3 fingers on the fretboard and i'm not bad

peteatonic · #1 08-14-2011, 05:10 AM

Hey everyone! This is a great site and I am glad I found it. I have been playing bass for about 4 1/2-5 years and I am missing my left index finger (fretboard hand) at the knuckle. The middle knuckle, so it is completely useless while playing. I get by just fine and used to joke with my wife that I was gonna be the best 9 fingered bassist she ever met!

I never let it even cross my mind that I couldn't learn how to play, I have always owned a bass and amp and would play around with it (I was a drummer from my teen years on) and one day after losing my finger 2 years earlier and not playing any music at all for that entire time I decided the time had come... I was going to focus and LEARN to play the bass guitar!

My wife and I are not the going out kind of people and I am a very determined person when it comes to putting in the work I need to to get to where I want (and I wan't to be the best 9 finger bass player my wife has ever met dammit!!!) so for the past going on 5 years I have played my bass a minimum of 2 1/2 hours every night. I LOVE playing the bass and to me its the greatest instrument ever invented!
Anyway, I am sorry to go on and on like that. My intention in this post was not to pat myself on the back for a half hour. My intention in typing this post is to ask a question and hopefully get some advice from a bassist with much more experience and knowledge then myself. And with no further ado my question is: being as I only have three available fingers to fret notes on the neck of my guitar (bird, ring, and pinky) I have had to alter the way I do things and even though in a lot of ways I have no choice and might be forced to do some things that a teacher would deem bad habits on a regular student, I also want suggestions on how others in my position would do things. If you were missing your index finger and you (for example) were playing a note scale and there's 4 notes on the E string to start the scale, would you always slide from the first to the second note with your bird finger then play the notes normal from there? Or would you suggest altering other things about the way I play? I don't know exactly what answers I am looking to get here I guess

I'm just looking for some fellow bassists to give me some possible insight and/or tips that might help me out.
Thank you so much in advance if you take time to read my post, and thank you greatly if you reply with some tips for me! Have a kick ass day and use those low notes to rip off heads!

~Pete~

Schlyder · #2 08-14-2011, 05:31 AM

Awesome man, there are no limits. Check out some Django Reinhardt..
Django Reinhardt J'attendrai Swing - YouTube
He had two fingers on his left hand severely damaged. And he could shred as good as anyone. You're only limited by your imagination.
Here's another cat for inspiration... Bill Clements.. a bassist with one arm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eskvyuzF1-Y
I would recommend, maybe, a short scale bass. This would make it easier to get a 5 fret stretch with your 3 good fingers. If you can make a 5 fret stretch on one string, you'll be able to play anything ... with practice of course.

Keep working hard. No limits.

sound of bass · #3 08-14-2011, 05:49 AM

I can understand having to make a few changes, but theres no handicap there at all! Good for you. I think I would use the "slide" you mention, I luv the sounds of slides and use them when I can, plus it will create a certain sound / tone that will be unique to you, which is something everyone on TB is searching for,lol. Working in healthcare I see all kinds of determined handicapped people, doing all sorts of amazing things. As Schlyder above proves. Rock on Bro!

P. Aaron · #4 08-14-2011, 07:18 AM

When scaling or refining a passage to ascend & descend, I like to set it up like a professional billiards (pool player) does. Your hand always ends up where the next series (or shot) is.

Make as many memorable series of patterns that get you the expression you want. The possibilities are going to be endless.

Regarding techniques, you're going for note quality and expression, focus on achieving those things. That's all the technique you need to develop.

Schlyder · #5 08-14-2011, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P. Aaron

..........
Regarding techniques, you're going for note quality and expression, focus on achieving those things. That's all the technique you need to develop.

^ this. You are pretty much going to have to develop your own techniques. The main thing is to get your tone solid, and make good note choices.

grendle · #6 08-14-2011, 09:17 AM

I had a friend a long time ago with a deformed left hand . He had 3 really small fingers on it and one nub , all smaller than pinkey size. He was nasty and could shred for days on guitar. You can do anything you put your mind to!

Cirk · #7 08-14-2011, 09:31 AM

Keep practicing. And when you hit stumbling block, find a way around it. Most importantly, have fun!

"Life is a *****. It's how you deal with the ***** that gives you your style."
- Gallagher

Upright4 · #8 08-14-2011, 10:07 AM

Some players, including myself, use the upright bass 1, 2, 3+4 fingering on the bass guitar. You might check out the book New Method for the Double Bass by Simandl. Just replace the fingering markings 1, 2, 3+4 with 2, 3, 4.

jungleheat · #9 08-14-2011, 10:28 AM

You can use your thumb to fret on the E string and maybe even the A string. Good luck.

**Ric5** · #10 08-14-2011, 10:36 AM

3 fingers on the fretting hand should not be a problem. You need you little finger to be long and strong, and you can curl your thumb around to fret the E string. For most people this would be bad technique but it may help you.

