fingers

I am not sure what is first, the string or the finger, but now in summertime (I can hardly remember how it was during winter), with more sweating involved, the 'gliding through the positions' is not as smooth as wanted. The less open strings I use the stickier it gets. The the more #s or bs the...

Man, after half an hour it got easy as hell! Like, I actually noticed a change in speed and comfort, i thought it was going to suck but it actually was a pleasant surprise, I managed to play the riff from Iron Maiden's The Trooper without mistakes for the first time. Even though Mr. Harris...

I have seen many instances where various players would argue regarding using fingers to pluck the strings vs using a pick. I for one believe it is possible to use both a pick and fingers simultaneously, thus creating a variety of string attack methods upon ones disposal. The pick would be held...

Last November I was cutting a small branch with a handsaw and when I finished I noticed that my ring finger on my left hand was injured. No pain but I was unable straighten it at the knuckle closest to the finger nail. Foolishly,I kept working as later it was diagnosed as a mallette finger. It...

I just started playing bass the other day and I cannot find a clear answer to these questions. I am trying to learn some songs and it just feels natural to start a lot of them with my middle finger. Is the wrong? Should it always be index-middle-index-middle when using 2 fingers? Second...

I've been playing for almost a year. My fretting fingers still move slow. I'm getting faster but fast songs are very difficult for me and I feel like I have fingers flying everywhere. Does this come in time or should I be doing exercises etc?

To start off, I'm a 99% pick player. I've been playing bass for just under 3 years after 30 years of guitar and was able to progress quicker with a pick. I'm faster, more accurate and able to create more diverse tones with a pick and palm muting. In saying that, over the past 6-12 months I've...

Halfway through an audition yesterday (I'm looking for a covers/function band) there was a pause of 5-10 minutes or so. I'd been playing ok and I was getting good vibes from the band. But after starting back up the strings and fingers seemed bone dry - so much so that they felt totally...

What do ya'll think of Tony Levin's funk fingers? Seems to be a lot of hate surrounding them, as if they are some kind of cop out in the way of real slapping, although I don't really get that. Thinking of investing in some or making my own.

I play guitar with a pick, so when I took up bass, I naturally went to what I was familiar with. I ended up liking the sound of fingers better, so I've been playing with 2 fingers -- which I'm not too bad at (but my speed is slow). I recently gave 3 fingers a try (irmrirm) with some exercises...

I have been playing double bass for several months and noticed an issue with my fingers. I believe I have what are called flat fingers and a long hyponychium-- if you look closely under my nails (sorry for the bad pictures), there is a ring of white skin that hurts immensely if injured. This...

P bass. Flats. Mostly pick.

With some of my basses, after I play, I'm left with a dark residue on my fingertips. At first I thought maybe it was from some new strings I started using (GHS Pressure Wounds), but I don't think that's it. One bass in particular - a Reverend Dub King - seems to be the worst offender. That bass...

Guys I need help! Recently I ran into the problem with my thumb where it would hurt alot and I just thought to myself "meh it's juust sore. It'll fix on it's own". But almost a month passed and I still experience it! To be clear while I'm playing it's not a problem. The problem occurs when I do...

specifically in my ring finger. now this is going to be hard to explain but ill do my best. for the last few days ive really been into playing bass i mean like all day. dealing with some stress and anxiety ive been playing for over six years and i hav'nt had this problem until i started playing...

Been a pick player all my history and I play in a funk R&B band and can function fine. But when I play some grooves with fingers it feels so good, I mean it is strange because on the one hand I feel like more of ayer a beginning bass player when I play with fingers but on the other hand it feels...

I typically play my Squier VM Jazz V, which I currently have strung with Regular Slinkies. These things are rough on my fingers (plucking hand)! Admittedly, I don't play a ton. I serve on the worship team at church once a month, and beyond the week that I'm on, family obligations currently...

Thanks to who ever told me to get the 54 reissue flatwounds when I asked for James Jamerson strings. They are silky to play. Booming down deep when they speak. And I only noticed a little more effort to push the string down against the fret, but once I get a bit more muscle in there and get...

Not necessarily a technique question, but this seemed the most relevant sub-forum. I joined my first band in like 5 years about a month ago. This is a start-up and we're all unfamiliar with each other. When we begin playing, I find the fingers on my right (i.e., plucking) hand very stiff; I...

I play bass with fingers and have recently been given a set list for a gig I'm going to be standing in on. The band consists of acoustic guitarist, two vocalists, drums and bass. Now a lot of the bass line is primarily root notes, turnarounds an following the chords and really lush vocals...

So, after I finish playing, I squirt a bit of alcohol onto a soft cloth and rub my strings down. So why do my fingers always look like this? Am I producing enough copper oxide while I'm playing for it to do that? Or is my acoustic Bass possessed?

Hi there. New to the forum. I wanted to ask a question about finger technique. Im used to playing a lot of fast metal and punk rock with a pick. However the last couple of months I have spent more time playing with my fingers. I actually prefer it more. Running through scales and playing most...

I was watching documentaries about Hendrix all day, and if you haven't tried playing with your teeth, you're missing out.

Howdy friends - About three months ago I sliced off the tip of my left index finger while slicing potatoes. It wasn't a deep cut; mostly the skin layers and some stuff underneath. No muscle or nerve damage. I didn't finish making the pot of soup, either. I took me and my finger to the ER...

Hi guys, I got my new Fender 50s P-Bass yesterday and I have been playing it LOTS. But I have discovered when I play the D string and my finger falls back onto the A string, I hit the pickup in the process. Is this ok?

First post here, this place looks like a pretty cool community! Anyway, I used to play bass quite a bit when I was younger (between 16-19), then I went on a 16 year hiatus and now I'm back (been playing for about 2.5 months on this stint). The problem is that I'm just not as nimble as I used...

I'm playing bass in a band. I also play guitar and have been playing both for about 25 years. I'm 40 now. I have found that in the last couple of years, I've been feeling the odd bit of pain in some of my fingers, particularly, my left index finger (the first section where it leaves the hand and...

If anybody has a few minutes to take this survey I'd appreciate it. I'm doing market research for a potential product as part of a business class. I am also a bass player and am interested in the feedback for my own curiosity. The product in question is a glove worn on the hand used to pluck the...

If anybody has the five minutes to take this survey if appreciate it. This is market research for a business class about a potential new product geared towards bass players. The concept is a work glove that is thin enough to play your instrument while still prevent damage to your hand. Any and...

I am a fairly new bass player, and have been plucking with index and middle finger, which seems to be the standard. However, using 3 or 4 fingers is not uncommon, and I am trying to decide if I should switch to doing that instead. Is it just for speed? Are there any drawbacks - like producing...