Guitarist gone bass...

[David Jayne]

Sometimes I feel like Ive slipped into the twilight zone...How can using all 4 fingers (and thumb) NOT be beneficial ?

It's impressive, sure. Soloing? Sure, it's great for that. Absolutely superfluous within the realm of 'real' bass playing though.

But OK, fine, I have an open mind. I'll never learn it but I would bet the best way is to start with the pinky, then ring, middle, index. Repeat this pattern about one hundred million times, and you're set.

Welcome, and prepare to be flamed and insulted mercilessly.

 

[Cyber Soda]

Go ahead and slaughter me, but I'd say work with everything. Why buy a "versatile" bass and not be a versatile bassist? Two fingers, three fingers, four fingers and a thumb, why not? I TEND to use two to three fingers at most time, plus or minus a thumb, hardly ever a pick, but sometimes, speed is necessary, or a certain tone is needed, so I pick up a pick (albeit feeling awkward with it), or even strum my bass. Whatever is needed to make the sound I want/need. Why use a pedal to get a pick tone when you can use a pick? Why use all five fingers at once when there's plenty other ways to get the job done right? Do what you want though, I am NOT a teacher. Never will be. I'm probably the opposite. Something like that. The Negi-teacher.

 

[calebbarton]

So what you're saying is you're going to waste a bunch of time trying to learn a pointless technique right from the beginning?

I play a 6-string bass and use 2 fingers and can play more than fast enough. The law of diminishing returns comes into play very quickly here.

It's clear from your first paragraph that you didn't understand what the bass player does. Good luck with that ham-fist technique. Hopefully a lightly used BTB5 bass has a higher resale value.

plus a million

 

[portmanteau]

I think your formative days/weeks/months/whatever would probably be spent getting the other basics of bass playing. Groove is more important; chops can come later.

As for the four finger style, it's really rare, and mostly unnecessary. You'll find that most people here can go pretty fast with just two fingers. When I play Iron Maiden songs, or any other songs with lots of triplets, I use three fingers for plucking, and even that's not strictly necessary; Steve Harris is godly and only uses two. For the most part, though, I stick with two fingers, and you should at least start that way.

 

[Cyber Soda]

I think your formative days/weeks/months/whatever would probably be spent getting the other basics of bass playing. Groove is more important; chops can come later.

As for the four finger style, it's really rare, and mostly unnecessary. You'll find that most people here can go pretty fast with just two fingers. When I play Iron Maiden songs, or any other songs with lots of triplets, I use three fingers for plucking, and even that's not strictly necessary; Steve Harris is godly and only uses two. For the most part, though, I stick with two fingers, and you should at least start that way.

This.

 

[portmanteau]

Sometimes I feel like Ive slipped into the twilight zone...How can using all 4 fingers (and thumb) NOT be beneficial ? When I started playing bass 20 years ago, I used only my index and middle finger to pluck but I saw so many amazing bassists using all five that I had to start working on incorporating the ring, pinky, and thumb into my playing...works best for me

It is beneficial. If you can pluck with your whole hand, you can do amazing things.

But I think there's a lot of foundation you want to have before you worry about being able to do the things you need all four fingers for. We all know the importance of the bassist in the group here. If you can tap and slap and shred out a sick solo, well, jolly good and all that. But if you can't lay down a groove and get in the pocket with the drummer, what band wants you?

 

[bass player 48]

I'm firmly in the camp that says that four finger technique is BS. Is flashy and show-off-y... it can't be faster. It's not nearly as natural. Sure, if you spend a ton of time practicing four finger technique, maybe you'll be faster with it than with two finger - but it will be because it's all you practice. If you spent the same time practicing speed with two fingers, you'd be way faster with two.

My two fingers on my strumming hand are like a little man walking. When I play fast, he's running.

Could I re-train myself to run faster by praticing running on all fours? Of course not. Ridiculous.

IMHO - YMMV - LOL

 

[lindseyp]

... and even if it takes me months longer to get started, it should be worth it in the end.

