"Rules" for alternating fingers in 2-finger plucking?

[buldog5151bass]

I don't think there are "rules". For three decades I began with my index finger on the downbeat, and regardless of staying on the same string or moving I would alternate. Last year I broke that finger, and spent months where I couldn't use it. Now I sometimes begin with index, sometimes with middle (we won't even get into the three-finger gallop).

Whatever works for you.

 

[James Collins]

 

[vindibona1]

In my experience, I ended not being able to submit my plucking hand to a set of artificial rules. The brain has its own way to resolve patterns and I got to the point that these patterns were in the way of what the hand naturally wanted to do... in other words, resutls were great, no discomfort and my strategy to adoctrinate my plucking technique was getting me the opposite results.

My only suggestion to consider is to add fingers (I use 4, T I M R) to enable your brain to “pull more resources” to work when they are needed.

I am very satisfied with the return of investment spent to lean how to use 4 fingers (similar to a classical guitar player) and I will recommend learning this to every bass player. You may choose to use 1 or 2 in 95% of your applications but having these tools available comes (no pun intended) very handy most of the time

I hope this helps, all the best,

Everything helps. At some point I'll begin more actively using "R". It should come fairly naturally as I began life as a guitarist with folks style finger picking and now play a fair amount of fingerstyle acoustic. What I didn't study as a guitarist was classical style with alternating IM in place of a pick. Also, with guitar (as I may have mentioned) I'ved worked on efficiency picking, so raking comes fairly naturally too. But at this moment, the alternating IM is my great weakness and I have to get a handle on that and didn't have any idea of what was considered proper right hand bass technique. I have learned a lot in the last month about nuances in bass. At some point I hope to become a good bass player. Thanks.

 

[JGbassman]

I do the alternating finger routing mostly for fast passages pertaining to economy of motion as was already said. I have a unconventional technique where I will also use my thumb, much like a classical guitarist playing finger style does at times so there are no absolute rules you have to follow.