mikekaperys Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 I've tried multiple times to get the 3 finger plucking technique down, but I'm really having trouble - I can't get my head around play a 4/4 bar with 3 fingers, having to start each new bar on a different finger. I've got enough strength and speed in my 3rd finger to do it, I just can't get my head around it. So my question is, does anyone have any tips or advice on how to get it down? I seem to only be able to gallop with 3 instead of playing a smooth 4 note bar. Cheers, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 there was an excellent/scary tutorial vid on youtube where John Myung covered this along with a whole host of other stuff...can't remember what it was called though but it was a series of youtube vids taken from his tutorial video Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 I use 4, it takes the thinking out if it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 [quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1367588381' post='2067308'] I use 4, it takes the thinking out if it. [/quote] You never play in 5/4, then..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1367590767' post='2067348'] You never play in 5/4, then..? [/quote] I have a thumb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikekaperys Posted May 3, 2013 Author Share Posted May 3, 2013 (edited) I'll have to look up that series, I think I remember seeing a few clips from it of him tapping and stuff. I can't imagine being able to play with 4 fingers! The speed! Edited May 3, 2013 by mikekaperys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 I can barely play properly with 2 fingers but on the odd occasion I've given 3 a try (and failed) I used the middle finger twice in each 4 note pattern so.... 1st-2nd-3rd-2nd or 3rd-2nd-1st-2nd so I was always starting with the same finger, it's not very natural but with plenty of practice could work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 That sort of defeats the object though. Billy Sheehan used to hav a fantastic explaination of how he does it on one of his videos, with awesomely bad hair everywhere, and terrible jumpers too IIRC.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Apologies I misunderstood and thought the idea was using more fingers to play faster I'll get my coat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 [quote name='mikekaperys' timestamp='1367592619' post='2067373'] I'll have to look up that series, I think I remember seeing a few clips from it of him tapping and stuff. I can't imagine being able to play with 4 fingers! The speed! [/quote] The laziness more like. I don't play that fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XB26354 Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 I spent ages trying to learn both 3 and 4 finger techniques before giving them up as gimmicks. Abe Laboriel was probably the initial inspiration and Gary Willis was an influence, but I could never get it to sound anything other than crap. From my point of view three fingers makes no sense, other than maybe for triplets on one string, and the players I've seen that use four fingers don't make a noise that interests me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 [quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1367599108' post='2067470'] Apologies I misunderstood and thought the idea was using more fingers to play faster I'll get my coat. [/quote] Yes, using 3 fingers allows you to play faster, because you use each finger less often, if you keep using the middle finger for every other pluck it is used as much as in a two finger technique, so the limitation is the same. Although using three fingers does make string crossing a little easier even then IMO. For me its not so much about raw speed though, I find I can cross strings far easier going up using three fingers than two, and I get more muting 'for free' from my right hand. I am a very strng believer that muting is a right and left hand thing, neither one nor the other takes precedent, for me, the left hand tends to mute the higher strings that arent played, and the right hand thumb (floating thumb technique on 5 strng is a must for me) tends to be in charge of stopping the fat strings resonating unwantedly. But the extra funger plucking away does also tend (for me a tleast) to mean I get a chance to do some other muting with the RH fingers too, that I just cant get to wok when only uising two fingers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumple Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Thanks for taking the time to explain 51m0n, much appreciated. Since moving over to 5 string basses a few years ago I've also been using the floating thumb technique with a lot of right hand muting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBus Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Does this help? [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96UF0TwIUmM&NR=1&feature=endscreen"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96UF0TwIUmM&NR=1&feature=endscreen[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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