What most guitar players know about playing bass can fit inside a thimble. Heck, what most guitar players know about playing guitar can fit inside a thimble. Tell him to shut up and play his guitar and leave the bottom end to you.
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Using the thumb in fingerstyle - bad?
- Thread starter steamthief
- Start date
No, use what you like, your guitarist is ********, and I think I read somewhere (wikipedia I think) that Alex Webster (of Cannibal Corpse) does 5 finger walks sometimes 
ummmm has he ever heard of double thumming? well probably not actualy but you cannot do it without your thum
There is also a post over in the "You Tube Finds" thread with an Italian fellow named Vinchenzo who has an extrodinary finger/thumb style and he is quite good!
I play classical guitar, and i'm 99% sure appoyando means the "usual" or most used way of plucking on bass. It implies to plucking the string so that the finger stops on the next string. If anyone knows this for 100% certainty please say so.
And steamthief, i'm guessing your guitarist has never played without a pick. Any guitarist should know that it's one of the most versatile techniques out there...
Clearly the guitarist is a pr!ck, he wouldnt like it if you tried to tell him you dont like his technique, and lets face it he cant be that bothered or he wouldnt have you playing in the band
As best I can recall, you're correct. Apoyando = rest stroke, tirando = free stroke.
Oh yeah, almost forgot ... yes, the guitarist was an idiot.
I mostly use a thumb-plus-two-fingers technique also, but today my bass instructor (player with 25 years of professional experience) STRONGLY encouraged me to lose the thumb; i.e. just anchor the thumb on top of the pickup and use fingers. Now after reading this thread, I'm not so sure. 
He is very particular about technique. He also hates to see my fretting-hand-thumb on the side of the neck (as seen in the TalkBass header pic on the top of every page).
He is very particular about technique. He also hates to see my fretting-hand-thumb on the side of the neck (as seen in the TalkBass header pic on the top of every page).
I CUT THE TENDONS IN ALL FOUR FINGERS....CLEAR TO THE BONE.......ALL I HAVE LEFT IS MY THUMB AND VERY SLIGHT USE OF THE INDEX.......I STILL MAKE IT THROUGH MOST SONGS.....WONDER HOW YOUR GUITAR PLAYER WOULD LIKE ME................TELL HIM IF HE'S SO SMART..THEN HOW COME HE AIN'T RICH OR FAMOUS....LATER....BOOGIEBASSBILLY
I say your guitarist is a tard.
I'm a self taut bass player too and my fingering is weird... I'm actually trying to get out of it because I think it's a bad habit.
What ever string I'm play I have my thumb resting on the lower string. For exaple, if I'm play on the D string my thumb is on A.
I think it slows me down =(
I'm a self taut bass player too and my fingering is weird... I'm actually trying to get out of it because I think it's a bad habit.
What ever string I'm play I have my thumb resting on the lower string. For exaple, if I'm play on the D string my thumb is on A.
I think it slows me down =(
I think your teacher, and others with a similar opinion, is more concerned about getting a consistent sound, or attack. Even just using your index and middle fingers, if they're of drastically different strengths, will give you a different tone. Throw the thumb in the mix, and you can end up with a sloppy sounding bass line. HOWEVER, some bassists have practiced this until they can get the same sounding attack regardless of which finger they use on their plucking hand (i.e. Abe Laboriel, Sting, etc..)I mostly use a thumb-plus-two-fingers technique also, but today my bass instructor (player with 25 years of professional experience) STRONGLY encouraged me to lose the thumb; i.e. just anchor the thumb on top of the pickup and use fingers. Now after reading this thread, I'm not so sure.
This is because if you learn proper fret-hand technique, you won't experience fatigue in your hands as quickly. (Trust me on this one. I have TERRIBLE fret-hand technique.)
My teacher actualy ncourages thistechnique because it lets you play wth all five fngers and get maximm speed and versitility
Sting also uses the thumb on his left hand to fret notes on the E string! Personally, I coundn't care less what technique someone uses to play any instrument. All that matters to me is how it sounds.
Tell your guitar player to stop watching you play. Tell him it creeps you out!
Tell your guitar player to stop watching you play. Tell him it creeps you out!
Sting plays like that, And you can hardly call him a terrible bassist.
