Beginner Hand Technique Questions

[ajdes]

I'm a beginner bassist. I've run into a few sorts of riffs where I am unsure what the best hand technique is. I've watched some hand technique instructional videos but I've got a few specific examples that i'm unsure of. Can you please provide some feedback on the following examples.


Example 1

G|----5---------------5-------|----------------------------|
D|----------------------------|----6---------------6-------|
A|3-------3-------3-------3---|----------------------------|
E|----------------------------|4-------4-------4-------4---|

1. Right Hand: Assuming this repeats over and over QUICKLY, when playing this fingerstyle I found myself sort of permanently hovering my index finger over the low A/E string and permanently hovering my middle finger over the high G/D string and plucking as needed. Is this bad? Should I always be moving BOTH my index and middle finger to the string I am plucking? How would you play it?

2. Left Hand: With your fretting hand, would you fret BOTH the low A/E and high G/D strings at the same time (like a chord)? Or would you alternate fretting the high and low strings? Which fingers would you use?


Example 2

G|--------------------------|--------------------------|
D|--------------------------|--------------------------|
A|4-4-4---------------1-1---|8-8-8---------------5-5-5-|
E|------2-2-2-1---1-1-----1-|------6-6-6-5---5-5-------|

1. Left Hand: On a regular guitar I would fret the 4th fret with my pinkie, 1st fret with my index finger, and 2nd fret with my middle finger. On bass this is harder to reach due to the longer neck scale. Is this still the correct way to do it and just something I need to get used to? Or would you shift your left hand back and forth and fret the 4th fret with your ring finger and 1st fret with your index finger? Is it generally a rule that if you are playing multiple notes within a 3 fret range you should keep your hand fixed in position by using your pinkie to cover the highest note and index finger on the lowest note?


Example 3

G|----3---------------3-------|----------------------------|
D|--------3-------------------|----4-----------------------|
A|3---------------3-------3---|--------------------4-------|
E|----------------------------|4-------4-------4-------4---|

1. Left Hand: When playing repeated notes on the same fret (but different strings) do you barre that fret with a single finger (like a barre chord, not sure if thats the correct term here)? Or move your fingers to each string separately as it needs to be fretted? Which fingers would you use?


I know an in-person instructor could easily answer these questions, but I'm not interested in doing that right now with the pandemic. I appreciate any help.

 

[Mushroo]

Lots to sort through. Hope you don't mind if I answer your first Example and then "pass the baton" so someone else can answer your Example 2, relay-race style.

Before I do, just a general comment: Bass guitar is simply the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family of instruments. All of your skills and techniques from guitar, can be directly transferred to bass. There isn't any need to start from scratch or "reinvent the wheel."

Moving on...

1. Right Hand: Assuming this repeats over and over QUICKLY, when playing this fingerstyle I found myself sort of permanently hovering my index finger over the low A/E string and permanently hovering my middle finger over the high G/D string and plucking as needed. Is this bad? Should I always be moving BOTH my index and middle finger to the string I am plucking? How would you play it?

Sure, that's fine, to "hover" and use your index for the low note and your middle for the high note. Or, a lot of bassists would use their thumb for the low note and one of their fingers (usually index or middle) for the high note.

2. Left Hand: With your fretting hand, would you fret BOTH the low A/E and high G/D strings at the same time (like a chord)? Or would you alternate fretting the high and low strings? Which fingers would you use?

No, I would not fret both notes at the same time like a chord. There is no need to hold down unplayed notes. The only note that matters is the note you are actually playing.

I would use my 1st and 4th (index and pinky) fingers, personally. Some bassists might use their 1st and 3rd, or their 2nd and 4th.

Passing the baton to the next person...

 

[ajdes]

Or, a lot of bassists would use their thumb for the low note and one of their fingers (usually index or middle) for the high note.

Thanks for that. I actually just gave it a try with my thumb and it feels pretty good (prob better than using 2 fingers). But now I have a new question. I normally anchor my thumb on the pickup. In this situation obviously I cant do that so I guess I would use one of my other fingers as an anchor / guide (maybe like rest my pinkie below the g string or something)? Is there like a standard right hand position people switch between when they want to incorporate their thumb? I guess the whole thing just becomes kind of fluid after a while.

 

[Mushroo]

I normally anchor my thumb on the pickup. In this situation obviously I cant do that so I guess I would use one of my other fingers as an anchor / guide (maybe like rest my pinkie below the g string or something)? Is there like a standard right hand position people switch between when they want to incorporate their thumb? I guess the whole thing just becomes kind of fluid after a while.

