Finger plucking

Technique
1

Does anyone have any good tips or techniques for alternating finger plucking technique? Do I just need to keep trying. I find myself always on the wrong string or ringing multiple strings. If there are any tips you wish you knew when you started I would really appreciate them. Thank you jjswenson

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2

It comes with practice, just like everything else. Hang in there

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3

Yes. And practice slow.
Don’t be ashamed to take the time you need. It results in faster learning.

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4

@jjswenson Alternating plucking is all about training and muscle memory. It just takes practice and you’ll get there. I use all sorts of things to practice when I don’t have my bass. The seam on pocket, the edge of a box, the fingers of my other hand. Anything I can find to reinforce the the alternating 1, 2, 3 4.

Getting rid of ringing strings also takes practice. Working on your muting skills is something that never really stops. Every new thing you learn will lead to questions of how best to do the muting. That you’re hearing and recognizing the unwanted vibrations is a good thing. The muting also comes with practice.

What I wish I had known?
“Perfect is the enemy of good.”
It’s easy to waste a lot of time making something perfect that only needs to be ‘good enough’ right now. The pursuit of that perfection can really bog down your over all development, if you let it. Even though I already knew this, I still struggled with taking it to heart when going through the course and I let it slow down my progress. When I let myself accept that what I was working on was ‘good enough’ and it was time to move forward and embrace learning something new, I was always more interested in and happier with my playing.

So, when Josh says, “If you can do the slow workout, keep moving forward.”, take this to heart. You can always go back and do the medium and fast workout later. Many of us have gone through the course multiple times and plenty more than that have gone back through to hit individual lessons.

Edit: Yes! As said above. Slow methodical and precise practice gets the best results for building muscle memory.

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5

So true!

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