Is This A Major Problem?

[Mr Cheese]

So I've been playing the bass for 2 years now, and I have several bad habits that I'm trying to break. Well the good news is, I found yet another one. Its kind of a two-headed problem:
(1) I can only play down the strings with my middle finger. For instance, if I'm plucking on the D string, I have to play the first note the A string with my middle finger. I was trying to do it with my index, and though I could, it was really hard and I would usually revert back to the middle finger often without noticing.

(2) I can only play fast bursts leading with my middle finger. I'm fine if I'm pedaling eighth notes at a fast tempo, but if I try to do a quick flurry of notes, I can only do it leading with my middle finger. This has caused problems because sometimes the flurry requires me to start with my index, and when that happens I either try to do it leading with the index, or play two notes in a row with the same finger so that the flurry lands on the middle finger first. Both methods fail much more often than they succeed.
Its really annoying, frustrating, and kind of depressing as there are already a plethora of bad habits I'm trying to break.

So will I get fast enough leading with my middle, or should I keep trying to working on leading with my index? If its the latter, what advice would you give to speed up the process?

 

[Nashrakh]

I'm actually in the same camp as you. Middle finger is dominant.

The first question you should ask yourself is whether you actually need the change - apparently you do, so there's that.

The only thing that really helped me is slow, deliberate practice. Take a tricky lick you want to get down and really laser focus on getting the fingering right. Go as slow as you need to, then speed up without slipping into bad habits again. Get used to that weird feeling of leading with the index (when appropriate) until it becomes second nature. That's a long road but has paid off for me so far.

 

[charlie monroe]

I’d bet that most players here would agree with me that strictly alternating is the fastest playing style.

Having said that, I break that rule often enough. Depending on phrasing or note choices I may rake the occasional string change.

Slowing things down for practice may help you.

 

[brianrost]

I'm sloppy and do not strictly alternate. When changing from one string to another it's a 50/50 chance what finger I will use. More interesting is that when playing DB, which is typically played with only the index except at high tempos, I'll move from only the index finger to alternating and back again without thinking about it.

If you want to strictly alternate, you need to practice it...slowly!!!! Use a metronome if you like, but it's not necessary, just play open strings, then some scales and arpeggios very slowly up and down the neck and pay close attention to your plucking hands. Once you are comfortable with that, try playing some songs you know very slowly. Over a period of time start picking up the tempo. It may take you weeks or months of practice before you are 100% there, just be patient.

BTW, I would give the same advice to a pick player wanting to learn strict alternating.

 

[EchoEcho]

I believe the rule is to aim to alternate at all times, but ultimately the aim is for maximum efficiency. In other words, if you don't 100% of the time then don't beat yourself up about it. Lapses happen from time to time.

 

[luciens]

So I've been playing the bass for 2 years now, and I have several bad habits that I'm trying to break. Well the good news is, I found yet another one. Its kind of a two-headed problem:
(1) I can only play down the strings with my middle finger. For instance, if I'm plucking on the D string, I have to play the first note the A string with my middle finger. I was trying to do it with my index, and though I could, it was really hard and I would usually revert back to the middle finger often without noticing.

(2) I can only play fast bursts leading with my middle finger. I'm fine if I'm pedaling eighth notes at a fast tempo, but if I try to do a quick flurry of notes, I can only do it leading with my middle finger. This has caused problems because sometimes the flurry requires me to start with my index, and when that happens I either try to do it leading with the index, or play two notes in a row with the same finger so that the flurry lands on the middle finger first. Both methods fail much more often than they succeed.
Its really annoying, frustrating, and kind of depressing as there are already a plethora of bad habits I'm trying to break.

So will I get fast enough leading with my middle, or should I keep trying to working on leading with my index? If its the latter, what advice would you give to speed up the process?

The short answer is no and yes.

The long answer is as follows:
I have the same problem to some degree, but you will encounter the situation of leading with either finger frequently enough that it will slow you down and make you more prone to mistakes if you are poorer with one vs the other.

A good exercise for this (if you rake as I do) is a repeating pentatonic scale up and down over all 4 strings, with no interruption. Pick your poison that's comfortable, say the A minor pentatonic starting on the E string (as long as it's just two notes on each string). Feel free to start with your preferred finger, but play it up and down, then back up and down without stopping. Make sure you don't interrupt the pattern at the end of each scale, just immediately reverse direction and go.

What will happen is, on each trip up and down, which finger you lead with as well as cross strings with will alternate each time. Strictly alternate crossing strings going up and strictly rake going down - that will establish the switching of fingers reliably.

When you first do this, if you have the problem as bad as I did, you'll find that one trip going up is much harder to do than the other one - that's the one that corresponds to the non-preferred leading finger. You may also find one of the trips going down to be a little harder too, but the hard one going up is the one that really separates the men from the boys....

Do the exercise until you can go up and down equally well with each case, you get tired or break your arm, or you have to go to the Funny Farm, whichever comes first.

You'll eventually find that leading with your other finger to initiate the scale will become easier.

There are other exercises like this, but this is one good simple exercise, in my experience, for this particular problem.

