Help me transition from thumb playing style to finger style.

[Ralph124C41]

OK ... there's my problem. I'm in my 70s and when I first picked up a bass maybe back in the late '60s or early to mid-70s I had nobody local to help me learn how to play the thing. And of course back then there was no Youtube or other freely available ways to learn the proper technique. I say "proper" because is playing with your fingers the "proper" way to play ... or not?

Some other bass players played with their thumb ... I've seen videos and pics of Paul McCartney. I even had an old bass that had the thumb rest installed on the right-hand side. And I used it, too, also placing the palm of my hand over the chrome cover for the bridge pickup.

But now I'm told that style is ... wrong ... or something only dinosaurs would use.

So two questions: Is finger style preferred as a way to produce the optimal bass sound and/or speed? I do sometimes use a compressor to help when I play with my thumb.

And ... is there any way for me to move more into the finger style? I'm doing some fill-in with a local band and I have eight more gigs this summer. So far I have used my thumb, my fingers (on slower songs) and a pick for faster, punchier rock songs. I would like to rely more on the finger style but when I'm playing live I fall back on what is easier for me ... either my thumb or using a pick.

 

[Quentin MCB]

Do you think that playing with your thumb is limiting you ? I play finger style but I wouldn't judge you for playing with your thumb if it works for the kind of music you're playing.

 

[mikeoso]

Also in my 70s, also play thumb only. Seems to work ok for what I do. If it bothers anyone, they havent mentioned it to me.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

I like being a dinosaur. They were around for a lot longer than we will probably be he he .

 

[Rip Van Dan]

Playing with your thumb is not necessarily wrong, but it is limiting. Back in 1965, when I started playing bass, I used my thumb while planting the tips of my other fingers on the tug bar below the G-string. Then in 1966 I switched over to a pick because I already played guitar and I couldn't double pick with my thumb. So I'm playing with high school bands primarily at high school dances. Then in 1968 we got a new drummer and he just nagged me into playing finger style. which is what I've primarily used ever since. Like everything else, it's a matter of practice using alternating fingers until it feels natural to do so.

DO NOT switch to finger style and only use one finger and occasionally use a second finger. Alternate fingers while you're learning this style. It's easy to change later and you may even add a third finger to your style as needed. But if you don't force yourself to use alternating fingers to begin with, you won't be able to play a lot of the faster bass lines in the rhythm they need to be played. Transition is going to be a pain at first anyhow, but restrict yourself to playing finger style and you'll develop the skill quickly. Later, if you need the extra attack of a pick for a song, you can always pull out a pick to play that song. With my Passive Jazz Bass, if I need more attack I just pluck the strings farther back by the bridge pickup, still using finger style.

 

[JRA]

...when I'm playing live I fall back on what is easier for me ... either my thumb or using a pick.

if you feel self-conscious about not exploiting your time and energy to learn to play more finger-style, then you're the same schmuck as the rest of us = not enough time left to excel at everything, all at once! if it's really important to you, you'll chisel out some time and work on it, work on stuff, move forward, a little or a lot, repeat, yada yada.... but, relax!

you can only ever do the best you can do, at the moment. so, do your best. that's it. period. sounds like you've got a bunch of experience.

you've got things covered, i wouldn't sweat it. congrats on the gigs, break a leg!


and then practice on the things you want to explore and/or improve! good luck!

 

[MrLenny1]

Practice scales nice & slooowww.

 

[eddybuzzard]

if you feel self-conscious about not exploiting your time and energy to learn to play more finger-style, then you're the same schmuck as the rest of us = not enough time left to excel at everything, all at once! if it's really important to you, you'll chisel out some time and work on it, work on stuff, move forward, a little or a lot, repeat, yada yada.... but, relax!

you can only ever do the best you can do, at the moment. so, do your best. that's it. period. sounds like you've got a bunch of experience.

you've got things covered, i wouldn't sweat it. congrats on the gigs, break a leg!


and then practice on the things you want to explore and/or improve! good luck!

@JRA , thanks for saying that!


There's some things I want to say, but I just can't,
only because of my age, and the way I was raised

 

[winston]

This video proves you can only go so far plucking the strings with your thumb. Who's ever heard of this guy?
If it works for you and you're curious about other techniques great, if not no reason to feel pressured.

 

[hieronymous]

I feel fortunate that I learned both pick and fingers early, also slap. One thing I learned is that slap and pick have an affinity - similar motions, compared to fingers. I think playing with your thumb could be seen as similar - maybe it's the answer to the pick vs. fingers debate! It certainly is another legitimate technique. If the people are telling you it's incorrect, I bet you could really piss them off by learning to play with a pick!

 

[Ggaa]

 

[Ggaa]

Ray Pohlman was a thumb guy.

 

[Element Zero]

Anyone who tells you playing a particular technique or style is “wrong” simply dismiss them as they’ve no idea what they’re talking about and there’s no place in your life for such negativity.

 

[vinlander]

Maybe they should also have told Wes Montgomery that using just his thumb to play Jazz guitar was limiting...

 

[Prodigus Filius]

All hail the thumb!!

Can always mix thumbs and other digits. Tina Weymouth for example. But my thumb will have to be "snatched from my cold, dead hands" he he

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

I started with a thumbpick. Still carry one but never use it. Still play with my thumb sometimes, also fingers and pick. The bassist from Charles Wright & The 103rd St. Band played with his thumb. Check out a live video of "Express Yourself". Wish I could groove like that!



I personally find learning new techniques is one part diligence and 10 parts mindless repetition, by which I mean doing it without thinking about it, maybe while I'm watching a show on Netflix or whatever. And I'll be 69 in a few short weeks!

BBB

 

[BigAndyA]

At the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is the sound you produce. Thumb, fingers, pick - whatever works best for you and the song. I’m 71 and started playing about 5 years ago. Because I played a little guitar when I was a kid, I used a pick. And I still use a pick 80% of the time and fingers other times depending on the song. I also change picks sometimes using a felt ukulele pick or leather pick if I want a less clicky sound.

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

I don’t think any style of playing gets a better tone than the thumb. If I could play fast enough, I’d play everything with the thumb.

 

[Davdob]

Ironically, I had a spine injury a few years ago that caused me to lose feeling in my right forefinger. Now my finger style is thumb and middle, and I think it sounds fine.

 

[logdrum]

I use thumb even though I can also do finger style. Nothing wrong with it. Good luck sir.