WELL I PLAY BOTH DOUBLE BASS AND ELECTRIC BASS so I know what the 1-2-4 reach feels like on double bass and based on that I feel it would be awkward.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Fingering 1 -2 - 4 or Finger Per Fret?
- Thread starter Paul4703
- Start date
WELL I PLAY BOTH DOUBLE BASS AND ELECTRIC BASS so I know what the 1-2-4 reach feels like on double bass and based on that I feel it would be awkward.
It's a matter of individual preference. And we are talking about a beginner without the muscle memory or the dexterity that a gigging player may have. It was a simple question that was not questioning your ability as a player. This thread is to help a new player, whom we do not want to discourage reading these responses and maybe pick up something that could help. As opposed to seeing a couple of people who have different playing styles and techniques argue and get upset. Sorry, we bassists are an emotionally prideful lot. You'll see.
i have very large hands, and can reach almost, not quite 6 frets. i hve no trouble with wrist bending or anything. i also have big feet, i can do 1 toe per fret as well, if youd like
Look at your hand.. The index finger is approximately the same length as the ring finger. The pinky is much shorter. This means that to play an octave, your pinky will more naturally fall into the right spot, but you will have turn your wrist out to get your ring finger down there. If you can do this without changing the angle of your wrist (or doing some contortion with your finger) then I guess 1-2-4 isn't going to benefit you. I don't think many people fall into this category, though.
I don't play upright, but I can tell you that 1-2-4 feels very comfortable on the electric.
I'm glad YOU feel that way. I have always used four fingers on electric. I told the OP to do WHAT HE FEELS IS COMFORTABLE.
I kind of adapt to the situation. Being in a metal band it's not uncommon for me to have to use 4 finger. I make the transition from 1-2-4 to all at about the third fret. On a G scale I use 3-5-2-3-5-2-4-5 because I like the sound better and it's not uncomfortable. Octaves = 1-4 because it's all comfort. I like to think my finger strength is a lot better than it used to be, but doing like a 1-4 fret transition on the E for more than a little bit is ackward. The wrist position changes as you move to the G string however and 1-4 is fine. It's very interesting seeing where my hand ends up, I never really paid attention to it before! All in all why twist your wrist if you can help it? (in my instance) why not use your B string to play that F minor scale? Why contort your wrist to play an octave with a strict 1 finger per fret system? I don't understand it, but whatever works works. Discomfort is there for a reason, to tell your body to stop. It's necessary for short bursts of finger stretching, but more than that is illogical.
I don't know where people are getting the idea that a finger per fret is uncomfortable. I've got the smallest hands of any man I've ever met, and I have no problem getting around with 1 finger per fret, and I can also do a 5-fret stretch when necessary. I'll do Simandl if it's not a demanding song, but 1 finger per fret is fine if you do it the right way. If you hang your thumb over the neck, it's going to hurt, but if you curve your fingers and keep yout thumb behind the neck, it's cake.
You mean people actually have to LEARN HOW TO PLAY CORRECTLY?
That's a controversial thing to say on TB.
What makes OFPF objectively correct?
I am pretty happy with my incorrect method of fingering.
do what feels more comfortable for your hand. spend most of your technique practice eliminating tension in your hand and you'll do yourself a huge favor. 124 fingerings in lower positions help many (but not all) bassists eliminate tension in their hand. it all depends on you and your body.
EADG, I can ask you the same question...what makes 1-2-4 objectively correct? What makes OFPF or a 5-fret reach work so well is that you cover more ground in one position. But what makes 1-2-4 more correct?
Just because you use 1-2-4 doesn't mean you can't ever use your pinky to go 4 or 5 frets. It doesn't mean you can't ever use your ring finger. It is just another tool in the toolshed. I use my pinky for octaves all the time but I also stretch my hand out of I need to.
I advocate to think outside the box. Whatever is closest or makes it easiest, just use it. If my pinky is happily resting just above a note I am not going to move it out of the way to put my ring finger there just because of some silly OFPF rule.
Well, you have a point. If you're doing a song that doesn't require a 4 or 5 fret reach, it won't kill you to do a Simandl reach. It's just when you play more difficult stuff that requires the longer reaches you're way better off with the 4 or 5-fret reach, and I'm always assuming that people asking questions in here are wanting to improve their playing. Maybe I'm wrong, because it sure draws out the people who don't want to learn the best ways of doing things when you discuss what's considered the best ways of doing things.
