The One Finger Per Fret System & When You SHOULDN'T Use It! /// Scott's Bass Lessons

[@btrapp37]

It's crazy this internet stuff, I been playing for a long time and I always used a 4/4 fingering because I felt it correct. I learned to make the stretches and I took pride in being able to do it. But what I always noticed is how "calm" the left hand of players of Scott's caliber had. I could never get my left that calm and controlled. My pinky would fly and it just looked flappy. After seeing this video I started using a 4/3 fingering and let me tell ya, that calmed my left right down. Was an amazing and immediate improvement. I am constantly finding areas where it's so much better and some articulations I struggled with are now crystal clear. How would you know if nobody ever told ya, and I took lessons from 2 phenomenal players. Thanks so much Scott.

[@conradkritzberger8980]

Thank you, Scott !!! (I'm going through video's that I 'bookmarked'.) One-finger-per-fret is why I stopped after three "lessons" with a guy, about 3 years ago. (I've heard that he's an excellent "technical musician," but lacks "feeling.") Yes, I was a newbie. He wanted me to "exercise" doing one-per-fret, up at the head. (He didn't say I could "shift" or "adjust.") That made my hands, wrists, and forearms hurt... within about 5 minutes. If I pushed through the "discomfort," I could go for 15 minutes... then not practice for a day or two. -- PAIN IS NOT GOOD. Playing music is supposed to be FUN !! GROOVE ON !!

[@kickbiker7920]

Cool idea in B & W then transforming to colour at the beginning. The best thing about this is you always spend time explaining WHY rather than just go straight into the exercise and showing people how to do it . It's grasping the understanding which goes errrr? 'hand in glove' with the exercise. It proves invaluable. Great clarity with the clip and imparting the info.

[@laurieharper1526]

Spot on. The 4th is often under-used. I started on the violin, so learned to use it from the beginning. I often use 1 and 4 for octaves, as you suggest. The other thing I find more comfortable is to use 4 instead of 3 when I need to switch across to an adjacent string - say a C on the A, followed by a G on the E. Saves playing a note and then jumping across the fretboard quickly.

[@McGuire40695]

+Laurie Harper I actually started violin (2004) before I did with guitar (2008), and I am in the same boat as you. Most people hardly use the pinky, but I made sure to put mine to good use. I have actually been lusting to learn bass (technique of it, role in a jam setting, etc), and I felt the 3-finger approach Scott described as the most appropriate for the instrument.

[@marcelopower6148]

For me there is only one rule when it comes to hand position, fingering, etc: comfort. You're absolutely right on this lesson.

[@nostaticatall]

Man, Scott. You are just a great player and a great teacher. I'm a long-time guitar player who has recently taken up the bass. I needed this. lol Thank you for doing these.

[@ThePrenian]

As a beginner, I was really questioning my own playing with this, yet I did pretty much everything right. Thanks Scott!

[@christianomar92]

Wow, this video came at the perfect time for me. Just yesterday I was thinking about this and wondering if me using my pinky and ring fingers together on the low end of the neck is "proper". Thanks for the info Scott!

[@alexandercervantes9361]

what i love about sbl is that it evolves with the people so it can grow with them, not an static lesson that would pass by this things

[@bromixsr]

As an electric bassist who moved to the upright after a decade or so of playing, I wish somebody had taught me this when I was still playing the bass guitar. It might have saved me some time I needed to retrain myself. On a side note: I have those freakishly large hands and they do not help the 4 fret stretch at all...and I play a 3/4 scale double bass. Great video as always.

[@DolganoFF]

I kinda discovered this approach by myself. Back when I was starting on the bass (early 90-s), I was always struggling with the "4 fingers 4 frets", partly because I have unusually short pinkies. The stretches I was forcing myself into, have even gotten me tendinitis in my left wrist. But then by late 90-s I've started taking jazz upright lessons using classic Symandl 1-2-4 fingering, and to my amusement, while it was much more physically demanding, on upright all my problems just vanished - no wrist pain, no uncomfortable stretches, nothing! Upright literally cured my tendinitis. Because I was still playing both instruments, and fearing the tendinitis will return from playing electric, I've applied upright technique on the electric too and never had a single relapse since.

[@JeffDinglerBass]

Totally agree Scott, thanks for making a video on this. I was always wondering if other players felt this way. Was unsure if I was in the wrong doing this, I figured I did it more because I was also an upright player. The limitations of the one finger per fret thing are even more apparent in the lower register on a fretless. Nearly impossible to play things like 5th and octaves in tune using 1 & 3. Love the videos Scott, I teach bass in Addis, Ethiopia and share a lot of your concepts/videos with the students there.

