I am learning how to play on all four fingers on the 4-string Bass. I can only do two fast at the moment. Do you guys have any pointers to help me out, because I am having some trouble trying to become coordinated with playing 4 fingers?
Any advice on Bass fingering?
- Thread starter Theredintheskyisours
- Start date
Ug, dont use 4 fingers. Some of the fastest bass players in the world only use 2. Personaly I like useing 3 fingers because i like those 30/1 notes. A good way to practice on fingering is to lay your hand palm down flat on a table, then keep a steady drum roll (like a snare) with your Index and Middle finger, and with your Tap once for every 4 times the index finger taps. Once you can do that for 5 mins solid, try this:
Lay your right hand down on a Table. Starting with your Ring finger, then Middle finger, then Index finger make a 1,2,3 roll "du du du". Get a Clock where u can see the Seconds and work your way from 4 beats a second to 30 beats a second. About 6 months before I saved up for my first bass I was Finger tapping on everything. Like most people use knuckles and wrists to make beats, you gotta use your fingers. If you have a drum Machine then Great!. Put on a reg 8/1 beat and follow the high hat with one finger, the snare with another finger, and the bass drumb with another finger.
You can try teaching yourself to use 4 fingers, but i hate to tell ya, Your Pinkey finger is 1 inch short of the longest finger. I play with 2, and when it comes down to hardcor riffs that require me to follow the meanest double bass roll out there, i use 3 (tempo 185ish).
Now when u master playing with your fingers, Come back and ask how to Slap. Slap is the fastest possable way to play Bass out there, and the hardest to learn.
Lay your right hand down on a Table. Starting with your Ring finger, then Middle finger, then Index finger make a 1,2,3 roll "du du du". Get a Clock where u can see the Seconds and work your way from 4 beats a second to 30 beats a second. About 6 months before I saved up for my first bass I was Finger tapping on everything. Like most people use knuckles and wrists to make beats, you gotta use your fingers. If you have a drum Machine then Great!. Put on a reg 8/1 beat and follow the high hat with one finger, the snare with another finger, and the bass drumb with another finger.
You can try teaching yourself to use 4 fingers, but i hate to tell ya, Your Pinkey finger is 1 inch short of the longest finger. I play with 2, and when it comes down to hardcor riffs that require me to follow the meanest double bass roll out there, i use 3 (tempo 185ish).
Now when u master playing with your fingers, Come back and ask how to Slap. Slap is the fastest possable way to play Bass out there, and the hardest to learn.
I tried this method at first, but it doesn't work.
O.k. I have to put these in numbers. The index finger is 1, the middle 2, and the ring finger 3.
I went like this on any fret:
3,2,1,2,1
and it said to do this for 5 minutes, but it didn't seem to help my coordination.
Also, is there a way to make two-fingers go faster on the Bass? I can reach maybe 100-300 BPM. I really have no idea how fast I can play the Bass, but I know it is significantly slower than a lot of Bassists out there. Is there a work-out routine to make me faster?
O.k. I have to put these in numbers. The index finger is 1, the middle 2, and the ring finger 3.
I went like this on any fret:
3,2,1,2,1
and it said to do this for 5 minutes, but it didn't seem to help my coordination.
Also, is there a way to make two-fingers go faster on the Bass? I can reach maybe 100-300 BPM. I really have no idea how fast I can play the Bass, but I know it is significantly slower than a lot of Bassists out there. Is there a work-out routine to make me faster?
Theredintheskyisours said:
If you say you're using all 4 fingers, I'm assuming that you're talking about using your pinky, correct? If so, disregard it. The pinky is not a strong finger for bass playing and it is also rarely used in guitar playing.
Try using your thumb, too. I play contrabass guitar with my school's guitar ensemble and most of the playing that I do (except for very aggressive playing that is indicated when I need to be playing forte rather than piano) is done with my thumb. It's also helped with a variety of songs that I'm playing with my current band and the material that I'm playing there. It adds to the range where some parts need a subtler touch than a hard attack.
