Steve's 3 finger technique

[rumbler]

hey all,
This is a question for steve and the 3 finger technique he has on his site, but if anyone else can help answer it please do.

The technique that Steve uses has the middle finger doing twice as much work as the other 2 fingers involved. 1-2-3-2 or 3-2-1-2. Many bass players use a different technqiue that I cannot explain (billy sheehan uses it and many others as well). I was talking a friend of min ewho uses 3 fingers and he says he is no way to critcise Steves technique but he says he feels it would make your picking sloppier by tiring out the middle finger. What do you guys think about this? oh and when steve says tilt your wrist angle to accomodate the smaller fingers wtf does he mean?lol. I try to tilt my wrist angle but I do not know which way since the middle finger is longer than the other 2 fingers. If anyone could answer this post I would really appreciate it and I would also love to hear what other 3 finger techniques are out there for someone who is not comfortable with the Digiorgio way.

Thanks to all
Andrew

 

[HippieOfDoom]

Man...I'd hate to have to only live by one lesson column. That was only an exercise in one technique. True the middlefinger is moving twice as much in that particular example. But I use the "whatever" technique principally. I use two fingers alternately, and I use three in a 3-2-1 3-2-1. Come to think of it, I can't even begin to analyze any one technique to any finite detail. There's too much string skipping, too much short and varied passages, I mean theoretically how can one use "a technique" in any kind of music? I would advise anyone out there who is trying to nail me to that one lesson to just pay more attention to accents and not which finger is going in which order. Would you all trust me still if I just said that I really don't know exactly what my fingers are doing all the time...? Take the anaolgy of driving a car...you need to look at the road ahead rather than looking right at the road in front of the car to keep from steering all crazy. Just play bass with the goal of a kick ass linear passage rather than trying to dwell on the mechanics. I'll try to re-title the lesson column I made as strictly as an exercise and warmup and not something that needs to be associated as the one and true method of Steve.
SDG

 

[MaskedJackal]

Well put, Steve. I didn't wonder about the middle finger tiring out so much as I did whether you constantly abided by the 3-2-1-2 idea you mentioned in the column.

 

[rumbler]

Hey steve,
Thanks for the reply man I really appreciate it, and as I said I think your technique is pretty sick and I have been doing everything I can to help me better myself at it. I also practice beating em on a table too like you say. Anyways I'm a bit upset as to why you Sadus isn't coming to the Opera House in Toronto with Destruction because I really wanted to see you live. Well I hope you come to Toronto soon and once again thanks for your response!!!

Andrew

 

[rumbler]

oh shit... I just read my post now and the way I worded things sounds like I'm a complete asshole ragging on Steve's technique. Damn that is why I am failing english. Well Steve if you read this again I hope you realize I wasn't tryin to be an asshole and that I really love like any song you play on. Sorry I made it seem like I did not know what I was saying. and if you do read this again can you please tell me what you mean by tilt you wrist to accomodate the shhort fingers? And I totally agree on the whole technique not just being one way and not just for the sake of technqiue but for the sake of being able to express yourself. That is why I want to learn this so I can do some insane tremolo like you do! Anyways see ya later

Thanks for your time
Andrew

 

[Frank the tank]

can you guys just run your fingers to a metronome?