[@MrSunnyday4u]

Looking through old videos.. being a guitarist playing bass, this was a real mythbuster deluxe.. can't wait to get the bad habit worked on.. think this will improve my skills a bit, rather rapidly. As always, to the point, and great value, and also great entertainment while you learn.. great stuff!!

[@MessyJesse01]

Scott, your lessons are always concise, useful, and clear. I found myself using 1, 2, and 4 the other day and though 'maybe I should work on this.' Now I certainly won't. Thanks for keeping me from wasting my time.

[@willjazz1]

So glad you covered this! I've only ever had lessons on upright, and started trying to use 1 finger per fret a year ago (after 9 years...), thanks for dispelling doubts that I should ALWAYS be using it

[@bluehorse7663]

In appreciation for this simple, yet dynamic lesson. It had an instant positive impact on my playing!

[@mateuszbok4466]

You're an awesme tutor, thanks!

[@paladin17t]

Many thanks for what you do from Belarus.

[@gulbalagulba23]

scott youre the best, you know so unbelievable much!!!

[@pennystokes4785]

Thank you so much for this very helpful video!

[@maartenarnou]

Great lesson. Couldn't agree more!

[@eberbachl]

Right on Scott! Terrific outlook. Comfort reigns supreme. :-)

[@veblenrules]

i tend show my students the minor pentatonic with the three finger per fret with the shift with the first finger. its incredibly fluent for blues pentatonic runs and pulloffs. then you eventually do hybrid stuff anyway. but for grooving be using that pinky.

[@MichaelFClef]

Very helpful. Thank you. I've been hell bent on 1 finger per fret even in half position. For that matter even playing perfect legato stretching from 1st to 5th fret, which I can do at slow tempo. But I had a feeling this could be a hinderance to ever playing fast, and even lead to RSI. I'll start working more on the "Simandl Technique" in low positions. Your "Relaxed Hand" demonstration fits perfectly for me from about 3rd position and up. Thank you.

[@SiddhiJoshi]

Thank you Scott! In fact I have it the other way round- my initial bass teacher also played the double bass and taught jazz bass with a technique based on the modified 1-2-4 Simandl fingering system over three frets so I find the one finger per fret system nearly impossible. I think this is a good mixture or middle way which I will try and learn!

[@nickmurray9193]

Great lesson Scott! Just thought it would be cool if you did a "tour" of your bass collection and talked about them, maybe why you chose certain basses etc. Maybe consider giving it a shot. Keep up the great work man!

[@KinGoddess]

I KNEW IT! 😄 I just had to look into it to make sure I wasn't crazy. It's hard doing some things with small hands. One finger per would actually slow me down on certain parts of a song which is why I stopped doing it at times

[@shannonvanderreck]

The upright bass playing technique fingering is 1, 2+3 together and 4 by itself. Simandl (as referenced) and Rufus Reid are great examples of this hand positioning, with Rufus refers to as "the claw"

[@amrutpurohit9830]

The last part was exactly what I was looking for, I keep over stretching my fingers.

[@dadodetres]

Scott! It would be great if you make a video on exercises to improve technique without the bass. As the one in 8:00 in this video. I guess there are many more! thanks!

[@Finnvbot]

I use the index and ring fingers when playing disco lines... on my plucking hand. ;)

[@ebsenraptzski9522]

"playing in position" is the term

[@dubtoons4640]

Thank you

[@McGuire40695]

The funniest thing is that as a guitarist (who has dabble in bass, but I will be purchasing one soon and learn the instrument properly in the next few weeks), I find it weird to play bass strictly as the "one finger per fret" rule especially lower on the fretboard or doing octaves.

[@einarabelc5]

+Billy McGuire Same here. Heck I even switch to 3 fingers in some power chords.

[@McGuire40695]

You know, that all depends on the power chord for me. If I'm just playing a progression, I'll do the "index, ring, pinky" fingering. If I do a riff line or a solo into a power chord, it all depends on my free fingers. I might grab the "whole" power with 3 fingers or just do a root-fifth with my index/pinky. It all depends on the context of what I'm playing.

[@tonyrichengod9280]

Hello Scott! Your videos are fantastic! Very clear and easy to follow, and makes sense! I was thinking to trying out the paid content on your website. I was wondering if your paid lessons are arranged in a systematic order?

[@rogercardoso114]

you can provide video lessons with subtitles in Portuguese ( BR ) ?