Personally I "float" my right hand most of the time, but if I needed a little extra stability, I might rest the edge of my curled-up pinky on the pickguard, below the G string, just as you say. It's a similar hand position as playing fingerstyle guitar.

Bass guitar is such a young instrument (less than 100 years) that I don't think there really is a "standard" technique or position yet.

 

[James Collins]

Example 1:
I would play thumb and index/middle on my right hand and I would fret both like a chord and lighten the pressure to mute as needed.

You do not need to anchor your hand. I personally think anchoring your hand will make you slower and add tension to your hand. There is no need.

Example 2:
I would play in first position the entire way across with my fourth finger on the fourth fret. Shifting is fine too. Just not my preference. It is a stretch but much easier than playing a barre chord with a d major shape on guitar or an E/G# chord in first position for that matter.

Example 3:
You can do barre cords. My choice would depend on how I wanted to mute notes and what the rest of the piece looked like.

 

[ajdes]

It is a stretch but much easier than playing a barre chord with a d major shape on guitar or an E/G# chord in first position for that matter.

hah, well I cant do that very well either =)

thanks for your feedback on the examples

 

[Malcolm35]

Taking the baton and running on ahead a little, there is something beyond tabs. I play notes of the active chord. To do that I need to know this song's chord progression, i.e. what chords are being used. To find this I let Google find some fake chord sheet music on the song I want to play. Use these Google search words; chords, name of the song, got this:

Invalid Link Removed.


Find the Root or tonic note in the first 5 frets of your neck. Then if you want to have something beyond pounding one note roots or tonic notes use the chord's spelling to flesh out your bass line.

Why do I do all this? I have never had a band director hand me tabbed out sheet music. Ever director I ever played for handed out fake chord sheet music to everyone, and we all took it from there. So IMO you kinda need to know how to use fake chord sheet music. Then if your director hands out standard notation sheet music, yep you need to know how to read standard notation. Lets leave standard notation for later. The following is offered for what it is worth.

Major Scale Box.
.........Index...Middle..Ring....Little
G~~|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D~~|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A~~|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E~~|-------|--R/T--|-------|---2---|4th string
You may recognize this pattern with dots.
Adding the numbers lets the pattern come alive.

Cmaj7 chord coming up in the song. Find a C note on the 3rd or 4th string and put this box's R over that C note. Then play the "spelling" for the Cmaj7 chord. That spelling is listed below and it is R-3-5-7. If you wanted to play the C major scale, that spelling is T-2-3-4-5-6-7.

Basic Chord Spellings Yes, you will have to put these spellings to memory. See a chord and your fingers know where they need to go.

• Major Triad = R-3-5 for the C chord.
• Minor Triad = R-b3-5 for the Cm chord.
• Diminished Chord = R-b3-b5 for the Cdim chord.

7th Chord Spellings

• Maj7 = R-3-5-7 for the Cmaj7 chord.
• Minor 7 = R-b3-5-b7 for the Cm7 chord.
• Dominant 7 = R-3-5-b7 for the C7 chord.
• ½ diminished = R-b3-b5-b7 for the Cm7b5 chord.
• Full diminished = R-b3-b5-bb7 for the C with the little o - no strike through.

See a chord and play it's chord tones. As every key will have three major, three minor and one diminished chord it's a good idea to get your major, minor and diminished bass line chord tones into muscle memory so when you see a chord your fingers just know what will work. Now the song may only give you enough room for the root, or root five - adapt and get as many chord tones into your bass line as needed. Root on 1 and a steady groove from the other chord tones plus something to call attention to the chord change is what we do.

Scale Spellings Yep, gotta do our scales so our fingers know where the notes are and our ears get used to the good and bad sounds. Scales are a right of passage thing. Got to know them, however, chord tones is what we get paid to play.

• Major Scale = T-2-3-4-5-6-7 Home base
• Major Pentatonic = T-2-3-5-6 Leave out the 4 & 7
• Natural Minor Scale = T-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7 Major scale with the 3, 6 & 7 flatted.
• Minor Pentatonic = T-b3-4-5-b7 Leave out the 2 & 6.
• Blues = T-b3-4-b5-5-b7 Minor pentatonic with the blue note b5 added.
• Harmonic Minor Scale = T-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 Natural minor with a natural 7.
• Melodic Minor Scale = T-2-b3-4-5-6-7 Major scale with a b3.

Let the major scale be your home base then change a few notes and you have something different. No need to memorize a zillion patterns. Let the major scale pattern be your go to pattern - then adapt/adjust from there.

