F I N G E R S T Y L E E

[Robin H]

Right, seeming as I've done a slap thread; here's the fingerstyle thread...

What techniques do you guys use?

I used to use my index and middle finger in Steve Harris-style galloping fashion. I then realised that you can use index, middle and ring fingers for triplets. For 4 notes, other bassists (geezer from Dream Theatre etc I believe) change the attack whilst using three fingers to accentuate the correct timing but I always found this difficult. Instead, I go:- ring-middle-index, then flick back with my index fingernail. It might be cheating but it sounds precisely the same and you can achieve IMMENSE speed!

Enjoy!

[Hunter]

I can do pretty much anything aside from like, bass shredding with two fingers, and I've been working on a three finger style, just for ease of playing, but it's not working too well.

[Robin H]

Which 3-finger style are you trying? I'll try to explain better.

I've recently realised that using your middle finger to flick back is far more natural to do. It is also far faster.

[ChrisTraverse]

I pick with all 4 fingers for megafast results. I learnt to use the little one cause I managed to get massive blood blisters on
03 the index and middle, and had a gig. The little fingers joints hurt like hell for a week after, but they are fine now and its fairly easy to do.

[bassplayerphill]

When I need some loud, thunderous bass, I pluck with both my index and my middle. It gets a nice "THMMP". If I want to do the shredding thing, I use my ring, middle, and index. Since I was originally a classical guitarist, that's not very hard. If I need to get really, really, really high BPM, I use all four. On occasion, I pinch my index and my thumb like I have a pick in my hand, and play with the fingernails to get that pick-y sound without a pick.

[funwith151]

I usually use the middle and index fingers, but when I want a gallop like sound ill use 3 fingers just one after the other.

[raven_bass]

less is more!
build up your speed with one finger, then add.
i use index middle and ring, but only for 16ths/32nds. as a rock bassist, sound consistency is king so 75% of the time ill use just index, adding a middle on turnarounds. i also downstroke with my thumb to accentuateone or two notes in a bar, and ill play downstrokes with my index fingernail to simulate pickstyle, palmute.
but mainly, its just the index

[Me on crack]

Originally posted by Robin H
geezer from Dream Theatre


:confused: :confused: :confused:

[Crank]

I've started working on my fingers alot lately. I've got the 3 finger thing, but more importantly i've got my index and middle to be really fast. One of my favorite things to do when i'm playing solo is using one of my unused fingers to hit a muted note in between notes. I call it a ghost note, though i'm not sure if that's correct. Basically it just adds a little "thump" on certain offbeats or in between notes to give my playing a more rhythmic feel. Anyone else try this? I don't think it would work well with a band because the "thumps" might become inaudible, but it can really liven up a bass line played solo.