Motown style fingerings

[Swipter]

I don't slap bass but I do do octave pops. I always use my index on the low note, say G on the E string 3rd fret, and pinky or third on the octave G, D string 5th fret.

Here's the question. When I watch YouTube players their hand position seems to be in a guitar C shape with their 3rd finger on the low G, E string, and maybe the octave on the D string or The G string.

Is the C shape motown playing more appropriate?

 

[Wasnex]

I don't slap bass but I do do octave pops. I always use my index on the low note, say G on the E string 3rd fret, and pinky or third on the octave G, D string 5th fret.

Here's the question. When I watch YouTube players their hand position seems to be in a guitar C shape with their 3rd finger on the low G, E string, and maybe the octave on the D string or The G string.

Is the C shape motown playing more appropriate?

Not really following your question.

This is the open C chord shape on guitar.

Notes on the left are C,E,G,C,E
Notes on the right are C,E,G,C,G
On guitar this fingering produces the octave on the B string.

4 string bass does not have the two higher strings (B or E).

So no octave comes from this shape on bass.

The four lowest strings on guitar and 4 string bass are E,A,D,G.
--For bass
Notes on the left are C,E,G
Notes on the right are C,E,G

 

[Swipter]

Yeah. No, I play guitar. I know it's confusing how I was asking. Its a fingering question. No problem. If I run across a video I'll study it and add it to the thread.

 

[Wasnex]

C octaves on bass

If you move one string lower, you get G octaves on bass.

 

[Swipter]

Thanks. I get all that. I can actually play bass. I was questioning my technique. I also read notes on music and on the fretboard.

 

[Aidenn7]

James Jamerson used one finger to play his lines. Carol Kaye played with a pick. the basses always had higher action and a mute.. if you fret to play Motown. I'd watch Carol Kaye's left hand. but got to pluck the with a hook motion.. and they both played a different Jazz style not standard notation, with is how it's taught now. It has a different feel and timing.. so you can try to play it how ever you like. but I would going watch some of Carol Kaye's lessons.

 

[Swipter]

James Jamerson used one finger to play his lines. Carol Kaye played with a pick. the basses always had higher action and a mute.. if you fret to play Motown. I'd watch Carol Kaye's left hand. but got to pluck the with a hook motion.. and they both played a different Jazz style not standard notation, with is how it's taught now. It has a different feel and timing.. so you can try to play it how ever you like. but I would going watch some of Carol Kaye's lessons.

I play motown fine. I love Jamerson. I was wondering about technique. My "technique" is fine. I was searching for better.

 

[pfschim]

Maybe we're not getting what you after as far as technique.

Jamerson (as was stated already) played with one finger in the right/plucking hand. He was also a Upright jazz player originally, so he likely did not use OFPF to form his lines, but probably fingered his electric lines more like an Upright player would.

Carol Kaye was a guitar player as well as a bass player, who played with a pick and probably fingered her lines more like a guitar player would.

Neither of these players, two of the key Motown bass players on record, probably played with a modern electric bass technique in either the left or right hands.

So, having said all that. What are you looking for as far as Motown bass playing technique ?

 

[DWBass]

There is no 'Motown' technique. Just play the notes, man!! Motown has had several different bass players. They all played differently. There's no wrong or right way to play Motown. Just play the notes!

Many folks get caught up in trying to play and sound a certain way. Either turn your tone knob up or turn it down. Flatwounds vs Roundwounds? Bah!

Just play the notes.

 

[Aidenn7]

The better technique is less, not more.

 

[MrVentures]

Are you asking which method of playing octaves is more Motown-y? E.g. playing the 3rd fret on the E string with the open G string vs playing the 5th fret on the D string?

 

[BismarckHerring]

When I watch YouTube players their hand position seems to be in a guitar C shape with their 3rd finger on the low G, E string, and maybe the octave on the D string or The G string.

If you hold down the low G with your third finger, how would you play the high G on the D string? You would have to shift your hand. The sensible option would be to play the open G string.

In some cases this would be the easiest way to play the octave. But most bassists would, whenever possible, prefer to use their index finger to play to low G and play the high G on the D string.

There are a couple of reasons for this: it's easier to mute the high G when it's fretted, the octave shape works for every note, and some prefer the sound of a fretted note over an open string.

The muting may have been less of on issue for motown bassists as they used foam mutes.

Also, I don't know if this is true, but I've heard that Jamerson used a long of open strings because that's how it's taught on double bass, his original instrument (maybe someone who plays double bass can confirm). The YouTube bassists you're referring to may be trying to copy this.

 

[lark_z]

Which hand are you asking about?

 

[mambo4]

I think the question was straight forward, though it's not exactly a "C shape"
Instead of fretting octaves spanning 3 frets and 3 strings in the usual manner
you could go the other way with Root under pinky on E string and the index finger on the G string , 4 frets back.

