Which 2+ Finger Technique?

[SC Bassboy]

How do you handle string dampening when playing with 4 fingers?

Like I said, that technique is for really fast passages, like you would hear a guitarist do when they "shred". So, there's not much string muting involved at that point aside from my ring finger touching the string above where I'm plucking. My right hand has to be at an extreme angle in order for the tips of the strumming fingers to be in plane, so any string muting there is accomplished by the fretting hand.

 

[sean_on_bass]

So this has me looking to adding a finger or two. Seems like index, middle and ring à la Billy Sheehan will get me closest to the sound I’m used to and that thumb + index, middle and ring à la Matt Garrison is more of a free stroke thing that sounds cool but maybe isn’t as applicable to most music.

Has anyone gone down this road? Was it worth it?

i tried for a bit but found that it never become natural for me and i didn't really need it to play the music i love. you mentioned Jamerson...he played with 1 finger. pretty much all the classic soul/funk plays used two fingers or less, so why do i need three? i'm not auditioning for Dream Theater anytime soon.

 

[Wasnex]

I do some very limited three finger plucking.

Patterns:
123123
321321
1232123

For sustained fast passages, two fingers works best for me. A three-finger approach may give me a short extra burst, but it hits a wall and slows down fairly quickly.

You can also use thumb with 2 or 3 fingers. Getting the thumb pluck so it sounds even doesn't work for me.

Final option is pick.

 

[cjac9]

i tried for a bit but found that it never become natural for me and i didn't really need it to play the music i love. you mentioned Jamerson...he played with 1 finger. pretty much all the classic soul/funk plays used two fingers or less, so why do i need three? i'm not auditioning for Dream Theater anytime soon.

Because I can’t play Jamerson or the other classic stuff with two, let alone one. If I could I wouldn’t be looking to add a finger. No Dream Theater for me either lol

 

[sean_on_bass]

Because I can’t play Jamerson or the other classic stuff with two, let alone one. If I could I wouldn’t be looking to add a finger. No Dream Theater for me either lol

to be honest i don't think adding the third finger will help, but i still encourage you to experiment with it. i don't think Jamerson lines will sound right using three finger technique. people tend to think that the third finger will somehow help them play faster, but the physics don't actually work that way IMO. you still have to alternate from one finger to another. what you can get though with 3 fingers is a sort of rolling effect that can be helpful for certain patterns, but not Motown.

i'd think harder about why Jamerson could pull that off with one finger. he did alot of string crossing and raking to get his sound. also just look to others to see how they do it, because there is a reason that the greatest funk/soul players did not need 3 finger technique and virtually zero players of those genres use it even today. it is usually relegated to insane metal patterns and fusion shredding. IMO YMMV

 

[Wyvern]

The fastest technique I have is one finger which I dub "Geddy finger" basically using your pointer or index to pluck and flick at light speed.

It will cramp up the forearm over time and takes a lot of practice to get both movements sounding even.

Practice Rush's "Animate" it's all Geddy/ flamenco picking, the cool thing is a delibrite nail flick sounds like a "pop"

Other than that, I use my ring for gallops or triplets, keeping fast single notes (I know zero music theory) with 3 fingers would be neigh impossible thanks to our biology.

 

[Metal Sombreros]

For me any kind of technique involving more than 2 fingers is for Entwistle type fills not much else. Playing a 4 note passage with 4 fingers makes zero sense.