I've tried a really good Ibanez 5 strings; I think that I'll buy it.

What model was it, I will look it up, how much where they selling that for?

i was wondering do any of u guys use 3 fingers when playing bass like alex webster from cannibal corpse! it looks extreme.. is it hard to learn?

No, just alot of practice, I personally dont use it that often, I find it kind of hard actually because my third finger is a bit weak. But it works with the right charisma and warmup.

yearh.. me third finger is a bit weak too. ill just stick to two fingers i think hehe

Basicly you dont "need" the third finger. But when you are used to it some stuff might get easier in the long run.

Exactly, there is nothing that you cant benefit from by using the third finger.

Yeah....3 fingers is a bit tricky to learn...but it really does help with a lot of stuff- like Jesper Stromblad [yes...bass] part in the intro to The Final Destination with Dimension Zero

I do use my third finger in some of the stuff I play. It came very naturally to me for some reason, and it is just as strong as my middle and index, so if I really wanted to, I could use my ring finger and my index only ( I don't though, cause it's a pain in the ass). But I mostly use it for galloping riffs, especially Maiden - I don't know how Harris does some of that shit with two fingers, I've tried and it's hard as hell.
It can help you in the long run, it helped me, in everything from speed to improvising, because you can do some cool shit with that third finger... and I do use my thumb occasionally... But it's whatever suites your style and needs...

I sometimes use 4 fingers; it's really fast: it took me a lot of time to learn

@Hellraizer: they were selling it for 350 Euro; but it's used. I can't remember the model.

I can do 3 fingers easily with no doubt, but i am working on 4 fingers right now, iv only been playing with them for 2 months but i played with a pick 1 year before this, and i decided to try and widen my range of things to play. I hear alot of people saying you dont need 3 or 4 fingers, i agree you may not need them, but then again if you dont your only limiting yourself if i say so myself, like i was thinking to myself a few days ago to just not use 4 fingers, just to use 3 which i use fine, but i thought to myself if i dont use that 4th finger then where do i go from there? i cant do much more, and i will have that extra push to play that much faster and and extra note, i know it sounds stupid, but its the same thing like if your trying to learn a song and you say to yourself "why am i learning this song its pointless i dont need to" and you give up, your only limiting yourself.

I wrote this on the other bass topic also...aanyway...i use 3-4 fingers for broken chords mainly. I also play the bas solo on Orion with 3 fingers...each string has his own finger (: Quite fun actually. All in all it depends on what I play and the way I consider it sounds best. Someties I only use a single finger so there are absolutely no tonal (I hope I'm correct) differences between the sounds.

I'm an awfully trendy left handed bass player, this makes it harder to buy basses but yeah its all good. I have a Yamaha RBX270L as my good bass I quite like it as well even though its not the most pricy piece on the market. My amp is a Behringer UltrabassBX1200, thats pretty decent but I leave it at my singers place so I dont have to cart it between my place and his all the time for jams in our rock band Abyss. Im currently trying to play with three fingers and learning originals for Abyss and another band which is semi underway but we shall see what happens I suppose.

When I jam its usually hard rock or heavy metal ( love jamming btw ), got a Cort Action Bass and a Kustom Amp. Even though its a cheap bass, it still delivers what I need, plus I have overdive pedal everytime I want to add thickness to the rythm. Im currently righting music right now for a new band, and let me tell you, the overdrive pedal helps alot, and its hard to try to make DM riffs off of a bass!

Well, i kinda play it aswell.
Just started laerning it.
The third finger comes naturally.. though index and middle finger are the ones i usually use. But using third one, aint anything either.

Ohh, i was soooo happy when i finally got my guitar.. ^^
Wanted it for over a year or two.
Finally, i've got it!

Hallowed be thy name and Dream of Mirrors are great songs to play on bass and as well on guitars...Cool...I've brought a bass guitar too one week ago...nowi'm practicing Most of Maiden Songs..especially from "Powerslave" album...The bass part in this album is excellent!!

If there's anything I have to play that's too fast for just two fingers, like most Florida death metal songs, I just use a pick.

yeah the powerslave album has some ridiculous bass songs. i know Rime of The Ancient Mariner and Losfer Words (big orra). im working on murders in the rue morgue. now THATS a workout:banger2:

Written by [user id=641] on 23.12.2006 at 01:19

If there's anything I have to play that's too fast for just two fingers, like most Florida death metal songs, I just use a pick.

Im been playing DIO which is so much fun, and also behemoth. Even though I hate tuning down, sometimes it gives a real heavy thickness to the sound which I love. I use a pick sometimes, usually when Im riffing, though I prefer to use my fingers, sometimes I just say why not?

Written by Sunioj on 25.12.2006 at 16:14

Written by [user id=641] on 23.12.2006 at 01:19

If there's anything I have to play that's too fast for just two fingers, like most Florida death metal songs, I just use a pick.

Im been playing DIO which is so much fun, and also behemoth. Even though I hate tuning down, sometimes it gives a real heavy thickness to the sound which I love. I use a pick sometimes, usually when Im riffing, though I prefer to use my fingers, sometimes I just say why not?

True enough picking is probably the best route to go for metal bass, if for no other reason than to keep up with the speed of the other instruments. But if you prefer working with your fingers, go the alex webster path, just train up on your speed and use three fingers instead of two, and you don't have to get reliant on picks for speed.

