Two fingers on fretting hand

[Yannick Yoran]

It is, to me, much more confortable to play with only my index and middle finger on the fretting hand, and I seem to be able to play faster this way, but I've been playing for a few weeks only.

I also do not bend my wrist when I'm playing this way, as I would do if I were to use all my fingers.

Should I play the way that feels confortable, or should I force myself to learn the "normal" way, the one with 3-4 fingers?

 

[Mushroo]

Lots of pro players use only 1 or 2 fingers on their left hand. If it's working for you, no worries. Eventually as you learn more difficult songs, you'll learn more advanced technique.

Do you have a teacher, and if so, what does your teacher think of your plan to only use 2 fingers?

 

[saabfender]

Why handicap yourself right out of the gate? I’d recommend using all four fingers on the left hand and the three middle ones on the right. Now’s the time to build good habits or sloppy, limiting ones. The choice is yours.

You don’t need to pay a guy to sit across from you to say “knock it off!” Free: right here. Beside, admit it; you already know what the right thing to do is.

 

[saabfender]

Lots of pro players use only 1 or 2 fingers on their left hand. If it's working for you, no worries. Eventually as you learn more difficult songs, you'll learn more advanced technique.

Do you have a teacher, and if so, what does your teacher think of your plan to only use 2 fingers?

Lots of pro players only use one finger on the fretting hand? Do tell.

 

[Mushroo]

Lots of pro players only use one finger on the fretting hand? Do tell.

There are plenty of easy songs that the OP can play with 1 or 2 left hand fingers. This will allow him to get a few tunes under his belt, feel good about his progress, jam with his friends, join a band, and start gigging.

@Yannick Yoran : The vast majority of bassists do not use all 4 fingers equally. If you are interested in learning the "one finger per fret" technique someday, there will be plenty of time for that. But using all 4 fingers is not a necessary technique for you, as an absolute beginner, to start learning easy songs.

Here are a couple to get you started:

 

[bolophonic]

OP, I always, 100% defer to what is most comfortable and ergonomic for me, due to general physical wear and tear issues. However, after 30 years of playing, I basically have eight fingers and two thumbs at my disposal to hit any given note. So, I recommend trying to advance your skills at a comfortable pace, but you should always be pushing yourself to achieve more.

 

[donotfret]

I also do not bend my wrist when I'm playing this way, as I would do if I were to use all my fingers.

Your wrist should be relaxed no matter how you play (and even if you didn't mention anything about it, I'll add that the thumb should be relaxed too). In that sense you shouldn't do anything uncomfortable. But if you don't start building up chops - both strength and technique - you will never feel comfortable.

Practical suggestion: start practising the one-finger-per-fret technique higher up the neck where you don't need to stretch. Then gradually work your way down where it is indeed a bit of an effort unless you have massive hands. Like every workout it takes time.

 

[two fingers]

It is, to me, much more confortable to play with only my index and middle finger on the fretting hand, and I seem to be able to play faster this way, but I've been playing for a few weeks only.

I also do not bend my wrist when I'm playing this way, as I would do if I were to use all my fingers.

Should I play the way that feels confortable, or should I force myself to learn the "normal" way, the one with 3-4 fingers?

Welcome to TalkBass!!!!

I am not on your fretting hand.

 

[JZQuantum]

Use all 4 fretting hand fingers, fretting 1 2 3 4, 1 finger on each fret. And do not put your thumb over the top of the fretboard like a guitar would do.

Start here then by much practice other techniques will come to you with time. Transposing a lot of songs will help develop your technique too.

YouTube is your friend on this, too. In my day before the internet, I read Bass Player magazine for insights about this kind of thing...yes the paper stuff they send you in the mail.

 

[FunkHead]

I'm the opposite. I use all 5 fingers on both hands.

 

[StatesideRambler]

It is, to me, much more confortable to play with only my index and middle finger on the fretting hand, and I seem to be able to play faster this way, but I've been playing for a few weeks only.

The last clause speaks loudly.

I also do not bend my wrist when I'm playing this way, as I would do if I were to use all my fingers.

A bit of time with a competent teacher can prevent this.

Should I play the way that feels confortable, or should I force myself to learn the "normal" way, the one with 3-4 fingers?

Do not "force" anything. Learning to do something properly needs no force, is worth the effort and you'll get better faster if you do.

 

[nnnnnn]

It is, to me, much more confortable to play with only my index and middle finger on the fretting hand

How do you manage bass lines that have notes two or three frets apart? Especially down near the nut where the frets are wider.
How do you manage chromatic runs that have three or four different notes in a row on the same string?

If I had to I could get by fretting with just my index and pinky, but not with just index and middle fingers.

 

[onosson]

I've been playing for a few weeks only.

I can't imagine making any sort of a firm decision on how to go about doing something that I've been working on for such a short amount of time. Also, I think you will find that, on any instrument, what is "comfortable" will change immensely over time.

 

[thewildest]

Django Reinhardt only needed two fingers

 

[CentralCoastBass]

Django Reinhardt only needed two fingers

That reply took a little longer than I expected

 

[nnnnnn]

That reply took a little longer than I expected

Maybe it was typed with only two fingers?

 

[interp]

You are at the stage of your development where habits are being formed. Restricting your fretting hand to using one or two fingers is a bad habit and will take a LOT of effort to correct later.

The fact that some players use one or two fingers is completely irrelevant.

 

[Kiril Basso]

Use all of your fingers. I've developed a bad habit of not using my ring finger, took months to fix it.

 

[lfmn16]

Should I play the way that feels confortable, or should I force myself to learn the "normal" way, the one with 3-4 fingers?

Get a good teacher. Unless you have some kind of physical issue, there is no reason you shouldn't be able to play comfortably with four fingers on your left hand.

 

[Feral Feline]

Lots of pro players use only 1 or 2 fingers on their left hand.

Especially south-paws!


@Yannick Yoran : Do whatever works best for you. If you're able to get across the ideas that you want in your own way, all the more power to you.

However... If you're unable to make the music that's inside your head come out of there the way you want it to sound to others, then you'll need to change your game plan.