Also, rather than focusing on playing fast right now, focus on playing correctly. Get a metronome or a drum machine and practice with that. When you can no longer hear your fingers strumming or picking the note and the only thing that you can hear is the high hat or drums, followed by the actual note, you're playing on the beat. Believe me, there's nothing more obnoxious in a band than a bassist that can't keep the groove tight with the drummer - unless the material that they're playing absolutely calls for it. Then, it's okay to be playing a little behind or in front of the beat.
You wana play faster, quicker. Dig this-
Relax your wrist, palm and fourarm. Dont think and breath regular. Think about anyone who's ever beat your ass. Think about your Father or Mother never giving you a thing. Think about someone wrapping their fingers around your throat, slowly chokeing the life away from your shitty soul. Think about anything that u hate, that hates you or that you wana kill. Keep relaxed and breath right. Remember how much you hate life, then hate your self. Build up this agressions then Get on that fucking bass, put a tempo of 180 and play harder and faster than you can. HOW? what'd u mean how? are you not making yourself mad enough? GET MAD DAMNIT. LIFE OR DEATH. PLay that fucking bass like your fingering a pussy. Watch the back rise off the bed and hear the sound of pleasure. Know if u stop she will hate you! You bass is your Woman, Pleasure her with everything you got.
I could Sit here and tell you hundreds of Methods of how to play faster, and when it comes down to it- Anger is the key.
Also its not all in your right hand. Your Frett hand is more important- thats where the speed comes in.
(And to what Bush Wacker said :Also, rather than focusing on playing fast right now, focus on playing correctly). I couldn't agree more.
I spent 3 months playing Blues only, 3 for classical, 3 for Jazz. and about 4-6 doing ONLY SLAPPING. This is what you have to do. If you cant do it, then practice the same riff for 2 hours streight, day after day until you get it.
And if you put the bass down before your 7 layers of skin peel off your finger tips, then your not trying hard enough.
Relax your wrist, palm and fourarm. Dont think and breath regular. Think about anyone who's ever beat your ass. Think about your Father or Mother never giving you a thing. Think about someone wrapping their fingers around your throat, slowly chokeing the life away from your shitty soul. Think about anything that u hate, that hates you or that you wana kill. Keep relaxed and breath right. Remember how much you hate life, then hate your self. Build up this agressions then Get on that fucking bass, put a tempo of 180 and play harder and faster than you can. HOW? what'd u mean how? are you not making yourself mad enough? GET MAD DAMNIT. LIFE OR DEATH. PLay that fucking bass like your fingering a pussy. Watch the back rise off the bed and hear the sound of pleasure. Know if u stop she will hate you! You bass is your Woman, Pleasure her with everything you got.
I could Sit here and tell you hundreds of Methods of how to play faster, and when it comes down to it- Anger is the key.
Also its not all in your right hand. Your Frett hand is more important- thats where the speed comes in.
(And to what Bush Wacker said :Also, rather than focusing on playing fast right now, focus on playing correctly). I couldn't agree more.
I spent 3 months playing Blues only, 3 for classical, 3 for Jazz. and about 4-6 doing ONLY SLAPPING. This is what you have to do. If you cant do it, then practice the same riff for 2 hours streight, day after day until you get it.
And if you put the bass down before your 7 layers of skin peel off your finger tips, then your not trying hard enough.
O.k. I'll try your method, but I am going to kill you if my Bass strings break hehe!
That would be funny to see someone get so mad that they rip the strings right out and smash the guitar over the amp.
That would be funny to see someone get so mad that they rip the strings right out and smash the guitar over the amp.
\m/Jason\m/
Member
For playing fast in a decent way I'll suggest you to practise your technique slowly first. Be aware of a sloppy playin style with putting up the tempo to fast. Build up speed step by step and don't do the same thing for 2 hours without taking a break.
Playing with four finges is not impossible, but first you have to find a comfrotable way of holding your bass
Playing with four finges is not impossible, but first you have to find a comfrotable way of holding your bass
I find 4 Fingers it alittle difficult, its hard to get your Little finger up to speed, it isnt really useful either. I find 2 fingers is the fastest, but I use 3 fingers pretty often, gets better groves I find, but 4 fingers...Always get bum notes...