Geez, they argue against it and against it, and it's usually based on "I tried it for a couple days and it did nothing for me," but sometimes it might take a while to see the benefit, maybe even a couple months of solid practice. All I can tell you is I have only benefitted from doing the good technique thing, and I don't know anyone with good technique that argues against it. On gigs I'm all about looking badass
, like I don't wear my bass on my chest, and you might not always see me onstage using the 4 or 5 fret reach, but if I need it, it's there for me.
Geez, they argue against it and against it, and it's usually based on "I tried it for a couple days and it did nothing for me," but sometimes it might take a while to see the benefit, maybe even a couple months of solid practice. All I can tell you is I have only benefitted from doing the good technique thing, and I don't know anyone with good technique that argues against it. On gigs I'm all about looking badass
, like I don't wear my bass on my chest, and you might not always see me onstage using the 4 or 5 fret reach, but if I need it, it's there for me.
I never said your fingering is incorrect. YOU implied that, I was commenting on how people on TB don't seem to feel like learning music or how to play the bass is important. I just said I thought doing 1-2-4 on electric bass was awkward, the OP asked for OPINIONS and I gave mine. I never even thought that I was saying 1-2-4 was wrong.
What is wrong with you?
I don't recall saying it was (if I did feel free to direct me as to where). What I said was:
I don't really think either is more "correct". OFPF seems to be the most popular method of fingering on the electric bass but I don't think that makes it superior. In my experience 1-2-4 is definitely more ergonomic in many cases.
Maybe I misunderstood.
What do you mean by this?
Ok, but you're admittedly making that call based on assumption:
I use both, as in, the most natural way to play something. Mostly this is 124 on the lower frets and finger per fret higher up but i can switch things if my pinky needs to be on the octave on the lower frets. No use to use an awkward fingering just because it is considered 'correct' if it's severely going to strain your wrist after an hour of playing.
OFPF is not a rule, it's a convenient tool in some situations but definitely not always.
IMO
OFPF is not a rule, it's a convenient tool in some situations but definitely not always.
IMO
I started on DB and had always used a kind of modified Simandl fingering (1-2-4 spanning 3 frets but sometimes 4). A couple of years ago I started using OFPF when I was trying to learn bebop heads. I was also working on cross string fingerings with fewer shifts. I have found it very convenient when I need it, but I find I still fall back on 1-2-4 when I don't.
I am curious if anyone has had any pain issues using their third finger.
I don't know the physiology of the hand so I don't know if this is accurate, but I remember Carol Kaye stating that the 3rd and 4th fingers share a tendon which makes the 3rd finger weaker and presents the possibility of injury if overused.
The times when I have a problem are when I am playing a repeated pattern (in one position) like the common R&R example below. It doesn't take long before my "tennis elbow" is screaming.
I am curious if anyone has had any pain issues using their third finger.
I don't know the physiology of the hand so I don't know if this is accurate, but I remember Carol Kaye stating that the 3rd and 4th fingers share a tendon which makes the 3rd finger weaker and presents the possibility of injury if overused.
The times when I have a problem are when I am playing a repeated pattern (in one position) like the common R&R example below. It doesn't take long before my "tennis elbow" is screaming.
I too am new to the electric bass (been playing about a year) and my teacher started me out at 1-2-4, but has been pushing 1-2-3-4 lately. Based on comfort and the type of music I play I tend to use a modified 1-2-3-4 method. I mainly use 1-2-3 and save my pinky finger to play octaves above the 7th fret. Below the 7th fret I tend to play 1-2-3-4 because it can get kind of cramped otherwise. I have wide hands but short fingers, compared to the width. My pinky is about 1.5 inches shorter than my ring finger. Also, since I am over 40, I have some arthritis developing due to past experiences like mx racing, 8 hour a day keyboarding, etc. Like others have said, it is important to be able to play w/o pain. Good luck!
I teach one finger per fret for scales as well as for major fingering chord tones. but for minors I keep my ring finger and pinky close together and use a fanning type hand position. makes it easier to play and groove on the minor chord tones.
