I'm missing fingers...am I screwed?

[Jeff Roller]

One of the best bass players I ever saw in person was missing all but the "nub" of each finger on his left "fretting" hand. He could wear it out, walking lines, about everything but octave stretches. Dude could play a mean piano too.

Also worked with a drummer many years back who had cerebral palsy. Had no use of his legs whatsoever, he tuned a floor tom down for a bass drum, and if you closed your eyes he sounded no different than a drummer with his full faculties.

I'm always humbled when I see someone with a handicap working beyond their limitations and creating music their way.

 

[standupright]

there's a guy on youtube, and i think he's also a member here, that doesn't even have a right hand and rips it up. i'll see if i can find a link.

 

[Rickett Customs]

There's alot I could do on a thumb and index finger, I should try that for a week..... Slap is still a def.

 

[A440Hz]

Phil Keaggy is a guitarist who's missing one ring finger (can't remember which hand). I also knew a great bass player who was missing a finger on his fretting hand.

If your mind and heart want this to work, and you have some measure of ability, you can make this work. No doubt.

 

[Gord_oh]

youd be a slap god!

 

[Woofer]

Can't believe I forgot about Iommi.

If all else fails, learn the Murderface method of playin with your... wait, forget I said that.

 

[Big chicken]

... so you still have your index finger?

Then you should take a real good look at one of the best all-time bassists, James Jamerson.

He plays all those *sick* basslines with only his index finger.

+1 listen the the dumb guy

 

[lowfreq33]

I actually hung out with Bill Clements at an open jam tonight. He has no right hand. he kills it. Shut up and play some bass.

 

[Hawaii Islander]

My nephew likes to use the tip of his index finger and thumb pressed together and played as if it were a pick. The other suggestions previously mentioned work as well. Many people use more than one method depending on the music they play. Good luck and start playing already!

 

[mambo4]

you also don't need all your left hand fingers to be a musical genius.
Django Rheinhardt had use of only 2 left hand fingers and still became one of the greatest Jazz Guitarists in history...

 

[80'sRocker]

geddy lee plays with one finger.
guitarist tonni iomi lost the tips of a few fingers but still plays

Exactly what I was going to say about Geddy. Get that index finger cookin'!

 

[Dave in LB]

I've been playing for about a quarter century (wow that hurt) and am missing the length of the top third of my right index finger, I have all the joints. (Self inflicted car door mishap, compounded poor medical decisions by doctors). Certainly there have been things that have been issues to resolve or come to terms with. For instance I finger pick with middle and ring fingers and occasionally throw in the pinky, but I have found over time, I have a speed limit in finger style so no speedcore metal for me without a pick.

As mentioned you could very much play thumb style, single finger style, slap, with pick. so don't think about the negatives figure out the possibles. The negatives will always come up and then you get creative. Go for it.

Oh and do a lot of stretching of the hand and fingers to get them as flexible as possible (limited flexiblity is my speed limiter). I spent hours and hours doing this to learn to slap even a little bit.

 

[onosson]

I have no handicaps, but I do sometimes use a fingerstyle technique where I alternate thumb and index finger. If you add palm muting (rest the pinky-edge of your right hand gently on the strings close to the bridge) you can achieve an upright-like effect. Thumb+index can definitely be as fast as index+middle, which is the way most fingerstyle players pluck the strings. In fact, I would guess that for reaching across multiple strings, thumb+index technique might actually be at an advantage given the opposable thumb position.

 

[yem]

Rhythm is more important than fingers

 

[jnuts1]

i sprained all of the ligiments in my right hand last september & it looks like i will never play traditional 2 finger style again without severe pain. i had previously been trying to use a hybrid of matt Garrison & Dominique DiPiazza where i use my thumb for down strokes & my pointer for upstrokes. kinda like a pick. so i figured i had 2 choices, play nothing or make this my thing. it is now my thing & i have played 4 gigs like this & noone seems to think i am as choppy as i think i am. so i say go for it & never look back.

 

[T-MOST]

You should be fine. You have the 3 fingers used in standard bass playing. How is your dexterity in the right hand?

 

[Jazz Ad]

Then there's Dalty from the Angry Amputees, no finger or leg but he rocks very, very hard.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[MrWiggl3s]

A few ways of doing this:
1. Victor Wooten style (get the video). He uses his thumb, basically as a giant pick. Look at "double thumbing".
2. Heavy metal style with the index finger. Like the guy from metallica (original bassist) again, you use your index finger as a giant pick, upstrokes and downstrokes.
3. Banjo style thumb plectrum (pick). Attaches to your thumb.

This post is wrong on the second one. Cliff Burtons ring finger was ****ed up from a fishing accident and he couldn't use it. The first and second ones were fine.

 

[Ric5]

With the fingers you have you can play Chris Squire style or Geddy Lee style or Paul McCartney style. Also you can do slap bass.

That covers a lot of territory.

I saw a guy playing acoustic guitar at a coffee house and he had a prostesis for a right hand. He used a pick and made it work.

 

[jaywa]

To the OP... I can't offer any more or better advice than has been given already, but my hat's off to you. I hope you land many gigs and have a long and fulfilling run making music. You are an inspiration to all of us.