That's really the only reason you need, right there -- because you feel it's worth it.
My suggestion: Just go for it, develop your own technique and see what happens. Most of the bassists who are looked up to on this forum became popular and respected by developing their own techniques, thus their individual voices. Keep us posted on how this goes for you, I'm still working on getting the ring finger in so I can 'gallop' certain transitions in triplets that others only use quarter notes for. And, I want to do it my way.

 

[Thundar]

That's really the only reason you need, right there -- because you feel it's worth it.
My suggestion: Just go for it, develop your own technique and see what happens. Most of the bassists who are looked up to on this forum became popular and respected by developing their own techniques, thus their individual voices. Keep us posted on how this goes for you, I'm still working on getting the ring finger in so I can 'gallop' certain transitions in triplets that others only use quarter notes for. And, I want to do it my way.

Amen! Plus 2 million

 

[bomofiglio]

Welcome, and prepare to be flamed and insulted mercilessly.

Best piece of advice in the thread. I'll have to remember to leave my emotions at the home page if I'm gonna be posting here

It is not like I'm practicing only this however. I just wanted some advice for getting better at it. I'm doing plenty of other things, I've picked out some nice groovy tunes, some hard sick stuff, and I've gotten through quite a few songs so far. Those on here that are pulling out their guns and screaming "groove!", you do have a very valid point, and i am definitely not neglecting that. No need to shoot.

 

[Knifedge]

As mentioned before, I am sure countless times by many members... be your own bass player.. .play whatever instruments you choose.. you have a heart for music, it's a good thing. Every person on this forum have slightly different techniques which may be great for you, it may not be. The most important factor is how you develop as a bass player, and how you develop as a musician. Keep your mind open, don't be afraid to learn, and try everything once. 10 years down the road, you could be playing country tunes using a Precision Bass.. or heavy rock with a 5 string Ibanez, or Blues with a MusicMan Stingray. Possibilities are endless, just make sure you do what you want to, and your own uniqueness will come out in your playing as you grow.

 

[meta]

Groove is more important; chops can come later.

That is the quote that says it all.

It doesn't matter how you get it. you have 2 hands, 10 fingers, and a bass, and make a sound. period. what kind of sound you get is more important than how you get it. and how you groove is more important than your tone.

So I would say, as you seem to be asking fairly intelligent questions, that you should practice all styles and find one that works better for you and you can decide if you want to drop any of the styles along the way. they are (from my limitted cerebrum):
1. pick (I play with a pick often, and there is nothing quite like it sometimes...)
2. thumb only (not my cup of tea, but.. hey what the **** )
3. 2 fingers, index and middle (my perfonal fav for finger style)
4. 3 fingers (include the ring... )
5. 4 fingers (pinkie... almost no one really does this a ton, but it is done)
6. 4 fingers and thumb ... go hog wild
7. my new technique (probably not mine originally, but new to me): hold the pick with the thumb and index, and finger pick with the middle and ring... that way you can either get a finger or pick feel without having to put down or pick up the pick.
8. slap / pop
9. strum the bass with your index finger (I'ver resorted to this sometimes) like you were playing a guitar - imho only works very short term
10. you gotta be able to think of something. from the responses you've got above, most are just blowing hot air, and trying to start thier own flame wars for their own reasons - which usually mean that they are just flaming and looking for responses as an alternative to asking questions explicitly. why people like the implicit approach boggles my mind, but maybe that's just me.
11. ****, there goes my david letterman 10 top, i'm at 11!

 

[Illbay]

Groove is more important;

You cannot say that enough.

 

[xzzy]

I made the shift from guitar to bass as well. Though I stayed quiet for a long while and lurked these forums (for months) before opening my mouth.

Three most helpful items I've come across are studybass.com, Gary Willis and Ray Brown on youtube:

http://www.studybass.com/


Studybass is great because the guy spends a lot of time telling you what the bass is actually used for.. which I think a lot of guitarists are ignorant of. They may know it in their subconscious, but it doesn't do a lot of good there. The site also offers more exercises than you can shake a stick at.

