John Entwistle technique.

[Bassdude15]

How exactly does one emulate John's finger style technique( not typewriter; I tried THAT one and its fricking impossible)? He seems to strike the strings perpendicularly and used very low action. I am doing both but I can't quite seem to nail it.

Is there something I'm missing?






Thanks,
Bassdude15

 

[bass_case]

I remember him playing with his right hand near the neck. This lets you easilly"overdrive" the string to get that clanky sound. It also puts a lot of energy in the string which allows hammer-ons to ring better.

He had an awesome live bass sound, mega-amplification was just part of it. (The part you felt in your chest.)

 

[Lownote38]

a rack of processing effects like he had once they went "stadium".

 

[FrednBass]

Try thinking in hitting the strings downwards (considering the fretboard is 'down'), instead of traditional plucking. Expect the sound to come from the strings hiting the frets than from your fingers making them vibrate.

 

[bass_case]

Try thinking in hitting the strings downwards (considering the fretboard is 'down'), instead of traditional plucking. Expect the sound to come from the strings hiting the frets than from your fingers making them vibrate.

+1

Good explanation.

 

[Precision101]

I use entwistles style I use it all the time. John played with his fingers near the fretboard to get a nice trebly twang from the rotosounds and the action has to be greatly low. The typewriter technique is actually easy if you sit around and practice it for a while and watch him. All those triplets and stuff he does is all in the tips of your fingers. my action is insanely low too to the point of touching the frets by a hair. No one dares to go near my bass haha. Try to hit the strings against the frets instead of down.

 

[stanknuckle]

He played trumpet and French horn before going to bass. That technique for pressing those keys on those horns is where it comes from.

 

[Ferret]

I've often been compared in style not purposely but love when someone does, low action can get a piece of paper under mine between strings and frets. Cones in handy as I can actually keep playing with left hand and adjust sound, pick nose, send texts and sound not affected, just have to make sure action low enough that strings hit last fret. Rotos and keep sound as I describe as a piano sound. Keeping nails a bit longer helps and don't beat up the bass. Even though raising fingers higher bush string just hard enough to cause it to hit the fret with slight to no buzz. Least how I do it, never purposly, just a style I learned (plus use three fingers) and over the years my sound and style was compared to him. Funny was I broke a nail last week and bitched about it, guitar player made fun of it but drummer who I have played on and of for 30 years said to him "no, he needs it or I loss the ox" meaning of course the Entwistle sound he looks for

 

[Ferret]

Ps: I played French horn in high school so maybe that made some difference

 

[TheOriginalName]

I use entwistles style I use it all the time. John played with his fingers near the fretboard to get a nice trebly twang from the rotosounds and the action has to be greatly low. The typewriter technique is actually easy if you sit around and practice it for a while and watch him. All those triplets and stuff he does is all in the tips of your fingers. my action is insanely low too to the point of touching the frets by a hair. No one dares to go near my bass haha. Try to hit the strings against the frets instead of down.

Which finger should I lead with, my index or ring?