Generic Notes - for your bass line.

• The root, five and eight are generic (R-5-8-5) and fit most any chord. Remember the diminished has a flatted 5.
• The 3 is generic to all major chords. So R-3-5-3 will fit under any major chord.
• The b3 is generic to all minor chords. And R-b3-5-8 will fit under any minor chord. Why the 8? Well the 8 is just another root in the next octave.
• The 7 is generic to all maj7 chords. Yep, R-3-5-7 fits nicely.
• The b7 is generic to all dominant seventh and minor seventh chords. G7 = R-3-5-b7 or Gm7 = R-b3-5-b7.
• The 6 is neutral and adds color, help yourself to 6’s. Love the sound of R-3-5-6 with a major chord.
• The 2 and 4 make good passing notes. Don’t linger on them or stop on them, keep them passing.
• In making your bass line help yourself to those notes, just use them correctly.
• Roots, fives, eights and the correct 3 & 7 will play a lot of bass.

OK fine, how to use all that I know is the question. How about some generic riffs and or grooves:

|6667 8555 5668|5538 6333 3378| and the ole R-5-8-5 will fit most anywhere. Stat out pounding roots, then add the 5. Where is the 5 from your root? Up a string and over two frets or same fret one string down...

Have fun, little today with just roots. Little more tomorrow root and fifth. Then root with a walk to the fifth, etc. etc. You have enough now to keep you busy for 6 months. When you come up for air let us hear from you. LOL

Passing the baton.

 

[James Collins]

hah, well I cant do that very well either =)

thanks for your feedback on the examples

No problem. I used to not be able to play those chords either, but it gets easier with practice. It's always something else that seems nearly impossible.

 

[enricogaletta]

Hey man,
here's another bass tutorial that can help you a lot with both hands. It's a great exercise and usually make several improvements to my students. There is free a music chart you can download from the comments.
Hope this will helps you and if you need more, just let me know.

 

[mrcbass]

There really is no right or wrong in plucking technique- there's jut the way YOU get it done.

What you are describing in example 1 sounds like it would considered "unconventional". For two finger plucking it's common for the two fingers to be in the same place and not hovering over two different locations. That doesn't make it wrong, it's just unusual. IF your method works for you, go with it. For example 1 fretting hand, I would probably fret both strings at once (A/G or E/D), likely index and pinky, with a slight alternation of pressure between the two to prevent ring out of the string not being plucked.

Example 2 provides an example of how some would use a one finger per fret technique (1FPF) using the pinky on the 4th fret. If you can comfortably do it, that would be your best bet. If you can't, then you need to incorporate a shift. Neither is "right" or "wrong"; again however you can get it done without inducing pain is correct.

Example 3 is again a you pick 'em. Either option is perfectly acceptable depending on your comfort level.

Personally, when making these kinds of decisions, I always consider where the song is going to take - it may dictate what makes the overall song easier to navigate.

While there is no "right" way to do these things, you would serve yourself well to study the different plucking/fingering methods. Lots of decent interweb lessons on this. Find what works for you and then work hard at burning in that technique. Having to relearn something after burning something in wrong, is very difficult. Learn it right the first time. I am personally converting from a one finger pluck (was my easiest road to get there quick) to a 2 finger pluck and it is taking a very long time because I revert to old habits in the heat of a song..

If I were starting over today, I would choose to incorporate the true floating thumb technique for my plucking hand, where the thumb is never anchored to anything - it just kind of dangles in front of the strings and can be used to mute. That said, a lot of people use the movable anchor method where the thumb rests on the string above the one you are plucking (or pickup if you're plucking the E string).

I thought I saw a mention of "your guitar techniques will transfer to bass guitar" in one of the posts above. To a degree this s true, but not 100%. They are two different instruments and while some techniques may be similar, they are rarely identical.

 

[SteveCS]

I'm a beginner bassist. I've run into a few sorts of riffs where I am unsure what the best hand technique is. I've watched some hand technique instructional videos but I've got a few specific examples that i'm unsure of. Can you please provide some feedback on the following examples.


Example 1

G|----5---------------5-------|----------------------------|
D|----------------------------|----6---------------6-------|
A|3-------3-------3-------3---|----------------------------|
E|----------------------------|4-------4-------4-------4---|

1. Right Hand: Assuming this repeats over and over QUICKLY, when playing this fingerstyle I found myself sort of permanently hovering my index finger over the low A/E string and permanently hovering my middle finger over the high G/D string and plucking as needed. Is this bad? Should I always be moving BOTH my index and middle finger to the string I am plucking? How would you play it?

