Switching from OFPF to 1-2-4 Left Hand Technique

[BassicJazzy]

All right, what we have here is a virtuoso double-bassist who says he will use 1-2-4, 1-3-4, and in higher positions 1-2-3-4 depending on what works best at the moment. Certainly in lower positions, using four fingers (and I think he does demonstrate using all four fingers in a chromatic run), requires some mini-shifts, just as using all four fingers in lower positions on electric bass would (though I'd call them micro shifts on electric and mini shifts on DB). And if one has the kind of playing experience he does, you're not going to lose the position or start playing out of tune from shifting the hand around.

But what I was saying is that for DB-primary players of more modest skill, mostly we go 1-2-4 or (less commonly)1-3-4 up to the neck heel on DB; and that in the lower positions on EB, that same fingering allows you to avoid the constant micro-shifts required in laying OFPF.

For EB-primary players, I expect (I can't speak from experience, I am NOT one) OFPF is the way to go in almost all positions, unless the scale length is just TOO much for some small-handed players.

In my case, using the same fingerings on EB and DB is suboptimal on EB, I know this, but I do it anyway because I don't have the time to commit to learning EB as a whole new and different instrument. If I became a virtuoso double-bassist, I am positive that I would find places where deviating from 1-2-4 even in lower positions would be helpful for certain passages. Certainly for me at this point in my life, and for many others, allowing the LH to flex all over the place is a risk of losing hand position and playing out of tune a lot.

Yeah, I agree. What I've found as I've gained proficiency, though by no means am I proficient, is I think a lot less about exactly what fingering and technique I am using. If my brain is "on" and doing it's job translating what I want to do into physical action from my fingers, "how" it gets done isn't important to me as long as it gets done. When I started playing in '72 at age 18 I obsessed about using alternating fingers on my plucking hand, using one finger per fret on my fretting hand, etc. The first thing that changed as I got much better was my plucking hand started running on automatic. Now I am finding the same to be true on my fretting hand. My ears tell me if everything is working or needs adjustment, and my fingers tell if I am using too much pressure and need to lighten up.

 

[pepj]

Half step, whole step is good to use.
It keeps all fingers working

But I tend to favour a finger per fret but don't get hung up on either. I'm focusing more on how it facilitates the next step.

 

[diwa130]

Definitively it makes absolutely sense to experiment with different fingering and use what is best for different passages, particularly faster ones. I use 1-2-3-4 fingering whenever possible and useful, with pivoting when needed. I understand that schools of db are teaching more traditional Simandl technique, but Rabath is a valid formal alternative. I play other instruments, cello, guitar(and piano that for fingering doesn't help of course). So I don't see why not giving a trying to use a more open hand approach, as long as intonation is accurate. It also depends, on hands and size of the fingerboard. But in many many cases, with just a bit of pivoting every one can get good results. In general I don't force it, I use it because is better to find notes all around and play more vertically, but sometimes , is not a good solution if you want a different sound along the string. Playing classical music, the bow, will enhance any intonation uncertainties, thus, it requires some practice to be very precise.