Three fingers??

[Myo]

Who plays with three fingers? I've always taken the stance that you can learn to do anything with two fingers but I'm starting to come round on it... I've noticed how the odd thing may be easier with three fingers, for example something like the chorus to YMCA by the village people. I've just not seen/heard anything that would really be impossible with just two fingers. does anyone have any examples of any really good bass players that use three fingers?


PS: sorry if this post is laden with sex puns.

[andy67]

I do, makes triplets easy. I'm still working on it though and am a little rusty/shaky with it just now.

andy

[Myo]

[quote name='andy67' post='691173' date='Dec 22 2009, 12:53 AM']I do, makes triplets easy. I'm still working on it though and am a little rusty/shaky with it just now.

andy[/quote]


see, I have quite quick fingers and I can do triplets just as fast either way. But with 3 fingers triplets are almost all I can do! I'm wondering will it be worth the time and effort to train up my third finger properly.

[Wil]

I've used up to 3 fingers since I first started. For very stright grooves I tend to use 2, and throw the third in for triplets and ghost notes/muting. I use the 3rd a lot when I play decening lines (I rake a lot). I wouldn't be without it, playing with just 2 feels constrained to me but that's just my preference.

[thisnameistaken]

I've always picked with three but very rarely using them alternately (which is just a total head****). I tend to use 1+3 and 1+2 as pairs. I actually started picking with 1+3 first, I think because my middle finger is much longer than my index finger it wasn't comfortable to use it.

[leftybassman392]

Might it be an idea to move this over to the 'Technique' forum? Just a thought...

[Musicman69]

Look on Youtube, lots of players use 3.. Billy Sheehan demonstrates it well.
Ive only started practising it and already up to speed Id get with 2, should get faster soon. Index, middle, ring, middle etc. works well at you get 4 hits in each cycle.

[WonderHorse]

I can just about do triplets with three fingers, but I can't seem to do anything other than that. That just seems to be the only rhythm I can do with three fingers.

[velvetkevorkian]

Just takes practice I'm afraid. I've played with 3 fingers pretty much exclusively for a number of years- when I try to play with 2 it feels like hopping compared to normal walking! Billy Sheehan is the most famous exponent of it.

For me its easier because I play in a metal band where fast 16th note riffs are the norm; if you don't need extra speed or agility you might be best sticking with 3. However, you can get greater speed and agility with 3 fingers (and practice!) than you can with 2 IMO.

[yorick]

Steve Harris of Maiden.

[yituool]

[quote name='yorick' post='691530' date='Dec 22 2009, 02:14 PM']Steve Harris of Maiden.[/quote]

I heard that his use of 3 fingers is a myth, and he really just uses 2 all the time

[nick]

[quote name='Wil' post='691190' date='Dec 22 2009, 01:36 AM']I've used up to 3 fingers since I first started. For very stright grooves I tend to use 2, and throw the third in for triplets and ghost notes/muting.[/quote]

Same here. Started on three myself too, but now tend to discipline myself to two fingers, using the third for pretty much same reasons as you've mentioned.
Though lately, enjoying using just the index finger also.

Edited December 22, 2009 by nick

[Doddy]

I use two fingers for,like, 90% of the time, but can happily throw in a third if
necessary-usually for something like semi-quaver triplets. Although I can play straight
with three fingers it feels slightly awkward as each beat starts on a different finger.
I also prefer to use my thumb and two fingers than use a standard ring,middle,index,
plucking pattern.
On the other hand,sometimes using one finger to play 8th notes gives a really good
and consistent sound and attack.

[ashevans09]

I saw it about a month after I started playing bass, and stuck with it since . I self taught but after watching videos on it more recently people seem to go for the index - middle - ring order of picking? Does everyone here do that?

I always always always without fail do the opposite, and find it much easier.

As for why I do it, I dunno, it feels more natural. It's so ingrained into how I play I will automatically just start with my ring finger now. Anyhoo, players who use it - Troy Sanders from Mastodon definitely throws a third in for faster passages. I also believe the Unearth bassist uses three, as does the Black Dahlia Murder bassist. Alex Webster (legend!) of Cannibal Corpse fame does as well I think. Also Dream Theater's John Myung too.

