Fingering

[bassbiscuits]

I started out listening to Steve Harris and grew up on Iron Maiden's Live After Death video, so I warned to learn three fingers from the outset ( tho I think Harris uses all four!)

Ive got it sounding quite smooth with the three providing a continuous strum pattern, but I don't often really need to use three for the speed of it with the music I play nowadays.

I don't reall think that much about what my right hand pattern is to be honest - I bet half the time I'm using just my index or index/middle or any random one of the three main fingers!

[M@23]

I only use the third for playing triplets. Otherwise it's two all the way. I like the thumb for palm muted stuff too.

[BottomE]

[quote name='MrBump' timestamp='1459417536' post='3016275']
[b]My guitarist mentality states that more is better[/b] - therefore, when I started to learn bass I was keen to use as many fingers as I could on my right hand,
[/quote]
Once you drop the guitarist mindset it should become clearer. Bass is a supporting instrument - no need to thrust - put foot on monitor and drown everyone out. Sit back and enjoy the groove. Most of the bass playing gods managed to sound fantastic using 2 fingers - i wouldn't worry about that really. The position of your fretting hand is probably more important than the number of digits used.

Yamaha BB range are nice basses.

[Iain]

I spent about 15 hours over the Easter weekend working on a bunch of Maiden songs and working through different techniques to balance ease/speed/consistency - 2 and 3 fingers and plectrum.

The Trooper has made it's way onto my band's list so it's a good one to work on - three fingers had the gallop feel nicely but wasn't punchy enough. Pick is fine, tight and has the feel. Two fingers took a lot more work to get up to speed but has the pick-level of attack.

Then I moved on to "The Evil That Men Do" which is still a gallop/triplet feel but faster - fractionally. Pick technique went to pieces, two fingers was a mess but three was acceptable.

It's just about practise, practise and more practise and sing what works reliably for you. Having a wider range of techniques you can trust is a good thing.

[LiamPodmore]

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1459514324' post='3017303']
I started on guitar and still play it a bit, both plectrum and finger picking. On bass I use one or two fingers, occasionally a pick, and occasionally thumb and two fingers - for some reason I don't do thumb and three fingers like I do on guitar. There's no one right way, just be prepared to experiment with technique for each song.
[/quote]

He uses two most of the time, occasionally will use all 4 as one giant finger though. I mostly use two or a pick, though i would say it's worth being able to play with three, just because triplets are easier and it can help in faster sections, but it isn't an essential.

Edited April 2, 2016 by LiamPodmore

[discreet]

Another disappointing thread title...

[quote name='timhiggins' timestamp='1459519982' post='3017375']
Just Google 'fingering' and you'll find some interesting stuff!
[/quote]

Quite.

[toneknob]

Steve Harris only uses two, confirmed in his recent interview with Bass Player magazine.

I use a three-finger technique 99% of the time, but ring finger is used for string damping and first note-plucking when moving up a string. a bit like what Gary Willis does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f5tD9L3h1M

(don't look too hard at the youtube channel name)

[Ceebass]

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1459607412' post='3018052']
Steve Harris only uses two, confirmed in his recent interview with Bass Player magazine.

I use a three-finger technique 99% of the time, but ring finger is used for string damping and first note-plucking when moving up a string. a bit like what Gary Willis does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f5tD9L3h1M

(don't look too hard at the youtube channel name)
[/quote]
An interesting thing about Gary Willis' right hand technique is the angle of his wrist- it's totally straight! On his DVD he says that this reduces tension and fatigue, which makes a lot of sense to me. I've tried his hand position instead of my standard crooked wrist position, but I can't seem to get an even attack with both fingers... Must persevere 😐
For most stuff I use two fingers, but I practice with three for some situations (fast grace notes/ runs and string crossing).

[FinnDave]

I've only ever used two fingers (until recently, when an injury has forced me to use a pick instead).