3 finger right hand technique...

U

Uziel

Guest
i play bass with 3 fingers, but i don't know how to alternate my 1 and 2 when i play with only two fingers... and when switch from 2 to 3 fingers ?
help me please !

and what about "raking" with two fingers ?
 
Practice only 2 fingers until you get used to it, and then practice alternating 2/3 fingers. At the end, it doesn´t matter if you are always playing with 1,2,3,4,5 fingers, if it sounds good, with good fluency, it´s ok.

I play mainly 3 fingers, but when it comes to "string skipping", scales and this kind of stuff I play with 2. It´s easier to reach the lower strings.

I don´t know what is this raking you are talking about =P
 
Yup, like Higon I also use 3 fingers but switch to 2 for string skipping and sacales and the such. Experiment and see how you are most comfortable !

As for raking, well, I assume you refer to placing your finger on the higher strings and let it "rake" upwards to play the other strings ? (I wish I found a better way to explain this :p) If so, I use only one finger for that, and I don't know anything about raking with two fingers...
 
stickerhand.jpg
 
hahahah! oh that shocker...two in the pink, one in the stink.

back on topic though, have you guys seen the gorguts video on guitar.com? steve has a really interesting and unique way of playing the bass. he uses a lot of chords and does a combination of raking, strumming, and plucking.
 
Haha, funny. But am I like the only bassist here that uses only 2 fingers all the time? I mean it seems to work for me. I'm pretty damn speedy and getting faster everyday. Just for the hell of it I've started practicing the 3 finger technique as well.
 
I am practising scales using 3 fingers but changing finger each time.I am changing 1st to 2nd to 3rd to 2nd to 1st when descending and ascending scales.It is a method taken from classic guitar and helps very much at the speed and expanding the independecy of your fingers.Remember:You should always practise what you think it is difficult for you and first do it slow and then accelerate....
 
ok...

when you play from E to G string (ascending & descending) alternating 2 fingers (1 & 2), you do : E1 A2 D1 G2 D2 A2 E2... this is called racking...

when must we use 3 fingers :
- for 16th ?
- for triplets ?
must we still "racke" when we use 3 ?
 
Not nececeraly this is the most difficult thing, when you are going from G to D to A to E you must still alternate your fingers like before espesially in scale practising and not repeting the 2nd finger.Of course you should use your 3 fingers for 16th notes and for triplets.
 
Wouldnt using 2 fingers go against the entire concept of raking?

As for the 2 or 3 finger debate I dont really have much to offer you since I only play with 2 finger exept when I´m doint, string skippingn string jumpin or playing chords or arrpegios.

You seem to have a weird problem. It would make more sence to me to be fluent with 2 fingers before learning to play with 3(if you feel that that is necesery).