2. Left Hand: With your fretting hand, would you fret BOTH the low A/E and high G/D strings at the same time (like a chord)? Or would you alternate fretting the high and low strings? Which fingers would you use?

...
I know an in-person instructor could easily answer these questions, but I'm not interested in doing that right now with the pandemic. I appreciate any help.

From TAB alone it is diifficult to make any solid decisions as it tends, as in this case, to provide insufficient information. Fingering depends on more than just the pitches to be played.
Time signature? Don't know, but might make a difference based on where the accents fall.
Tempo? Don't know, but should not matter.
Articulation? Absolutely matters. What is the phrasing? Are there any slurs? It is legato or staccato? It is muted? All of these things matter to fingerings..

To my eyes, the TAB could apply to all of these variants and many many more:

That said, for the right hand, it might go any number of ways... See how in example E there are 3 fingers involved - this might also be useful with the triplets in example F. Personally I tend to stick with 2 fingers - see 'F' - but there are plenty of folks that do use 3.

The left hand would depend on what damping/muting needs to happen, but probably just 1 and 4 for both positions, relying on the floating thumb for muting and using small shift rather than1/3 then 2/4. But in higher positions I almost certainly would drop the shift and play it all in one position - 1/3 for the first phrase then 2/4 for the second phrase.

...
...
Example 2

G|--------------------------|--------------------------|
D|--------------------------|--------------------------|
A|4-4-4---------------1-1---|8-8-8---------------5-5-5-|
E|------2-2-2-1---1-1-----1-|------6-6-6-5---5-5-------|

1. Left Hand: On a regular guitar I would fret the 4th fret with my pinkie, 1st fret with my index finger, and 2nd fret with my middle finger. On bass this is harder to reach due to the longer neck scale. Is this still the correct way to do it and just something I need to get used to? Or would you shift your left hand back and forth and fret the 4th fret with your ring finger and 1st fret with your index finger? Is it generally a rule that if you are playing multiple notes within a 3 fret range you should keep your hand fixed in position by using your pinkie to cover the highest note and index finger on the lowest note?
...

Again, the actual music cannot be directly determined from the TAB, so once again it depends. But holding the fingers in a fixed position is an interesting question. There are no 'rules' as such, but there are many 'systems' available. As mentioned by @mrcbass above, you are talking about one finger per fret (OFPF), but that is not the only way - search 'Simandl', for example. Of course if you watch experienced players closely you may not see much of this going on. But, whichever system(s) you adopt, to a beginner I would say yes, you should aim to hold your fingers in position. Here's why...

Good technique is based on good posture. Good posture is not about standing up straight and pushing your shoulders back, but about how the hand addresses the instrument. It comes from good muscle tone, strength, control and flexibility in the hand. Holding position is about 'training' the hand in the relationships between fingertips/fingers/hand/wrist/forearm and string spacing, interval spacing, action and dymanic response at various positions. Once the hand is trained you can stray according to higher needs, but in the early days developing good hand condition is as much a part of learning the instrument as learning the notes to play.

...
...
Example 3

G|----3---------------3-------|----------------------------|
D|--------3-------------------|----4-----------------------|
A|3---------------3-------3---|--------------------4-------|
E|----------------------------|4-------4-------4-------4---|

1. Left Hand: When playing repeated notes on the same fret (but different strings) do you barre that fret with a single finger (like a barre chord, not sure if thats the correct term here)? Or move your fingers to each string separately as it needs to be fretted? Which fingers would you use?


I know an in-person instructor could easily answer these questions, but I'm not interested in doing that right now with the pandemic. I appreciate any help.

I probably deviate from the herd here, but as a 90% fretless player I tend to not play the barre unless absolutely necessary, so here, assuming the pattern repeats, my left hand might go 1-3-2-1-3-1 in the first bar then 2-4-2-2-3-2. If it is not repeated but goes off elsewhere, that might change the last finger. Likewise, the finger used for the first C might change depending on what came before... On the other hand, with a fretted instrument the barre might well be the best approach. Again, the real answer probably lies in the context of the music...

There is a lot to be said for being able to play anything with any combination of fingers, but there is also no doubt that different combinations feel subtly different, so what may work for one situation may be not so good for others. Only experience can tell you which, so when learning, exploring different possibilities will furnish you with deeper insights into what the instrument is capable of. As @Mushroo pointed out above, despite an ever-growing set of fundamental truths, the 'book of bass guitar' is still being written.

YMMV