But that spans 4 string and 4 frets and seems less practical on a bass.
Physically harder and more geographically limited

Not sure what is particularly Motown about it
Maybe you saw someone simply play the G octave using the open G string for the high note?
Jamerson used open strings very often , so doing this for a G octave would not be a surprise.
maybe post an example of vidoe4s you have seen this on for clarification.

TLDR: No, it is probably not superior in general, you're not missing out.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

There is no 'Motown' technique. Just play the notes, man!! Motown has had several different bass players. They all played differently. There's no wrong or right way to play Motown. Just play the notes!

Many folks get caught up in trying to play and sound a certain way. Either turn your tone knob up or turn it down. Flatwounds vs Roundwounds? Bah!

Just play the notes.

Most people on TB don’t practice and get caught up on gear and shopping
So this advice to just play the songs is perfect advice

 

[Matt O]

I don't slap bass but I do do octave pops. I always use my index on the low note, say G on the E string 3rd fret, and pinky or third on the octave G, D string 5th fret.

Here's the question. When I watch YouTube players their hand position seems to be in a guitar C shape with their 3rd finger on the low G, E string, and maybe the octave on the D string or The G string.

Is the C shape motown playing more appropriate?

Jamerson was first an upright player, Kaye was first a guitar player, so their approach to electric bass is somewhat different.

Is your OP question about which left hand position to use for Motown? Doesn’t matter, it’s a what ever works for you thing. But for Jamerson, it would depend on overall economy of motion and intonation due to his DB training. If the bulk of the song has him playing in first position, he would likely stay in first and play the G octave as an open note as opposed to shifting around. Jamerson favored playing open A,D,G as opposed to stopped. Most bassists that start on electric bass learn to fret those notes because of the shorter interval distances and the “precision” intonation of the frets. So, play it however it works best for you.

 

[Five or Six]

Do what works for you like Matt said. Trying to emulate what someone else is doing may just screw you up?

 

[InhumanResource]

I don't slap bass but I do do octave pops. I always use my index on the low note, say G on the E string 3rd fret, and pinky or third on the octave G, D string 5th fret.

Here's the question. When I watch YouTube players their hand position seems to be in a guitar C shape with their 3rd finger on the low G, E string, and maybe the octave on the D string or The G string.

Is the C shape motown playing more appropriate?

If you’re playing clean and in time, you’re probably doing great unless there’s a problem like something hurts/is uncomfortable.

I usually set up “expecting” my first or second finger to be fretting initially, and then just adjust to the other fingers as appropriate with minimal shifts. I was taught the one finger per fret thing but I don’t strictly follow it, and I’m not sure everyone can really do it given differences in reach, instrument dimensions, and so on.

If it’s really bugging you, maybe post a short video of your fretting hand playing through a couple of exercises and in sure you will get PLENTY of feedback on which amp to buy.

 

[Dynacord]

I don't slap bass but I do do octave pops. I always use my index on the low note, say G on the E string 3rd fret, and pinky or third on the octave G, D string 5th fret.

Here's the question. When I watch YouTube players their hand position seems to be in a guitar C shape with their 3rd finger on the low G, E string, and maybe the octave on the D string or The G string.

Is the C shape motown playing more appropriate?

Jamerson was first an upright player, Kaye was first a guitar player, so their approach to electric bass is somewhat different.

Is your OP question about which left hand position to use for Motown? Doesn’t matter, it’s a what ever works for you thing. But for Jamerson, it would depend on overall economy of motion and intonation due to his DB training. If the bulk of the song has him playing in first position, he would likely stay in first and play the G octave as an open note as opposed to shifting around. Jamerson favored playing open A,D,G as opposed to stopped. Most bassists that start on electric bass learn to fret those notes because of the shorter interval distances and the “precision” intonation of the frets. So, play it however it works best for you.

As Matt says, Jamerson came from being a double bass player first. While his lines could be played with different techniques, if talking about how he positioned his left hand, I'd expect carrying over the double bass (rather than guitar) habit of centering the thumb on the back of the neck (rather than wrapping the thumb over, etc) and using that to pivot. This tends to make the middle finger at least equal to the index finger for the low notes though it's variable with the person, etc. And, as Matt also says, using open notes whenever possible (including sometimes when they don't theoretically fit).

 

[Whousedtoplay]

I think the OP has meant to say the following.
It's about the Left hand fingering starting, resting, "normal" position.
The OP's left hand fingering position is more like, "Ready to move down the fretboard," therefore, the OP's standard left-hand fingers "rest" in a position as
Index on G (E string) and Pinky around G (D string).

The OP has noticed that a lot of Youtube bass players, use their left-hand fingers resting, starting, playing in positions that reminded the OP of the guitar players' fingering of the C major chord where the Ring finger is on G (E string) and the middle finger is on E (D string).
It's like, "I'm going to utilize my left side of the fretboard."

(That's not my left hand fingers normal, resting, starting, usual, etc... position.)