How important is it to fret with your tips vs. pads....

You really understand the benefit of using tips when you play a fretless. Tone gets better focused and playing in tune is easier.
It's the same on fretted but to a lesser degree.
You can still mute when using the tips.

 

I know it's not proper technique and all, but I've been playing with the pads of my fingers for something like 12 years now, and as long as I'm playing a fretted bass, it's never been a problem.

 

Me too. Been playing nearly 40 years and have never worried about using exclusively the tips of my fingers.

I would say trying to use the tips only is unecessary and perhaps even poor technique. YMMV but watch any bass player, fretted, fretless, or upright. Tips only?

I play fretted, fretless, and upright.

 

I use the pads when barring a string (i.e root-low 5th) but otherwise I use tips where I can. However, on my fretted bass, it's easier to mute when lightly resting your palm on the strings as facillitated by barre-positions.

 

Tips also gives you better reach & dexterity, aside from the intonation benefits. If you arch your fingers (like a pianist), you can play more notes without shifting positions. Something to consider.

 

Playing with the tips of your fingers gives you the greatest amount of force available to stop a note because your fingertips are directly opposing your thumb. For a fretless bass it's a requirement for good intonation but for any stringed instrument it improves your tone. Playing flat fingered is indicative of other sloppy technique that is being compensated for.

 

I really think, for myself at least and for virtually every player I watch, it is a blend of each.

Like so many other "rules" about playing: they are a general guide only. And as so often happens, the ones who make their own rules end up setting new standards emulated down the line.

Remember?: Jamerson was a one finger player.

 

And we all know how horrible he was...

 

This is the answer. Using the tips of your fingers requires your arch your hand making a C shape. This makes for much easier movement around the finger board. The tips aren't the main issue, it's the C-cup that they help facilitate.

 

Mmmhhhh C cup.

 

Ditto for me and for the vast majority of players, I bet.

 

The problem with that is we aren't Jamerson. What worked for him probably won't work for you or me.

 

I got back and forth. If I'm doing fast runs I usually use the tips, other stuff the pads or a combo of both.

 

They sound a litle different so i think most lot of it all depends on style, sound and what you wanna play. I've always used them both, it comes kinda natural now, depending on what I'm hearing.
Anyone thought of trying the same with your right hand?
Hit them hard at the bridge pick up, playing Jaco style with your (hardened) tips, or play over the neck pick up with you pads and make this warm deep sound... and all sounds in between...
I think it's always good to work on your soundpallet and dynamics. I fact every technique that anyone ever played with is usable to a certain extend...
Grts, MG

 

IMO – it turns out there are no absolutes in bass playing. When I first started out, the beginning bass book I was working out of gave several “rules” that they said will “get you started” and work for “most” of your bass playing. These things were things like – finger per fret, thumb on the back of the neck, playing on the finger tips, alternating two fingers on your right hand. My old teacher pointed out during one of my first lessons with him (I was not brand new to bass) that he had spent many years trying to always be on his finger tips as much as humanly possible, and he had just recently discovered that in certain situations there are advantages to laying the fingers “a bit flatter”. The trick is knowing when and why to employ this technique. I have found as I advance a bit that most of those “rules” for beginners do hold true “most” of the time – the trick, IMO, is to know when to break the rules. YMMV.

 

For me it's a blend. Mostly tips though. Whatever's comfortable. I agree in that there are no absolutes. For the left hand I use everything from one per fret extended to holding the neck like a baseball bat. On the right hand it's two alternating, sometimes three and sometimes I rake strings and all sorts of shenanigans.
Double thumbing though, I can't do (can't do a good upstroke).
Sorry i went a bit off topic there heheh.

 

It also depends how far down your finger you mean by the pad. If you're using the pad, lets say half way down your first joint, I can't really see how you're fingers can be arched unless they are being arched underneath the board. Remember, you want your fingers to be pretty much over the board. This will help dexterity and help 'em jump around when you need them too.

I can see how you're fingers can be somewhat arched on the G string, but as soon as I move towards the D up my fingers flatten out and lose that arch. Pic 1 is using the pads and you can see how the fingers flatten out versus the second where I'm more on the tips and the fingers are much more arched. Please excuse the terrible wrist angles I was just trying to get the picture taken.

(new pics taken during the day-time! Woohoo!)







Oh and look you can see my purdy upright peaking in the background.