Does anyone here pluck their bass strings with 3 fingers (index, middle, ring)?
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Three finger plucking?
- Thread starter Axtman
- Start date
I do, mainly for fast gallops but also percusivley for ghost notes. I tend to lead the grouping of 3 notes with my ring finger.
Yep. A-M-I all day, a la Billy Sheehan and Alex Webster.
I do. Each next finger I get 2 choices instead of 1. 1-3 is also handy for repeating octave jumps.
IIRC I first read about it from Gary Willis.
IIRC I first read about it from Gary Willis.
Yep, got to do this if your going to play iron maiden without a pick
Occasionally I will.
It's a work in progress though.
Trying to work my way up to using 4 fingers...
It's a work in progress though.
Trying to work my way up to using 4 fingers...
When something is possible to be played with one finger it will be done. When I need two I use two. When necessary - I rarely need three - I use three, or four (pinky), and even my thumb can join in the "dance" if necessary, as is done with classical guitar techniques. All for the music! No limitations, but always looking for simplicity, just what is necessary.
Yes. Way back in high school, I met an older, adult player showed me how to utilize the ring finger on my plucking hand and gave me some exercises to develop smoothness moving across strings. I've gotten a little rusty with it in recent years, but it comes back easily if I work on it a bit.
No, but I lost half of my middle finger and it took some time learn to use the ring finger instead. No priblem on my Fenders, but a nuisance on upright
Yep. It's a very efficient technique once you get the hang of how to keep track of your one in different meters (i.e. four vs five).
Three's my default, but depending on the music, I might use two or four as well. I've never been able to make five work for me.
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Sometimes though I'll be more apt to use thumb, index and middle fingers. I think that's a carry over from the Travis picking technique which I use when I play/pick acoustic guitar.
I do. Mostly for fast lines/fills. Otherwise, I'm 2 fingers raking, or thumb, index middle palm muting.
I used to till I lost my ring finger. I tried to substitute with my pinky but couldn’t adjusts. I do ok just using 2 fingers and occasionally the thumb but it’s not the same
Sometimes. But it's rare to use it live.
I practice it a bit, just to be ready.
Besides the gallop, I'll practice it as 16th notes, like
RMIR MIMI RMIR MIMI
Or RMIR MIRM IRMI RMIM
trying to keep it smooth and even.
I practice it a bit, just to be ready.
Besides the gallop, I'll practice it as 16th notes, like
RMIR MIMI RMIR MIMI
Or RMIR MIRM IRMI RMIM
trying to keep it smooth and even.
I had hurt my index finger so it was out of commission for a while. I used middle and ring and now that I’ve got full use of my index finger I use all three and sometimes four.
