When playing 8th notes...

[allighatt0r]

I've realised recently that when I'm playing straight eight notes, that my middle finger on my right hand is the one that feels much more comfortable on the beat.

Using my index finger on the beat and the middle finger on the off beat just feels weird.


Anyone else noticed this?

[endorka]

I always try to have my middle finger on the beat - it is the longest finger, and therefore seems to make a more pronounced note than the index finger, so it seems logical to me that it should be used to play the strong beats.

Jennifer

[teen t-shirt]

yeah i would agree with this i've tried playing on the beat with my index and i tend to fluff up but where as if i start on my middle finger and keep going i stay strong all the way through i dont know what it is must just be one of those things...

[dudewheresmybass]

i don't think about it.
i've spent a lot of time making sure my attack is the same with either fingers 1 or 2, so i don't have to worry

[Doddy]

Thinking about it,I usually play quavers and semi quavers with my middle finger on the beat,but it really makes no
difference either way-If I'm playing an octave thing,my index finger usually plays on the beat. If I'm just chugging root notes,I'll often use just my index finger with no alternation for the sake of consistency.

Edit- I just picked my bass up and was leading with my index finger for some things and my middle for others

Edited July 3, 2010 by Doddy

[Tait]

Generally for songs that are mainly 8th notes I use a pick anyway, I really don't like playing 8th notes with my fingers. When I do use my fingers, its index finger on the beat.

[BottomEndian]

Being the terminology-snob I am, I saw the thread title and thought, "I don't play eighth notes... I play [i]quavers[/i]!"

Anyway, I use index or middle equally. Depends on what's been leading up to it. Or, more often than not, raking down to it.

[Dave Vader]

As the awkward bugger I am, I'll have to say that I hit the lead note with my little finger and work back to my index finger. although I might be the only 4-finger plucker I know. Spent ages teaching myself to do it due to being mistaken while watching Steve Harris... he only uses 3 you know... I didn't Handy for speed though.

[Craigmartini]

I use the middle finger as the "downbeat finger"


Hey Dave Vader,

To further your Steve Harris frustration, he plays with only 2 fingers.

Check it out [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajD1duxKSuE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajD1duxKSuE[/url]

I think he talks about it at 1:50 ish on that video. He rocks!

Craig

[chris_b]

As long as each note is even and in time, I don't care! I've got more important stuff to think about.

[Kongo]

Middle, Index, middle, index.
Dunno why but I've always been middle first...maybe it's to do with the middle finger of my left hand being the "Root" finger, my right hand thinks it needs to do the same? Or maybe it's just cause it has more wallop to it (or did before I realised all fingers need to be same strength)?

[quote name='Dave Vader' post='884894' date='Jul 3 2010, 04:25 PM']As the awkward bugger I am, I'll have to say that I hit the lead note with my little finger and work back to my index finger. although I might be the only 4-finger plucker I know. Spent ages teaching myself to do it due to being mistaken while watching Steve Harris... he only uses 3 you know... I didn't Handy for speed though.[/quote]

2 fingers, he only uses two, common misconception i that he uses 3...and similar to yourself, is why I learned to use three.
He goes middle, middle, index - middle, middle, index real fast.

Edited July 3, 2010 by Kongo

[JTUK]

[quote name='chris_b' post='884962' date='Jul 3 2010, 06:00 PM']As long as each note is even and in time, I don't care! .........[/quote]


Agree..wouldn't give it any thought otherwise.

[molan]

I must admit I don't think about it but I've noticed recently I'm using my index finger more & more for some songs - particularly Motown type stuff.

Maybe it's the ghost of Jamerson whispering "use the hook" to me as I'm playing. . .



[i]N.B. Not that I'm even trying to pretend I could ever sound remotely like the great God of bass [/i]

Edited July 4, 2010 by molan

[Gwilym]

i suspect that best practice when playing quavers would be for the first finger to be on the beat.

however, usually it's not quavers all the way, so as long as you work at getting a consistent tone, whichever finger you use, and can accent the notes appropriately, it probably doesn't make to much difference.

[OutToPlayJazz]

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='884884' date='Jul 3 2010, 04:13 PM']Being the terminology-snob I am, I saw the thread title and thought, "I don't play eighth notes... I play [i]quavers[/i]!"

Anyway, I use index or middle equally. Depends on what's been leading up to it. Or, more often than not, raking down to it.[/quote]

Terminology snob? Me too, although I prefer to call it anally-retentive in my case! (A throwback from a Canadian g/f many years ago!)

[quote name='Dave Vader' post='884894' date='Jul 3 2010, 04:25 PM']As the awkward bugger I am, I'll have to say that I hit the lead note with my little finger and work back to my index finger. although I might be the only 4-finger plucker I know. Spent ages teaching myself to do it due to being mistaken while watching Steve Harris... he only uses 3 you know... I didn't Handy for speed though.[/quote]

Now that's an impressive sounding technique, Dave. One step further on from classical guitar!

[thisnameistaken]

Third finger usually. I use my third finger as a middle finger because my middle finger is too long for playing the lowest strings comfortably, so I use my third finger instead. I do still use the middle finger but not as much as the third one.

[Marvin]

Middle I suppose, but it's not something I've really focused on. Generally just try and make it all sound right. It could be the case I change half way through a song maybe.

I am nowhere near using 3rd or even 4th fingers, I just tend to tuck them up out of the way to make them look tidy.

[theosd]

Yeah, middle finger all the way. Playing triplets I lead with my ring finger too so I'm thinking it's just the most natural and comfortable movement of the hand (try tapping on a desk, little finger to thumb - it's harder the other way).

[3V17C]

I always use 3 fingers on my right hand so the downbeat is on a different finger each time... as long as its consistant though I don't really think about it


and yes.. Steve Harris only uses 2 fingers apparently..

peace

C

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='885362' date='Jul 4 2010, 11:57 AM']Terminology snob? Me too, although I prefer to call it anally-retentive in my case! (A throwback from a Canadian g/f many years ago!)



Now that's an impressive sounding technique, Dave. One step further on from classical guitar! [/quote]

Might be why I do it, since I do play classical guitar as well.
Steve Harris gets less impressive the more i hear about him mind you, I can't move two fingers that quickly, not without getting serious cramp.

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='884884' date='Jul 3 2010, 04:13 PM']Being the terminology-snob I am, I saw the thread title and thought, "I don't play eighth notes... I play [i]quavers[/i]!"

Anyway, I use index or middle equally. Depends on what's been leading up to it. Or, more often than not, raking down to it.[/quote]

This.
With one condition. The first note of every tune gets played with my index finger.
And I prefer Wotsits or Skips myself.

[M4L666]

I start with my finger for simpler stuff, but with faster stuff it's whichever finger can get there first!

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='885623' date='Jul 4 2010, 06:11 PM']With one condition. The first note of every tune gets played with my index finger.[/quote]
Yep, me too.

Unless it's something like an upbeat with "disco octaves" (i.e. starting on the higher note), in which case starting with the index finger would be madness. I'd still have to give it some conscious thought not to start on the index finger though!

[peted]

Just picked up my bass to check - My index finger tends to lead. I play with 3 fingers though so each finger gets to play both on and off the beat eventually.

[Earbrass]

I've never really thought about it before, but I think it depends on which string I'm hitting. I use 3 fingers, and being a pianist by training, I think of them as 2(index), 3(middle) & 4(ring??). I think I mainly use 4 on the beat when the note is on the G or D string. Either of the others is more likely on the E & A. No idea why - I've never set out to play like that, it's just what comes naturally.