[Dread Bass]

A bunch of metal bassists do this for speed. I am trying to combine a 3 finger attack with fret clank to get a sound like Erland from blood red throne etc. I am now up to 16th notes at 190 bpm so still a way to go but i am getting there. If i could get up to 220 i think that would do. It has taken a lot of practice to get this far but i am sure it will pay off. I practiced just this for 4 and a half hours yesterday. So as VK says it takes a lot of practice.

[51m0n]

I use three, with a floaty thumb technique on the 5 string.

Been that way for a while. I don't think there is any real speed advantage for a lot of things, it just feels right (and I strictly alternate too). Guess I'm weird!

[Musicman69]

The thing with this is.. its so easy for anyone to strum out triplets from R,M,I but if its to have any impact it needs to go the other way
I,M,R. that way you can add either thumb to get a quaver or repeat the middle for the same effect.
No harm having fast triplets but for most popular music its best to work in 4's.
16ths at 190bpm is really fast!! My poor brain hurts thinking about it! Im aiming for 16ths at 140.

[YouMa]

If im doing 16th note stuff which is frequently i tend to only use one finger,i just find it easier,i think john paul jones used 3 fingers you can hear it quite well towards the end jam session on whole lotta love from the song remains the same,live.

[Wil]

I've always used ring middle index - it works just as well for 4/4 but you do need to practice putting the right emphasis on the beat and making things sound even. I don't really think about it much anymore because I've done it that way for so many years, but when I analyse it, it is a bit of an odd approach.

It all adds to the "character" of my playing though (much like a boxer's face after a match has "character" at least)

[Jarhead]

[quote name='ashevans09' post='691861' date='Dec 22 2009, 09:28 PM']I saw it about a month after I started playing bass, and stuck with it since . I self taught but after watching videos on it more recently people seem to go for the index - middle - ring order of picking? Does everyone here do that?

I always always always without fail do the opposite, and find it much easier.[/quote]
Yeah, I find ring-middle-index easiest as well. I was browsing MarloweDK's youtube a while back, and saw his video on metal finger-picking and he said index-ring-middle-index-middle, which I struggled with. I'd get it going, then try to focus on it and just foul it up, so I gave up on trying to relearn my finger picking technique, which is more then adequate so far, considering I'm a 15 year old kid playing in punk and metal bands.

Zach

[jude_b]

I've found playing with three fingers is a useful addition to my technique. I think I started trying to do it when learning the solo from My Generation by The Who in my first covers band - it seemed to be the only way I could get a similar sound, although I'm not sure what Entwistle did in practice.

I can also remember Flea using what sounds like three finger triplets on Blood Sugar Sex Magic - can't remember the song name at the moment - the lyrics "mellowship for a fellowship" ring a bell.

[Conan]

That would be "Mellowship Slinky in B major" I would guess. There are certainly a few "flammed" triplets in that track (as there are in many of their tracks from the late 80s to mid 90s). Having seen him play "Right on time" with two fingers though, I can't see how or why he would ever need three fingers! Now THAT'S fast fingerstyly!

[Myo]

[quote name='jude_b' post='692633' date='Dec 23 2009, 10:15 PM']I've found playing with three fingers is a useful addition to my technique. I think I started trying to do it when learning the solo from My Generation by The Who in my first covers band - it seemed to be the only way I could get a similar sound, although I'm not sure what Entwistle did in practice.

I can also remember Flea using what sounds like three finger triplets on Blood Sugar Sex Magic - can't remember the song name at the moment - the lyrics "mellowship for a fellowship" ring a bell.[/quote]


That song's all slap happy. from what I can remember he does things like triple pops, which do use three fingers but in a rakey, agressive kind of not very dextrous way. it's a different ball game really.

I've been giving it a go with some things... i'm just gonna mess about and see how my playing style develops now that I can throw a third finger in if I can't manage something with two.

[jude_b]

Whoops - I've always played it with fingers.

Ah well.

[Doddy]

[quote name='Myo' post='694991' date='Dec 28 2009, 05:43 PM']That song's all slap happy. from what I can remember he does things like triple pops, which do use three fingers but in a rakey, agressive kind of not very dextrous way. it's a different ball game really.

I've been giving it a go with some things... i'm just gonna mess about and see how my playing style develops now that I can throw a third finger in if I can't manage something with two.[/quote]

I'm pretty sure that 'Mellowship Slinky' is played fingerstyle