There are many ways to sound notes with the right hand. The basic techniques are covered here. More advanced
techniques will be covered elsewhere on the blog. As in so many other areas of
bass playing, your choice of techniques forms a part of your style. Some players
gravitate toward a particular technique. Always try to use the technique that
gives you the sound you're looking for.
Fingerstyle (two finger method)
Many bass players use only the index and middle fingers of their right hand to sound notes on the bass. This style is borrowed, with a few changes, from upright players. Classical players refer to it as "pizzacato." I, as well as many other players, prefer this technique because of the tone that is produced when the fingers meet the string. Your mileage may vary, of course. But it's good to know this technique even if you later decide that you prefer some other technique.
Many bass players use only the index and middle fingers of their right hand to sound notes on the bass. This style is borrowed, with a few changes, from upright players. Classical players refer to it as "pizzacato." I, as well as many other players, prefer this technique because of the tone that is produced when the fingers meet the string. Your mileage may vary, of course. But it's good to know this technique even if you later decide that you prefer some other technique.
The technique itself is simple but takes some time to develop.
Start by resting your right hand thumb on either one of your pickups, or lightly
on the E string Arch your hand and
your fingers slightly. Use your index finger to--with some force--pluck the A
string (don't bother fretting it, just play it open). Continue the movement of
your index finger until it comes to rest on the E string. Now repeat the
procedure with your middle finger. You should produce a solid tone. If your tone
seems too quiet, try using more of your finger tip when you pluck the string.
You shouldn't pull the string up away from the fretboard (doing that
intentionally is called "popping" and we'll get to that later). Practice
alternating your fingers and try to keep the notes as even (in length and in
volume) as possible. Practice starting with both the index finger and the middle
finger. It doesn't matter which you start with, but you should strive to
alternate as much as possible as this will help you build speed.
Crossing Strings:
The procedure gets more complicated, of course, when you have to play a sequence of notes on more than one string. But the "rules" are the same. You should strive to keep your fingers alternating whenever practical (sometimes you will not be able to do so and it will be easier to repeat notes with the same finger before alternating). As you cross from a lower string (e.g. E) to a higher one (e.g. A), you'll rotate your right hand forward a bit, in order to maintain a nice arch (and keep your finger tips in the proper possition to sound notes with adequate volume). Likewise, your hand will rotate back a bit as you go from a higer string to a lower one. Try this example
The procedure gets more complicated, of course, when you have to play a sequence of notes on more than one string. But the "rules" are the same. You should strive to keep your fingers alternating whenever practical (sometimes you will not be able to do so and it will be easier to repeat notes with the same finger before alternating). As you cross from a lower string (e.g. E) to a higher one (e.g. A), you'll rotate your right hand forward a bit, in order to maintain a nice arch (and keep your finger tips in the proper possition to sound notes with adequate volume). Likewise, your hand will rotate back a bit as you go from a higer string to a lower one. Try this example
--------------------------------- --------------------------------- ---------2-2-2-2---------2-2-2-2- -0-0-0-0---------0-0-0-0--------- i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m
It is easier to maintain perfectly alternating fingerings as
long as there are an even number of notes per string .
This, of course, is not always the case. Consider this example:
------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------2-2-2------- -------2-2-2-------2-2-2-------2-2-2-------2-2-2- -0-0-0-------0-0-0-------0-0-0------------------- i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i m i mIn certain situations, many players prefer to borrow an approach that guitarists refer to as "speed-picking." Using this approach, you would begin again with your index finger each time you strike a new string .Here's the above example with using the speed-picking approach:
------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------2-2-2------- -------2-2-2-------2-2-2-------2-2-2-------2-2-2- -0-0-0-------0-0-0-------0-0-0------------------- i m i i m i i m i i m i i m i i m i i m i i m i
Alternating patterns are usually the best approach, but
sometimes the speed-picking approach works better. Try both and see what you
think.
Raking
Sometimes it's easier to play certain passages with just one finger. Consider this example. Take a look at both of the fingerings:
Sometimes it's easier to play certain passages with just one finger. Consider this example. Take a look at both of the fingerings:
------------------------- -2-----2-----2-----2----- ---2-----2-----2-----2--- -----0-----0-----0-----0- i m i m i m i m i m i m (left hand fingering #1) m m m m m m m m m m m m (left hand fingering #2, raking).
