Fretting conflict

[MFD]

I've learned to play bass one finger by fret. My teacher believes in skipping the third finger and use the fourth most of the time. It's supposed to be more powerful than the third when mastered.

Opinions? Is there a right way to do it, or is it individual?

[Bilbo]

It's personal. The one finger per fret is very common but a relatively new innovation and three fingers were used by many of the greats in the past on some of the most important bass recordings of all time. Double bass players mostly use three fingers (a small number use four). After 33 years of playing, I don't think it matters as much as you think. Most players I know have muchmore technique than they know how to use so the discussion is academic. It is the difference between playing to play great music and playing to impress people at parties. The miniscule differences it makes in the overall delivery of the music is too nuanced for most people to care.

Interestingly, I have occasionally tried to play with one finger, as an exercise. YOu woudl be surprised how much you can execute with just one finger on your left hand. Django Reinhardt had only two usable fingers in his left hand and defined a genre of guitar players! Necessity is the mother of invention.

[jakenewmanbass]

I would be fluent in both.
I use 1 2 4 in the lower frets for reach
1 2 3 4 as I get up to 5th fret

[lobematt]

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1381401450' post='2238458']
I would be fluent in both.
I use 1 2 4 in the lower frets for reach
1 2 3 4 as I get up to 5th fret
[/quote]

Me too, pretty much! When I'm walking in the lower end 1 2 4 does feel more comfortable and when I get right up the dusty end I usually just use 1 2 3 and sometimes 4. In the middle where most of my playing gets done I do stick quite closely to the 1 finger per fret method. I think at the end of the day it's whatever works for you.

[Marc S]

I've always used all four,
but I've recently taken up the double bass
Many tutors of the DB seem to advocate only using 1 2 4
but try as I might, I can'y help but use the 3rd finger.....

I just can't kick the habit!
Whatever works best for the individual....

[MFD]

My teacher also plays double bass, so it makes sense. Thanks, I'll experiment a bit.

[Bilbo]

Best way, my friend

[louisthebass]

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1381401450' post='2238458']
I would be fluent in both.
I use 1 2 4 in the lower frets for reach
1 2 3 4 as I get up to 5th fret
[/quote]
This works for me .

[Gazza 2905]

[quote name='lobematt' timestamp='1381415818' post='2238771']
When I'm walking in the lower end 1 2 4 does feel more comfortable and when I get right up the dusty end I usually just use 1 2 3 and sometimes 4. In the middle where most of my playing gets done I do stick quite closely to the 1 finger per fret method.
[/quote]

This exact same method works for me too.

[chris_b]

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1381401450' post='2238458']
....I use 1 2 4 in the lower frets for reach
1 2 3 4 as I get up to 5th fret....
[/quote]

+1

I could play 1, 2, 3 but I, 2 and 4 would be my preferred fingering. It depends on what I'm playing, how the line moves and where I am on the neck.

Your teacher is right 1,2 and 4 are the stronger fingers and generally involve less stretching.

[jazzyvee]

I'm coming from a guitar playing background of learning one finger per fret so that generally is how I find myself playing bass naturally. I'm planning on taking up double bass next year so that could give me problems if I have to start doing 1 2 4.

Jazzyvee

[fatback]

[quote name='jazzyvee' timestamp='1386604883' post='2302048']
I'm coming from a guitar playing background of learning one finger per fret so that generally is how I find myself playing bass naturally. I'm planning on taking up double bass next year so that could give me problems if I have to start doing 1 2 4.

Jazzyvee
[/quote]

Two different considerations are at play in this debate, I think. The first is physical, and there's no doubt that the third finger used on its own is prone to injury. At the lower end 124 is more sensible from that point of view.

The second consideration is to do with how your mind works, and that's maybe where you're concerned about moving to upright and having to change fingering. There, 124 vs 1234 is not the problem; the problem is the change in coverage, ie the change from 2 tones to 1 1/2 tones and the resulting change in the pattern you use for playing and thinking about scales.

The solution that worked for me was to learn to play 124 but with a thumb pivot that allowed me to keep my old 1234 patterning. If you want to make the upright transition relatively easy, then restrict yourself to three or four thumb positions only. You can cover all the lower half of the board from there.

I know people will (rightly) say that playing by pattern is a bad thing, but it does take time to move away from patterns to the point when you can finger anything in any way. The thumb pivot approach also means that you can pretty well instantly transfer anything you play on bass guitar to upright. The fingering won't be the most efficient (you won't be using enough open strings, probably) but it will work out of the box.

Health warning - I'm a learner not a teacher, and some if not most double bass teachers may not like the pivot method at all. I know I make people tut tut when I suggest it. It's mostly suitable imo for people going from 1234 on fretless to the upright, and it saved me oceans of frustration and Simandl-induced boredom.