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Chugging and breakdowns using fingers

ltaggy123

ltaggy123

Guest
Jan 18, 2015
31
10
29
England, Harlow
#1
Hello there, I have been learning this metalcore song on on my bass guitar and I normally I can use three fingers to do the triplets. But I have noticed there are certain parts with 4, 0's that need to be played in the same style. I use my fingers and would not like to use a pick as I really struggle to use a pick.

If you listen at 1:54 the chugging part has many different timings that I would not know how to replicate with my fingers. How do I do the quadruplets (Not sure what to call them) with my fingers? Would I use 4 fingers? I can do the pairs etc.

If you would like to see the timings in a tab player form then you can see exactly what I mean when I say it is hard to play with fingers:
http://www.songsterr.com/a/wsa/memphis-may-fire-the-sinner-tab-s86284t0

Some help with technique would be much appreciated!
 
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#2
If you're struggling with a technique, such as using a pick, you should practice it more until you get good at it instead of looking for ways to avoid it.

Sometimes picks are the only way to get the right sound, particularly for that genre of music.

And I say that as someone who only uses a pick for one song out of a 3 hour set with my current main band. Because that's what sounds right for what we play.
 
#3
lz4005 said:
If you're struggling with a technique, such as using a pick, you should practice it more until you get good at it instead of looking for ways to avoid it.

Sometimes picks are the only way to get the right sound, particularly for that genre of music.

And I say that as someone who only uses a pick for one song out of a 3 hour set with my current main band. Because that's what sounds right for what we play.
Click to expand...
Yeah good point actually, practicing with a pick now its just harder to stop strings from ringing when playing fast riffs
 
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#4
What kind of three-finger technique do you use? Learn Billy Sheehan or Alex Webster's method, they are great for 4s. I use the Sheehan method myself.

I will also vote for using a pick. You are only doing yourself a disservice by not learning as many techniques as you can. In your particular style of music most players use a pick for a reason and it isn't speed, it's definition. At the least, most finger players are recording with a pick. You can make a pick player sound close to a finger player, you cannot do it in reverse.
 
#5
DiabolusInMusic said:
What kind of three-finger technique do you use? Learn Billy Sheehan or Alex Webster's method, they are great for 4s. I use the Sheehan method myself.

I will also vote for using a pick. You are only doing yourself a disservice by not learning as many techniques as you can. In your particular style of music most players use a pick for a reason and it isn't speed, it's definition. At the least, most finger players are recording with a pick. You can make a pick player sound close to a finger player, you cannot do it in reverse.
Click to expand...
Okay Thanks mate, I think I will practice more with a pick then. I just struggle to stop the strings from ringing after I hit them with a pick and muting them in time other wise it all gets muddy.
 
#6
ltaggy123 said:
Okay Thanks mate, I think I will practice more with a pick then. I just struggle to stop the strings from ringing after I hit them with a pick and muting them in time other wise it all gets muddy.
Click to expand...

Do you mute with both hands? Do you have a noise gate? A gate is essential for getting tight chugs, especially if you are using distortion.
 
#7
To be fair man I just play the song how it is, I don't know how to mute as I play, I only do when say I am playing a breakdown or something. With my fingers it just kind of happens naturally I don't know how I do it lol. Also what is a noise gate? Sorry I have only been playing around 5 months
 
#9
ltaggy123 said:
To be fair man I just play the song how it is, I don't know how to mute as I play, I only do when say I am playing a breakdown or something. With my fingers it just kind of happens naturally I don't know how I do it lol. Also what is a noise gate? Sorry I have only been playing around 5 months
Click to expand...

Ahhhh, ok. You need to learn left-hand muting (fretting hand muting) and palm muting (pick hand muting,) the latter works quite well with pick playing and chugging. I do not have any links on hand but just post a thread looking for advice in the tech section, you'll get it. If you can find a good slapper to take a lesson or two from they should be a master muter.

(I am going to explain this really crappily but it is the best I can, somebody else please do it better) A noise gate is a device that cuts off a signal at certain threshold. Meaning once the signal gets below a certain point the sound is stopped. Basically it cuts off that nasty ringing distortion.

Do you listen to Pantera? A gate is essential to Dimebag's tone, that is how he manages to get crazy levels of gain to sound so tight with a defined cut.
 
#10
Late response here... I use my fingers for metal. There's a lot on here for three finger techniques.

I go Ring-Middle-Index.
To get your fours, try R-m-i-r-M-i-r-m-I-r-m-i-R.

Make sure to keep them consistent and on time, accenting the 1. Then try 5s up to 9s for good measure.

You'll eventually, after a lot of practice, be able to throw in a quad (R-m-i-r) flurry whenever you feel it. I probably use triplets and R-m-i-r-M more than anything. Aside from using just 2 fingers anyway.

Good luck. I should probably learn to use a pick too.
 

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