While covering a song...

[beelzelboss]

The guys I jam with a few nights a week posed a good question for me. Since we mostly cover songs they always wondered why I played 3 finger technique compared to two fingers, like the original bass player did. I haven't really noticed a tonal difference, but should I go back to two just to make it "correct"?

~Craig

 

[Anesthesia]

it doesnt matter.

 

[basskopf]

it doesn't matter. if you are producing the correct tones, rhythm, harmonies, feel, etc. they shouldn't care about what technique you use.

james jamerson, to whom all modern bassists owe a great debt (he was on all the big motown hits) played only with ONE finger, thus they called him "the hook". i don't think anyone could or would want to repeat that fingerstyle, but it worked for him.

 

[Earthday]

There are cases where it would be helpful to study the bassist of the song you are learning and watching the intricacies of their playing. You just can't quite get Jon Entwistle's tone unless you play the way he played.

But 3 fingers vs. 2 doesn't matter as long as you are playing evenly and have command with all three.

 

[Horny Toad]

I'm amazed that the guys you play with pay any attention at all to your right hand technique.