I’m having trouble fingering the B/F# “run”… I’m currently using only my index finger, playing the B with enough overhang above the string to “roll” up to the F# (and back to the B as needed) but I’m not getting that clear staccato sound of the song. But it feels COMPLETELY unnatural to try to play it with multiple fingers.
Knowing you as a guy who has been here for a minute, I’m sorta hesitant to answer @JustTim , because I think I must be missing the question. If I’m reading it right it’s going to be fingers 2 &4 or 1 &4 (depending on whether you cover 3 or 4 frets when playing at that end). At least as I see the question.
Yeah what @booker_t said. I just played it and I’m using finger 1 for root and lower 5th and finger 4 to go up to the fifth.
Edit: for things I’m struggling with I set my drum pedal to a really slow BPM ie 40. Then play the line until I can do it without looking at my hand. So I’ve patterned the sequence then I add 2-3 bpm per session and keep turning up the tempo. It’s the only way that I’ve found that works for me.
Torn ligament in right thumb.
Not sure if it was a re-injury of the area (crushed it a whisker in 2020) as I can’t remember an actual incident or if it’s from the weight of saxes via the thumb hook, but I’m grounded for at least 3 weeks.
I’ve had weird dull pain in the thumb for months playing bass or sax, would rest, try again, same thing. Finally went to have it looked at and now this. Man I am wandering around bored at night, been reading a ton instead but can’t wait to play something again.
The joys of aging.
That sucks, John. Speedy recovery. I’m struggling with elbow pains from lifting weights, so I’m also just pacing outside my little home gym until I can get back. Getting old may suck, but not everyone gets to experience it. Keep your chin up!
I’ve had my fair share of hand injuries. Multiple breaks of thumbs and all the fingers in one hand. Funny in your youth, not so amusing in your 50s with arthritis lol.
Last time I broke my hand I learned to use my hammer with my ‘wrong’ hand. The upshot is after 6 weeks of using the wrong hand I can now switch hands and am almost as good with either.
You could even play with making little jam tracks etc in GarageBand or whatever you use for DAW to at least be productive?
If your notes are buzzing, try placing your fretting finger tips directly behind the frets.
If you are just starting out as a newbie and are experiencing flying fingers, relax; it’s normal. Just slow way down when you practice and try not to tense up your fingers when you press down strings.
Generally, relaxing your fingers/hand/forearm and mindfully slowing down your fretting during practice sessions will help clean up your notes as you tame flying fingers. Don’t worry. It will come.
This takes time. It will come.
Try to make an effort to fret cleanly but honestly don’t overthink it. Just try and it will come along after countless hours of practice. One day you will be playing and realize something that didn’t work right now is.
I’ve recently picked up a pick and found out just how much my right hand contributes to muting when playing fingerstyle. Any advice on how to clean that up when playing with a pick?
yes muting is different with a pick…the fretting hand becomes more important for muting, if you don’t already you can learn to rest your fingers that are not fretting on the higher strings to mute them (finger touches but doesn’t press down the string)…I also do a sort of palm mute on the E string with the picking hand (i.e. rest palm lightly on the E string) you when playing the A string which can help with muting the low E string
edit: after playing and looking at my picking hand, I would now say I mute more with the outside of my closed little finger on my picking hand by resting it on the E string rather than the palm as it gives me a better picking position
Playing bass with a pick is like playing guitar with a pick… I know what I’m about to say is gonna raise the heat in the kitchen, but first off, playing bass with a pick was not how bass was originally meant to be played… I’m not sayin’ you can’t do it or that it’s wrong… All I’m saying is that IF you’re gonna use a pick playing bass, learn to use the muting techniques of guitar players… The biggest problem we have as bass players when it comes to muting is that damn E string that just can’t keep from rattling no matter what we do… Playing with a pick, you cannot use that anchor thumb on your plucking hand to keep that damn string quiet… And, being taught as bass players to pluck strings with one hand which is also used to mute that damn E string, how the hell you gonna do that when your damn thumb is handling 60% of the force needed to operate a friggin’ pick!!!
Well, one of the things as a former guitar player that I could never change when I moved to playing bass was my so-called… “habit” of using my fretting thumb by wrapping it around the neck of my bass… Yea, call it a bad habit for playing bass, and I don’t do it a lot, but I do use it when I need to… especially when there are no other means available - like when using a damn pick…
For me, when playing bass with a pick,… I do my E string muting with the thumb of my fretting hand… You will still have your ring and pinky of your “Picking” hand free for lower strings… (Use your Thumb, Index, and Middle to hold the pick…) Use your ring and pinky along with your picking hand palm) for additional muting… Just my 2 cents… I ain’t no expert, just know what has always worked for me…
I hear you, I am struggling a lot with the same issues. My fretting hand ends up cramping because I cannot stretch enough, and for some reason, my thumb wants a bigger part in the play than it needs to, so it also cramps. My finger do cramp as well but since I have started thinking about them flying and minding it (not even preventing them to), they fly a little closer to the neck. Practice the workouts you struggle “a little” with often, and it makes the things you struggle “a lot” with easier after some time. I am still expecting to nail Billie Jean fast sometime. But I had to let it go and keep moving forward. Good luck!
As a less-than-a-month member, I realized yesterday that the ring and pinky of my plucking hand have an attitude. When it’s chugging time, they cramp up. It’s like they have no clue where to go and the pinky goes up and the ring just hangs there. When I fold them under my hand, I become unable to get speed. It’s frustrating and quite painful. Anyone else has fingers that don’t appreciate not having a role in the play?
How’s your left hand for keyboard / synth bass?