Gary Willis' videos are good because it several exercises for three finger playing, which helped me immensely. Ray Brown is great because he's a fountain of insights for capturing the "feel" of bass playing.

There's a lot more helpful stuff out there, I post these because coming from guitar, they were by far the most influential in teaching me to really understand the bass.

 

[RobertPaulson]

Pick > Finger, I wouldn't worry about 4 finger technique.

 

[_godspeed_]

 

[lazyone2]

As a guitard who switched to bass along time ago, some of the biggest changes are mental. I choose to use a pick most of the time. You seem to be heavily influenced by someone who can shred on bass using 4 fingers. I think, for the most part thats not what playing bass is about. Learn to groove with your drummer. Learn to make the notes you play serve the song. Learn to sound good, establish a tone that cuts through in the mix. The ability to shred will come.

 

[Illbay]

Hm. I seem to be unique in that I went FROM Bass TO Guitar. But almost exclusively ACOUSTIC guitar.

Okay, I blew my cover. That's right, I AM Roger Waters.

 

[BobaFret]

You will find bass players to be some of the most narrow minded people. We are always right so don't argue.

 

[Freelancer]

Hey all, I'd like to introduce myself. I am a guitarist that has turned bassist this past month. I've always thought the bass was a simple instrument, some dude just playing along the roots, until I started looking into it, and watching some sick bastid shred picking with four fingers.

So now the only instrument I am in possession of is a shiny new ibanez btb 5 string.

I'll get to the point here as to why I'm in the technique forum; I'm not gonna learn two fingers on a four string bass, and have to re-learn everything a year from now. I'm going straight for the five string with a full hand of picking.
Question is, does anyone know any good techniques to work at getting the ring and pinky fingers up to speed? I can go 1/8th notes with them now, but still can go faster with my first two fingers.
Also, as my fingers are all different lengths, it seems to be quite hard for the pinky to reach. is there some kind of rule, or do i just need to play with it untill all four can move around easily? Any help with this would be appreciated

By the way: I'm finally starting to look at guitars and their strings like they are little toys- its quite weird holding a little thing like that after wrapping my fingers around a b string and a fat-ass neck!

Welcome to the bass and hopefully you let don't hostile indigenous folk run you off either.

As far as the four fingered plucking technique is concerned. I use it and love it. People assume you can only use it for "shredding" but I have found it to be perfectly comfortable to groove with. You need to do some exercises to get a decent amount of finger independence between the ring and pinky. Don't worry, since they are connected you can't get perfect but with practice you will at least be able to focus strength on one without the other coming down right with it. If rest your fingers on the string so the first three are touching with the pinky kinda just out of reach, just twist your arm(like turning a door nob) to the right just a bit all 4 of your fingers will rest comfortably on the string.

The hardest part with this will be keeping all plucking fingers even in plucking strength and attack. For me, I just softened up my touch and attack on the index and middle fingers and over time as my ring and pinky got stronger I can harden up my touch on my index and middle finger. Although through doing this, I now have a much more softer and more uniform attack. Let the amp do all the work. Being able to get the attack a bit harder when needed to perhaps put a little emphasis on a part without having to really dig into the strings or mess with a volume nob is kinda nice too. Best part is that I have no problems curling fingers 3 and 4 up and going traditional two or opening up and going all four if I want to. This feels very natural for me and I personally enjoy it immensely. Through it, I got a little insight to my own personal technique and felt it overall bettered me.

Try whatever you feel is right and build your own technique. There truly is no "standard" technique really. We all take something that someone else made successful and add our own flavor and mannerisms etc to make it our own. You seem to be a dedicated enough so go ahead and try what you feel is right for you. Because in the end none of us are playing for you. You gotta play for yourself and find what works for you. Good luck and I hope it works out nicely to your liking.

P.S. I'd like to agree on the stick with the guitar as well sentiments. It doesn't hurt to be efficient and fluent with more than one instrument. As was already said, it can offer valuable insight and an alternate "perspective" to the whole picture.


Rock on!
-Chris