How to improve my finger-style playing

[Flipper43]

I know this has been done a thousand times over, but I couldn't find anything that helped me that much. I play in a band that plays relatively fast music (think Black Flag fast), and I usually use a pick, but I want to switch to fingerstyle. Are there any ways besides practicing that I can improve my playing? Any positions I have to hold my fingers in? Thanks.

 

[mpdd]

good question, i found that once my fingers are a little sweaty or oily i can play a lot faster, dry skin equals more friction i guess, be moist

 

[Fergie Fulton]

Two great links here from our very own HaVIc5

 

[MarTONEbass]

Practice alternating your index and middle fingers. Use a metronome and start slow. Work your way to greater speed. Remember to relax your wrist/hand. Nose grease helps reduce friction!

 

[XylemBassGuitar]

+1 on the nose grease and relaxing the hand/wrist.

I play fingerstyle by holding my finger perpendicular to the string and then pressing my fingertip toward the body of the bass, allowing my fingertip to just slide past the string, causing it to ring. Don't put a lot of your fingertip on the string, covering about 1/4 of the width of the string should be more than enough.

I also alternate my index, middle and ring fingers instead of just my index and middle fingers...this seems to help increase speed however, there are plenty of guys out there who can play just as fast as I can with only two fingers, and James Jamerson only used one finger (not that I am comparing myself to the great Jamerson in any way).

 

[Beginner Bass]

Work on getting good alternation between the ring, middle, and index fingers. It will help in the long run.

 

[peterpalmieri]

Practice alternating your index and middle fingers. Use a metronome and start slow. Work your way to greater speed. Remember to relax your wrist/hand. Nose grease helps reduce friction!

Good advice...I'd add

Play two octave scales up and down, do not repeat the top note, with a metronome start with half notes, quarters, 8th, 8th note triplets and 16ths. Set the metronome to where you can consistenly play the 16ths in time.