Written by Arian Totalis on 06.01.2007 at 22:03

Written by Sunioj on 25.12.2006 at 16:14

Written by [user id=641] on 23.12.2006 at 01:19

If there's anything I have to play that's too fast for just two fingers, like most Florida death metal songs, I just use a pick.

Im been playing DIO which is so much fun, and also behemoth. Even though I hate tuning down, sometimes it gives a real heavy thickness to the sound which I love. I use a pick sometimes, usually when Im riffing, though I prefer to use my fingers, sometimes I just say why not?

True enough picking is probably the best route to go for metal bass, if for no other reason than to keep up with the speed of the other instruments. But if you prefer working with your fingers, go the alex webster path, just train up on your speed and use three fingers instead of two, and you don't have to get reliant on picks for speed.

Thats right, the only real reason if I ever use a pick is to keep up with the other instruments which I havent used in ages which makes me a bit proud...but yeah, I just gotta get my third finger stronger and less twitchy...

Hmm im thinking of buying a pretty good 5 string bass, iv been looking at some recently, some 5 string Ibanez's some 5 string BC Riches, and some 5 string Spector's. Im not quite sure what to get, if anyone has any suggestions please share, what would be the best for price and quality, and im looking for a more advanced bass that would last me a very very long time, without having get a new one for quite a while.

ive been thinking about why 5 or 6 string why isent 4 strings enough? what can you do on a 6 stringer that you couldnt do on a 4? you dont really need so high tones? it is a bass after all...

I just learnt usin' my 3rd finger so they all grew in strength equally, i learnt the 3 finger style in honour of alex webster and steve harris! Ho-ha!

Written by [user id=16496] on 09.03.2007 at 21:54

ive been thinking about why 5 or 6 string why isent 4 strings enough? what can you do on a 6 stringer that you couldnt do on a 4? you dont really need so high tones? it is a bass after all...

You can get a wider range of tones. Just because you play bass doesn't mean that you have to stick to the low notes. Look at Steve Harris from Maiden or to look outside the metal scene look at Matt Freeman from Rancid. They both however use 4 strings, i realize that. But what they do do is utilize the high notes. The bassist from dream theater also uses the full spectrum of his bass. It all depends on person preferences on what you want to play. If yolu want to stick to the 4 string then by all means do so. If you want more high and low notes then use a 5 or string.

Guys don't be lazy...there was this old Suffocation video with Infecting the Crypts, I had never seen Suffocation live before. The song starts and there's the bass player just gunning his way through the guitar with his fingers. I was blocked really...and then there was the Emperial Live Ceremony DVD, where Tyr simply slaughters that poor bass. The conclusion is that with a little extra dedication the same speed can very well be achieved by 2 (or 3, or 4, as many as you wish) fingers.
That given why would you consider using a pick? I guess it's all about the sound. The pick really gives that deep punchy tone. You can get some if you use your fingernails, but keep in mind, it's about the way it sounds, not the speed.

Yeah, I really like challenging myself playing the bass...bands like Decapitated, Death, can really improve the speed and coordination of your playing....I use three fingers, but only on the lowest string, because the action on my bass is a bit screwy...but definetly, challenge yourself and you wont regret it but appreciate the bass and its abilities even more.

Written by Sunioj on 19.04.2007 at 19:10

I use three fingers, but only on the lowest string, because the action on my bass is a bit screwy...

Well why don't you give yer bass a hand in that matter? I know this is a bit retarded, but I'm dumb enough not to have figgured it out from the beggining ...the wood from which the body is made expands or contracts during the year, given the changes of temperature and humidity bla bla, so it's normal for the guitar to run screwy if you don't do nothing about it. The attack can be adjusted from the bridge, just screw your saddles a bit higher if it's too low. I did that a few days ago...restringing, adjusting the attack, made the (don't know how to call it in english) notes fall over the frets...the whole ordeal made me feel with 7 ballz

Written by NECURATU on 21.04.2007 at 19:42

Written by Sunioj on 19.04.2007 at 19:10

I use three fingers, but only on the lowest string, because the action on my bass is a bit screwy...

Well why don't you give yer bass a hand in that matter? I know this is a bit retarded, but I'm dumb enough not to have figgured it out from the beggining ...the wood from which the body is made expands or contracts during the year, given the changes of temperature and humidity bla bla, so it's normal for the guitar to run screwy if you don't do nothing about it. The attack can be adjusted from the bridge, just screw your saddles a bit higher if it's too low. I did that a few days ago...restringing, adjusting the attack, made the (don't know how to call it in english) notes fall over the frets...the whole ordeal made me feel with 7 ballz

Yeah, thats exactly what I need to do...I almost want to get new strings as well, Im just a lazy ass. But once the action is fixed, my arpeggios will sound so much cleaner!

I recently got a new bass...well, I should say used but it's new to me...I bought a Kramer Bass...it's an oldie but a goodie...there is a scratch on the body and the pickups are kinda iffy but I played it at our show on April 20th and it didn't give me any trouble...about new strings, you should totally do it! I put new strings on my old bass and it really sounds so much different...like...a shocking difference...never leave a bass out in the cold overnight haha...I learned that lesson a couple of times that's for sure...