Running finger bass like geddy lee in rush's yyz

[phantom_killer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iONLKn5VHY4

Is it possible to play geddy lee's super fast bass line with more than 2 fingers? Like roll all four fingers on the string.

cos its like damn damn hard to keep time..

 

[Freeko]

4 fingers is a lil crazy cause of the shortness of the pinky you hand has to take up a weird position to have all your fingers arced to the same length

3 fingers is a little more practical imo many bassist have done it billy sheehan, john myung, steve bailey and i think i remember seeing john entwhistle use 3 too(for the my generation bass solo when he doesn't use a pick).

some of them adopt different methods to using 3 fingers for example:

1 - Index finger
2 - Middle finger
3 - Ring finger

Billy Sheehan's method (the one i use)
Finger order to get 4 note for chromatic scale
3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1
F F# G G#.....
notice that no finger plays 2 notes its alternates in order from ring to index
(correct me if i'm wrong..i think john myung's method is similar to sheehan's but instead its index to ring)

Steve Bailey's method
Finger order to get 4 note for chromatic scale
1 2 3 2 1 2 3 2 1 2 3 2
this method is a little tough basically you go from index to ring and back to index

all in all most bassist think 2 fingers is more than enough (look at how jaco he's wicked fast but only uses 2 fingers ) but if you really wanna use 3 go ahead and get billy sheehan's and john myung's books and dvd they tell a bit about the technique

hope this was of help

 

[visa]

three fingers is fine =D

 

[edo83]

I'm not a bassist, but i don't think the 4 fingers method is impractical. More of infinite possibilities with arpeggios and intervallic playing, don't shoot me for that but i'm visualising how a bass is similar with the guitar approach. Check out Gary Willis, famous for his participation in Tribal Tech with Scott Henderson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufMhW4ia1U8
That guy's a monster :x

 

[Freeko]

i said its a lil crazy but there are crazy people out there..i saw billy sheehan show 4 fingers, even 5 so its not impossible but 3 is much ezier imo

 

[edo83]

Do what feels good and works best! 8)

 

[phantom_killer]

haha thanks alot guys. Actually kind of jealous of pipa players. You know the chinese pear shaped instrument. They use all 4 fingers to roll across for a very fast trill sound...but bass different story man..

 

[Freeko]

haha those things if i'm not wrong strings super thin like dental floss compared to our big fat thick strings much harder to do weird thrills although it is possible with proper technique