 PM
| | | Sting plays like that, And you can hardly call him a terrible bassist.  |
05-07-2007, 11:02 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: New York | | | in addition to guys like sting and bill wyman, a lot of modern players use their thumbs a bit too...oteil burbridge uses his, matt garrison, janek, and plenty more. i think the more versatile your right hand is the easier it will make everythgin in the long run. so use that thumb!
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05-07-2007, 11:47 PM
| | Banned | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Auburn, Washington | | | Hell the guy from Dire Straights plays guitar like that. |
05-07-2007, 11:55 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | | Whatever works is all that matters.
The only disadvantage I can see is you probably stay in one position and not moving to different areas between the bridge and neck to change your tone.
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05-08-2007, 12:40 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Niagara Falls, ON, Canada | | | Using your thumb is no problem. It does sound like your technique is a bit limited though. I use thumb + 3 fingers in various combinations on all strings, sometimes only 1 or 2 at a time as needed. The flexibility of playing with any number of fingers on any string, at any point along the string is a great way to control tone. |
05-08-2007, 06:38 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: The little red dot on the map. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Asomodai  Sting plays like that, And you can hardly call him a terrible bassist. | Larry Graham too.
And he invented an all important bass technique because of it.
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05-08-2007, 07:05 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Nottingham UK | | Your guitarist is a moron.
Tell him his pick offends you and see how he likes it. 
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05-08-2007, 08:04 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Canterbury, United Kingdom. | | | That technique is called "appoyando", according to books from Stuart Clayton and Paul Westwood.
And there is nothing wrong with it! Many of the greats play like that. It gets a different tone, makes some things easier.
I use the thumb for certain pieces (for example when I pluck the E, D and G strings in a chordal pattern).
As gkbass13 said, the more versatile your right hand is, the better.
Perhaps you should print this thread and show it to your guitarist, just to illustrate his inanity...
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05-08-2007, 09:50 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado | | | Change your playing position so that your hands are not visible to the guitarist. Well, I suppose you could display the middle finger if needed.
The idiot has no business critiquing YOUR playing technique. |
05-08-2007, 09:55 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Dublin, Ireland | | | If that's how you play and you play everything as required, what does it matter? He's got no call to criticise your style of play on 'how it looks'. The only thing that means anything on stage or recording, is how it sounds.
Walnut
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05-08-2007, 11:01 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Poop-Loops Hell the guy from Dire Straights plays guitar like that. | Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler? Or Dave?
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05-08-2007, 11:18 AM
|  | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: see profile | | Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: toms_river.nj.us | | | |
05-08-2007, 12:04 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: South Carolina, USA | | | The guitarist should stick to commenting guitar techniques, not bass techniques.
There are plenty of non-amateur non-hacks who use that technique.
Although he may believe it is amateurish, that is because he is apparently a bass amateur. |
05-08-2007, 02:46 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Milwaukee, WI | | Quote:
Originally Posted by 62Walnut If that's how you play and you play everything as required, what does it matter? He's got no call to criticise your style of play on 'how it looks'. The only thing that means anything on stage or recording, is how it sounds. | I wouldn't completely agree with the "the only thing that matters [in any situation]..." part.
But to say you look foolish or whatever for your hand position? Your Guitarist is a goof.
You came to a group who, collectively, are literally world experts on these matters. Your guitarist is a goof.
The only other thing I can think of is if you're a sucky bassist, and don't know it, and he's trying to 'be nice' somehow - thinking that maybe technique could help (?). If not, he's a goof.
Joe |
05-08-2007, 07:40 PM
| | Without Stain | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Mentone Beach | | | Wow, thanks for all of your words of poitive encouragement, folks! As I've only been playing with any regularity for only two years, I constantly try to learn from more seasoned musicians, so this critique stung a bit. Thanks for the confidence boost, I'll trust the seasoned musicians here on TB, rather than a six-stringer.
I do consider myself a sucky bassist, but I'm also my own worst critic. It's funny, because the drummer (who plays in an additional three projects) was shocked to learn I'd been playing for two years, especially after nailing some Michael Anthony harmonies while jamming, so I guess I can't be that bad.
If nothing else, this episode has made me practice without the thumb for the last few weeks, which will ultimately improve my right hand versatility and skill. In the end, it's all good. Thanks again for your feedback!
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"I don't know karate, but I know ka-razor" - James Brown, The Payback |
05-08-2007, 08:02 PM
| | | | New techniques and styles are pretty good to try out, but i think you will end up naturally reverting back to using your thumb. I use the same style as you do, and I love it. Do what sounds good to you, not the guitarist. |
05-10-2007, 11:51 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Northern California | | | Tell him to use only 2mm picks because anything smaller will make your band look and sound like crap.
I mean seriously what? I would love to have someone with their own, unique style in my band. I constantly try to play weird to get a cool sound! |
05-10-2007, 12:20 PM
|  | Running With Scissors since 1964 | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Michigan's U.P. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Lam Your guitar player is an idiot. | No, he's a self absorbed idiot...........he is only worried what people will think of him if they judge your style the way he does.
One cannot be an original, and develop their style if one marches in line with everyone else...
I can think of a half dozen bass players that basically broke all the rules, did what couldn't or should not have been done and changed the face of music forever...
My advice, practice, make sure your sound is great. Send your guitar player out for Chinese and you and the band move to another state and don't tell him..........
BTW, flaminco guitarists use their thumbs and fingers too.....
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