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I should have offered to take the pedal board 
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Hello, I need help trying to figure out why my index finger sounds weird. It sounds like a pick, and I don’t know how to fix it so I’m here to ask how to make it sound better or make it better. I am new to the bass and I don’t know much, If you helped me thank you very much 
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Do you mean the index finger on your plucking hand?
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have you clipped your nails? that sound happens to me when my nails are too long
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I’m just struggling with getting old. My left arm is hurt, and it’s just painful to play. Not healing well. I find that I am losing my skills because I am not playing much.
Today there was that thread on alternate plucking and it killed me. I was ready to just throw my hands up and quit bass because I cannot alternate pluck. The quitting part was a brief moment of frustration.
When I had my evaluation for my left arm a few weeks ago, one of the tests they did was to touch your thumb to each of your fingers in succession, simple, thumb to index, middle, ring, pinky. I can’t do it on my right hand. After 3 or 4 times, my middle finger fails it.
It’s just not reliable.
Just so frustrated.
Thinking of starting B2B over on my Mustang and use a pick. Screw it.
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There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. It sounds like a great plan to me.
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Sorry to hear that, man. Just learning/playing/improving is challenging enough on its own, without having to deal with physical conditions, too.
Pick up the pick. It’s totally legit and lots of players have had great success with one. Rock on.
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It so funny, my middle finger works 80% of the time. 15% of the time I tell it to do something, and nothing happens. Nothing, no feeling, just nothing. The last 5% it does what I tell it twice.
When people are told practice I just want to throw my keyboard through the monitor. I know it’s the right answer, but I want to do it so badly.
The finger in question is the finger that has trigger finger syndrome. Which is probably related
I’m just in the dumps today so I’m a whiny wombat
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I actually think you have found an excellent solution. Picking sounds awesome and makes you no less of a bassist. Most of my bass heroes use a pick.
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Picking can be really good. But as to the point of hero players, none of mine play with a pick.
In fact, that’s why I did B2B: to learn proper finger plucking. And I’ve really dug it.
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I still have issues with my fretting hand. I used to play guitar and I fret like I still am, desperately trying not to touch any other strings. I just can’t seem to do that flat fingered fretting approach, which means I tend to suck at muting with my left hand other than by just lifting the fretting finger which is liable to a bit of fret buzz. Add to that my arthritic pinky so I consciously try to avoid having to use it as every time I do it’s just pain. I’m not whingeing, that’s just life, but it does mean I’m lazy and that finger ends up flapping around like a flag in the wind. But then if I’m not using it who cares…but it looks so uncool! 
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Without a doubt related. I’m finding big relief in picking as they continue to mis-diagnose whatever is wrong with my hand. So, go with what works and pick. I’m quite enjoying it actually.
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Very sorry to hear about your continued struggles, @John_E and @Wombat-metal ! And not knowing exactly why something isn’t working the way it should certainly only adds to the frustration!
I am hoping my pinky on the fretting hand keeps hanging on, but it seems to get stiffer and a bit more “warped” as time goes on… and it is also related to a kind of trigger finger situation, meaning: very little can be done about it.
@Wombat-metal : have you tried to play with a musician’s glove on your plucking hand? I know I get a ton of flak here for keep pushing the suggestion to play with a glove or two, but I think it is at least worth a try. The glove seems to help for several “issues” and even if it is only as a psychological trick, it might just work.
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Sending good vibes for your pinky.
I have Amazon gift certificates, so I ordered a set of gloves. I will put them on, click my heels 3 times and repeat “There’s no groove like mine, there’s no groove like mine”
Ought to do the trick. Worth a try at any rate.
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My gloves got here today, and I tried them on. And immediately went to play and I couldn’t do anything, I lost all feel for the instrument.
So I went and and put my B2B course into the DVR and did Module 1. If I’m going to play like a noob I might as well start over. And I did Module 1 with gloves on, on my Tele bass. And I got through it, alternate plucking and all on a 34" bass. And I got through it, and all that hurts is my left bicep area is a little sore (my PT dude says my radial nerve is whack)
Thanks @joergkutter gloves seems to help. If as long as I believe in Santa Claus they keep working, I can keep believing. So far so good.
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Glad to hear that there is at least some change… and perhaps for the good!
And, yes, a part of the gloves’ appeal is as a psychological crutch.
Worth a try in any case 
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This morning I got up and decided to get a little practice in before work. Played some of the old songs I know, and geeze I was bad. So much of playing is feel, and my feel with gloves is completely different.
I was like heck with this I’m going to just go with a pick and be done with it.
One day and I’m not playing like Charles Berthoud yet.
I will go back to Module 2 this evening and let it build on itself. Let Josh do Josh things. I must have been this uncomfortable when I first started, probably more so.
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Sorry to hear that, man! Again, at least you tried and now you know…
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Frankly I think the pick is the best plan. Then again I am biased.
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