There's really no other way than to just practice the hell out of it until you get the hang of it....

L

 

[sawzalot]

^^This. It just takes practice and it's usually not second nature for most players so it's hard. You may not ever get to the place where you're equally comfortable leading with one or the other finger, and that's ok. The idea is to get better at it. I'm similar to you and every so often I have to work something out where I'm leading with my index finger, and I've been playing for 30+ years.

 

[hawk400]

Will have call my next band Middle Finger Dominance

 

[Carl Hillman]

So will I get fast enough leading with my middle, or should I keep trying to working on leading with my index? If its the latter, what advice would you give to speed up the process?

It’s possible to learn to play fast regardless of which finger you “lead” with.

But, always starting with one finger or the other will ultimately be a stumbling block on the road to being able to freely play whatever you want.

Working toward “ambidextrous” plucking requires you to break it down to the real basics and go slowly and methodically.

This is something that helped me early on. It's from Scott Reed's book, "Left Hand Gymnastics for Electric Bass", which, I believe, is out of print now.
Put the metronome on quarter note = 60bpm or slower. Play the entire page starting with your index finger first, then go back and play the whole thing starting middle finger first. Then do the next page (on the other strings) the same way. If you are playing a five string, add those notes to the exercise.

It's boring, and the farthest thing from making real music, but it begins to help get the mechanics of strict alternation ingrained in your playing. Moving on from here, you can start doing your scales, arpeggios, and chord tones strictly alternating between index and middle finger, and starting on either one.

Work on this and it will start to work its way into your playing when you are actually playing music.

 

[LowActionHero]

Another exercise you can do is play odd number groups -
3 notes - M I M, I M I
5 notes - M I M I M, I M I M I
7 notes - M I M I M I M, I M I M I M I
etc

Start with the middle if you choose, played as eighth notes with an eighth note rest and the end, alternating your lead finger when the group repeats.

As mentioned, start slow and even before speeding up. With a metronome if possible.

This Is also something I need to work on. I lead with my middle finger and feel out of sorts when I lead with my index.

 

[Element Zero]

Will have call my next band Middle Finger Dominance

I’ve been in it since ‘94.

 

[bassinflorida]

To all of blessed with all of your digits, assuming they are functional, USE ALL OF THEM!!

 

[Thumpin6string]

Use whatever fingers work for you. I gave up on all the "rules" 40 years ago. I just do what works. The key is to do it well. I'm still not there yet, but I'm old, so that is a good excuse. Right?

 

[Bahjark]

This exercise has really helped me out with my playing. I hope it helps you as well:

 

[bbh]

No worries. It’s just a bad habit which can be broken. It’s gonna take work and time to break it. Don’t give up. You can do it, and of course we’re all rooting for you.

 

[MVE]

There are no “bad habits” but there are better ways to do just about anything.
Kudos to you that you are aware of something you want to focus your attention on.
I was in the same boat with my middle finger doing about 75% of the work. I was inspired to fix it after watching that SBL video posted above. It took a month or two of focusing on it, but my alternation is much better now.
The exercise that worked for me was, I use IReal to practice to a lot and All of Me is one of my go-tos. Just put it on 20x through the changes focusing and on strict alternation.

 

[El_Charro]

“Middle finger is dominant.”...LMAO-Nothing wrong with that...I’m sorry, but all I could think when I read this was that Marilyn Manson song where he screams: “I wasn’t born with enough middle fingers”...

 

[nickpc]

I tend to "ignore" my middle finger and play with my index only on slower parts. To address this I've tried to force myself to play with just the middle finger - and wound up playing with my middle and ring finger! It wasn't as hard as I would have expected, but trying to add the index finger back in was a complete disaster.

 

[Cut the middle]

So I've been playing the bass for 2 years now, and I have several bad habits that I'm trying to break. Well the good news is, I found yet another one. Its kind of a two-headed problem:
(1) I can only play down the strings with my middle finger. For instance, if I'm plucking on the D string, I have to play the first note the A string with my middle finger. I was trying to do it with my index, and though I could, it was really hard and I would usually revert back to the middle finger often without noticing.

(2) I can only play fast bursts leading with my middle finger. I'm fine if I'm pedaling eighth notes at a fast tempo, but if I try to do a quick flurry of notes, I can only do it leading with my middle finger. This has caused problems because sometimes the flurry requires me to start with my index, and when that happens I either try to do it leading with the index, or play two notes in a row with the same finger so that the flurry lands on the middle finger first. Both methods fail much more often than they succeed.
Its really annoying, frustrating, and kind of depressing as there are already a plethora of bad habits I'm trying to break.

So will I get fast enough leading with my middle, or should I keep trying to working on leading with my index? If its the latter, what advice would you give to speed up the process?

My middle finger is about an inch longer than my index. I usually lead with it when moving from string to string. Usually pop with it too.

 

[Kaplan]

This is completely normal. Find exercises to gain independence, e.g. odd, asymmetrical sequences of notes that are played slowly until the brain gets used to them. When this is learned, enjoy the new freedom! My suggestion: