Jezyorkshire Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 i mainly use my ist finger to pluck, i have been experimenting with using the 2nd finger but i dont like the sound, it has a less solid tone and has a bit of a squeak to it, anyone else have issues or overcame them, are there players who sound great with just one finger? thanks, Jez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 (edited) Look up James Jamerson. He was the bass player for the Motown House band in the 60s and 70s. His index finger was called 'The Hook' and he was a great (some say the greatest) bass player. This is a guy playing a Jamerson bassline with just his index finger like James. Although personally, most people find it easier to use two fingers. So if I were you I'd persevere [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW6j4668IpU[/media] Edited February 13, 2014 by gjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jezyorkshire Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 aye, know mr jamerson plays with one finger, but you may have failed to notice this is the DOUBLE BASS section mate, no prob though , thanks for replying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 I struggled with this as well. My solution was to practice playing with my second finger on it's own until it felt comfortable and I could play the notes cleanly. It took a few weeks until it felt 'right' and then I bought my first finger back into play. Problem sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassfunk Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 I too mainly play with one finger, or sometimes both at the same time for extra volume. But on quicker passages I use two and have to rotate my hand more towards being horizontal rather than vertical (if that makes sense) I find because there is less time between the notes the sound isn't as important, but it certainly has improved with practice and if I concentrate can get a pretty even tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immo Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 I usually play with only one (index) finger too and often use the middle finger only to mute the strings. And I play much faster with one finger than with two! But I can play with two, I just find using one finger more comfy. If a master like James Jamerson was playing skillfully with one finger, a peon like me can do it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timo Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 I tend to play with one but get an even sound with two (at least I think I do, going to be more critical next time I get the bass out). Oddly though I recently noticed that I've drifted to predominantly using my middle finger rather than index which I always used to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hathernman Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Like others replying, I use index finger predominently, but revert to 2 fingers at 90 degrees to strings for faster passages, similar to BG technique. Not as rich or full a sound as I can't get sufficient pull on the strings to get full volume and tone. Incidentally, James Jamerson also used a 'flcking' technique with his 'hook' for faster stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 [quote name='Jezyorkshire' timestamp='1392255634' post='2366611'] aye, know mr jamerson plays with one finger, but you may have failed to notice this is the DOUBLE BASS section mate, no prob though , thanks for replying! [/quote]His technique came from his upright playing which also featured on some of his Motown work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtroun Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 A couple of thoughts on this topic. On the whole I try to use one finger for consistency of sound and timing. My first teacher always said to lead with the second (weaker) finger so that your first finger is the last one to strike, an important part of jazz articulations imo (sorry if I didn't explain that well) I also frequently find myself at gigs digging in with both fingers (kind of like the hook) to get the maximum acoustic volume out of the instrument. What is hard to explain is the technique for getting the most sound out of the instrument, something which is very unlike bass guitar technique. It's particularly awkward when using the second finger. Your main ally for playing the double bass is arm weight and the tendency is to rely on the wrist when playing fast passage work. Of course there's nothing wrong with deploying the variety of different sounds you can get from the bass, but in terms of jazz pizz it's very important to master pulling the volume from the string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spencer.b Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Check out Ben Wolfe he absolutely kills it with 1 finger , solo at about 6 30 where he's playing 8ths. He's one of my favourites,gut strings, never uses a pick up and always has a great sound http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIBlMHCQQ78 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Ben Wolfe is a great player. His stance, right & left hands and his superb string pull epitomise gut string playing. On steels and with lower action, such an aggressive pull might cause a lot of harsh clicking on the fingerboard. I personally prefer high action and guts. I know that that means having to pull hard with one finger often supported by the whole hand and the weight if the arm. I also know that I sacrifice dexterity. So, there is a definite place for 2 fingers playing for those who prefer a more modern sound and quicker articulation. Each to their own and all that jazz: there are many ways to play a bass well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Ben Wolfe is a great player. His stance, right & left hands and his superb string pull epitomise gut string playing. On steels and with lower action, such an aggressive pull might cause a lot of harsh clicking on the fingerboard. I personally prefer high action and guts. I know that that means having to pull hard with one finger often supported by the whole hand and the weight if the arm. I also know that I sacrifice dexterity. So, there is a definite place for 2 fingers playing for those who prefer a more modern sound and quicker articulation. Each to their own and all that jazz: there are many ways to play a bass well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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