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I get so stoked when I receive your emails and comments about Bass Survival 101! Lately there have been countless requests for a lesson on improving your finger-plucking technique. (Note: I do not want to offend any left-handed bassists, but to make things easier, I will refer to the plucking hand as the "right hand".) As many of you know, if you do not have a well-developed right hand fingering technique, your road to mastering the bass will be fraught with frustration and flubbed notes. On the other hand, if you spend time honing your plucking technique, you will find that hard this will become easier, and the impossible will become possible. What I am telling you is that it is a valuable investment of time to work on your right hand skills.
Although there are several ways to pluck the bass, I will focus on the most common technique - the two-finger, alternating, technique. This technique is simple in concept: You use your index and middle fingers to strike the strings, and you always alternate between the two. Novice players rarely have trouble with the two-finger part of this technique, but they sometimes struggle with the "always alternating" part. The reason that you should always alternate between the index and middle fingers is because it sounds smoother and allows you to play faster. Some bassists like to "rake" the strings when they are playing from the higher pitched strings down to the lower pitched strings. (Raking is a term where a player uses one finger to play down all the strings.) While this may seem economical, it is often When using the two-finger technique, you can anchor your thumb in one place (Figure 1), have a moveable anchor (Figure 2) or use a free-floating technique (Figure 3). Anchoring your thumb in one place is very popular because it gives you a point of reference that never changes. Hard rock and metal players like this technique because the anchor gives them more power and helps them play as they leap around the stage.
The moveable anchor technique still gives you power, but it helps to keep the strings that you are not playing quiet. When you are playing the E string (or B string for your fivers out there) you anchor your thumb on the pickup or thumb rest. When you play the A string, you move your thumb so that it rests on the E string (keeping it from vibrating and adding noise). When you play the D string, you then rest your thumb on the A string. (Some people will rest their thumb on the A string, but will let the side of their thumb touch the E string to keep it quiet (Figure 4). This moveable anchor technique is perfect for the studio because it keeps the sympathetic vibrations under control.
The free-floating technique is not widely used, but those who employ it are ardent supporters of it. Basically, you do not anchor your thumb to any point on the bass and allow your hand to "float" over the strings. Proponents of this technique like the freedom of it, but will admit that they can play with a lot of power.
Regardless of the technique you choose, here are some exercises that you can use to improve your speed, consistency and power. You can mute the strings with your fretting hand and that will help you to just focus on your plucking hand. The main thing to remember is to always alternate between the index and middle fingers. Never play two consecutive notes with the same finger. (For simplicity sake, all exercises are written for a 4-string bass. You can easily expand them for 5 or more strings.) The "i" stands for index finger and the "m" stands for middle finger.
Exercise One: Exercise Two: Exercise Three: Exercise Four: Start each exercise slowly and use a metronome to ensure your consistency. When you feel like you are playing smoothly and you are always alternating, speed up the tempo gradually. In a short amount of time your technique will be strong and agile, and your overall playing will be better.
Every time I teach a class or conduct a clinic regarding proper finger technique, it seems to stir up controversy. Here are a few common questions that I get, and my replies:
Q: You are teaching us a two-finger technique, where you always alternate fingers. Yet, I see many famous players who use one finger, or they don't always alternate. Which way is right?
Q: If using two fingers is good, are three fingers better? What about four?
Q: Can I learn and use more then one technique?
Good luck with your studies and email me with your questions! Until next time... Stay Tuned!
hard to play cleanly and it can be hard to control. Think of this: When you are running down the stairs you would never think of using your left foot, left foot, right foot, left foot, left foot, left foot, etc. Not only would this slow you down, you would probably fall down! If you just dedicate yourself to consistently alternating, you will play with more agility and control.
A: There really is no "right" way. Some amazing bassists play perfectly well using a wide variety of techniques. I am reminded about a conversation I had with a known player who had a rather erratic right hand style. I asked him if he thought his technique was the best way. He said, "No way! It took me over 20 years to get to where I could play quickly and smoothly. Kids that learn the right way to do can get there in a matter of months." That really gave me food for thought.
A: A long time ago Steve Bailey blew my mind with just what you could do by playing with three fingers. In my opinion, Steve has the greatest three-finger technique on the planet. Gary Willis is also a Jedi Master at it. I tried to learn both their techniques when I took lessons with them, but it never felt comfortable to me. My advice: Try every technique that you can, and choose the one that fits your style.
A: Absolutely! It will take work and discipline, but you will have more tools and, therefore, more flexibility.