Bass players with really big hands tend to not use their little finger much and bass players with little hands tend to not use their ring finger much. So most of us bass players use 3 fingers most of the time.

Where missing that finger will be a problem is if you want to play chords on a 6 string guitar.

thunderider · #11 08-14-2011, 10:58 AM

good on ya man i dont think theres any hard and fast rules to the fret hands...with on set of carpoltunnel i usualy only play with index and ringfinger,pinkys quite weak,look at how john entwhistle plays his bird fingers used to protrude.....also with out Django Reinhardt there would be no heavy metal!! as tony iommi had given up playing when he chopped his fingers off till some one told him about Django Reinhardt.just play to ur ability and how u feel comfetable and yes bass is best!

peteatonic · #12 08-14-2011, 12:49 PM

Thanks for all of your idea's, advice and encouragement everyone! Yeah, pretty much how I always saw it and thought of it was: Missing a finger is only something that will hold me back from doing something I love if I allow it to, and just like with typing (which I can do just as fast now as before I lost my finger) you have to take the mindset to adapt and overcome.

Great point Ric5

I was talking to a buddy who is a very good bassist and he mentioned the same thing. He said for all the years he has been playing he pretty much stopped using his pinky years ago and also reassured me I am just fine with the fingers I do have.

A couple years back I did pick up a short scale bass and I remembered being very excited when I bought it that, do to my ability or lack there of to reach, I would be able to rip **** up with my new guitar because the neck was like fretting on an electric guitar. Then I got home and started playing it more but unfortunatly I very quickly realized that I didn't like the short neck scale at all

I have grown so attached to my P-bass and my Thunderbird that I just had to get rid of the new short scale guitar. It's a shame too because naturally you would think in my position that would be the best guitar to play... *Shrug* LOL

Again, Thank you everyone! You guys kick ass! And as always, Use those low notes to rip off some heads!

~Pete~

peteatonic · #13 08-14-2011, 12:54 PM

Oh and Ric5, I love that guitar in your photo! My favorite bass is my Thunderbird! Such a sexy guitar!!!

skunky36 · #14 08-22-2011, 04:09 PM

I don't see how missing one finger is really a major hindrance. I heard a bass player who had an accident and was missing a couple digits and he could play just fine. He just slid up to get that half step.

T-MOST · #15 08-23-2011, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skunky36

I don't see how missing one finger is really a major hindrance. I heard a bass player who had an accident and was missing a couple digits and he could play just fine. He just slid up to get that half step.

I wouldn't say missing a finger is "no major hinderance". But depending on what you are trying to do you can learn to work around it as the OP did. However, I bet that wasn't easy for him.

thunderider · #16 08-29-2011, 10:44 AM

i also knew a bloke who had a stroke quite young lost the use really in his right arm so he used a hammer method with the left,he was playing a lot in folk bands and cruiseships.

capnjim · #17 08-30-2011, 02:51 PM

OMG!!! I'm not the only 3 fingered bass player on TB!!!! Hey man, good to hear your playing. I also have the same affliction, I do own a couple of short scales, but I always end up playing my regular scales although I can only play jazz basses.
There was a 32" scale MIJ P bass for sale a while back. My favorite bass is a 32" scale jazz. Sounds as good as any full scale. For me what is really important is to do some good stretching before playing. I defintiley play better at the end of the night.
We need to start our own club...it will be really exclusive!
Now we need to have a shred off to see who is the best 9 fingered player on TB!
You do realise...TTIUWP!
Cheers!

scottfeldstein · #18 08-30-2011, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schlyder

Awesome man, there are no limits. Check out some Django Reinhardt..
Django Reinhardt J'attendrai Swing - YouTube
He had two fingers on his left hand severely damaged. And he could shred as good as anyone.

+ 1000! Django was a frickin' genius. When I first discovered his music I had no idea he had any kind of handicap. He was just this brilliant French cat with mad Gypsy jazz guitar skills. When I discovered that he'd been doing it less a couple of fingers I had that Neo "whoa" moment.

Mayers · #19 08-30-2011, 05:21 PM

I will do it like I do it on double bass ... on a 4 frets on 1 string ... I'll slide from 1 note to the second and use my other fingers on the other frets.

Also ... I think that if I'll lost a finger that goes on the fretboard ... and I never played a bass before, I'll switch. If I'm a right hand player I would play a lefty bass.

Barrybee · #20 02-14-2013, 11:36 AM

[QUOTE=I just started playing a few months ago. I'm missing my left index finger tip and have a weak pinky because of the short finger tip. I slide my nub all over the place, then use my bird finger to do what my index should be doing. It works for me. Just gotta improve my speed and dexterity. What works for you as long asit's not bad habit forming is ok in my book.