Both fingerings will work. The second version involves playing several notes in a row with just one finger . Raking is generally easier for passages like this one, but
you have to be careful to keep the timing straight. You'll be tempted to rush
when you rake, so fight that tendency.
Jumping Strings
Ocassionally, a line will require that you jump from a note on the E string to a note on the D string or from a note on the A string to a note on the G string. This is known as jumping strings, and it can be simple or difficult depending upon the line. Here are two examples. (The first should be played as straight eight notes, the second as triplets):
Ocassionally, a line will require that you jump from a note on the E string to a note on the D string or from a note on the A string to a note on the G string. This is known as jumping strings, and it can be simple or difficult depending upon the line. Here are two examples. (The first should be played as straight eight notes, the second as triplets):
----------------- ---2---2---2---2- ----------------- -0---0---0---0--- i m i m i m i m
------------------------- ---2-2---2-2---2-2---2-2- ------------------------- -0-----0-----0-----0----- i m i m i m i m i m i m (left hand, alternating fingering) i m i i m i i m i i m i (left hand, another fingering)
In the second example, the first fingering is strictly
alternating, and the second is the way I would choose to play it. Jumps like
these often require that you rethink your fingering or abandon strick
alternating patterns for something else which works better.
Fingerstyle (three finger method)
A variation on the above technique (and one especially usefull for quick triplet passages) is to use three fingers of the right hand (index, middle, and ring). I find it easier in these situations to start with the ring finger, though you're welcome to begin with the index finger. Below is an example with both fingerings. Note that most players don't use this approach exclusively. They generally revert to the two finger approach and use this only for long passages of quick triplets:
A variation on the above technique (and one especially usefull for quick triplet passages) is to use three fingers of the right hand (index, middle, and ring). I find it easier in these situations to start with the ring finger, though you're welcome to begin with the index finger. Below is an example with both fingerings. Note that most players don't use this approach exclusively. They generally revert to the two finger approach and use this only for long passages of quick triplets:
------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------2-2-2---------
----------2-2-2---------2-2-2-----------2-2-2-----------2-2-2-
---0-0-0---------0-0-0----------0-0-0--------------------------
r m i r m i r m i r m i r m i r m i r m i r m ii m r i m r i m r i m r i m r i m r i m r i m r
Here's a complex triplet pattern which uses both two and three finger approaches
-------2-----------2----- ---2-----2-----2-----2--- -0---0-----0-0---0-----0- ------------------------- i m i r m i i m i r m i
Guitar Style (thumb and fingers)
You can borrow the guitarist's fingerstyle approach for certain passages. I like it for arpegiating chords high on the neck. The approach uses a few repeating fingering patterns which also employ the thumb of the right hand. Here's the example above, using thumb and fingers instead of the three finger approach:
-------4-----------4----- ---2-----2-----2-----2--- -0---0-----0-0---0-----0- ------------------------- t i t m i t t i t m i t
Playing with a Pick Some players will look down on you for playing with a pick,but some bassists prefer the crisp attack that pics offer, and in some fast types of music a pick is the only logical choice
unless you have a very fast right hand.Like playing fingerstyle, playing with
a pick usually requires a strict alternating pattern which you will modify to
meet different playing situations. You can play notes with down strokes, upstrokes,or a combination of the two.In the examples below d=down stroke and
u=upstroke.
--------------------------------- --------------------------------- ---------0-0-0-0---------0-0-0-0- -0-0-0-0---------0-0-0-0--------- d u d u d u d u d u d u d u d u
The same sorts of problems which plagued us while learning the finger style approaches rear their ugly heads here. Crossing and jumping strings creates special situations where you must decide whether or not you'll maintain a strictly alternating pattern. You'll also find that speed picking works very well on triplet patterns like the one below:
------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------0-0-0------- -------0-0-0-------0-0-0-------0-0-0-------0-0-0- -0-0-0-------0-0-0-------0-0-0------------------- d u d d u d d u d d u d d u d d u d d u d d u d
Enjoy my friends and don't forget to practice,I like to hear from you.
Your friend at Bass Guitar tips for beginners.
Ryno.Jacobs
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