[@drawntothefire]

Thanks for the great lessons as always Scott! I'm fine with the fingerings as you suggest, other than the very top of the fingerboard (around 15th fret and up- I have a standard jazz bass). I find that my little finger has more of a stretch to the E and A strings in this area, so I end up only using first, middle and ring finger if I'm playing the A and E string at the end of the neck. Is this normal, or should I work on forcing myself to use all 4 fingers at the top end of the neck? Or should I avoid the E and A string above the fifteenth fret anyway...? Thanks!

[@williammayer6829]

I wish all j bass type instruments had a better cutaway on the heel joint because it'd make playing a lot more easy

[@lucp.chartrand1171]

Do you have suggestion... I have only 3 fingers on left fret hand..no index... + small hands

[@UnseeingWorm]

Good video scott! Been noticing some dynamic problems with the mic or something in your videos. It's like the sound is going up and down very rapidly.

[@DolganoFF]

+PowerGrill yep, I've noticed some kind of vibrato on the bass too.

[@sanablue5844]

WhEre do I get the gloves from?

[@steampunkvampyre]

so Scott serious question ..what about the tiny Ubass toy or not

[@huwman]

Do you have any lessons in smashing the f**k out of the bass? Just started and playing rock - Ramones, AC/DC etc. Making all the beginner mistakes, but loving every minute. Not really interested in finesse playing at the moment, but progressing. I'm used to strumming guitar, so struggling with the plucking thing. Can you do something on using a pick and hammering the feck out of it? Ta.

[@christosavrilionis]

What is this thing in 11:44?

[@iqi616]

A 5th fret harmonic.

[@andrerchebeta]

Hey Scott, it would be great to see you doing a lesson on how to play "Reality" by Monk Montgomery. If you guys don't know it you should check it out, it's a wonderful piece by an underrated bass genius. PEace

[@JakeRosen635]

I never ever use my ring finger - I always use my pinky instead. Is that bad?

[@Quonchon]

Yep, don't put useless stress on your hand, if you don't need to stretch to play a line, don't stretch. It's that simple.

[@ignaciocarcamo4040]

Hello! I love your channel but I don´t undertand many concepts because I´m not fluent in english. You could put subtitles in spanish in a future plis? Spanish-speaking bassists will tank you. Saludos desde Chile!

[@rimmersbryggeri]

No penso Scott puedes escribir subtitulos en espanol. Y yo no puedo tambien.

[@Jma952]

Can you show us some of those guitar chops?

[@kalmus08]

+Joel Mota Can you explain to me what "chops" means? I hear it all the time but I have no clue.

[@Jma952]

skills

[@kalmus08]

thanks

[@thierry.lavallee]

Weird C major scale at 2:05 ;)

[@victorcamposfotos]

This is known as "inside" position. It's an essential technique particularly on the fretless bass in the positions I though V.

[@ruksachaithanawangnoi6378]

What kind of gloves that you use??? Would you please tell me the name of that brand...

[@CamiloPefaur]

+Ruksachai Thanawangnoi I don't think he would. He said at 7:46 or something that the gloves don't change a thing in his sound, that he only uses it because of a medical condition or something.

[@ruksachaithanawangnoi6378]

Thankyou for the answer Camilo Pefaur but... just because ...recently a year ..i have a problem with my left hand.. some kind of allergy when walk the bass.... thanks again p.s now i wear a glove when play my bass ... no more allergy !

[@CamiloPefaur]

String allergy!? Now I've heard it all. Gloves look cool though. Good luck with that!!!

[@ruksachaithanawangnoi6378]

thanks man... but i wear on my left hand only! My right hand is normal .... 5555 confuse with my two hands ++++

[@dougjones2063]

This make me feel like I can play bass with my small hands and be good at it. Guess I'm pulling the bass out of the closet and start playing

[@iqi616]

Looking at the brilliant young female players on KZbin, the speed of small hands outweighs any disadvantages because they don't (can't) develop the bad habit of locking their left hands into fixed positions. It took me years to unlearn the habit of locking my left hand (which I blame on practicing scales as 24 124 234). I no longer play scales as scales; I throw together shapes that happen to make up scales and I never come back down the same way I went up.

[@maximiliano1761]

Has anyone tried to play fear of the dark by iron maiden? From what I've seen he is 3 note power chords throughout the song. My left hand hurts when I do that; is there anyway of preventing that from happening?

[@roundboywarm]

Experiment with the angle of the neck and your fingers on your left hand. make sure your bass is balanced with your strap, so your left hand isn't holding the neck up. Basically do as much as you can to ensure your left hand (& fingers) are putting as little effort in as possible.

[@chrisbeyko7692]

Hey Scott, even though I've been learning all these scales and techniques, I can not or at least been having a lot of trouble actually making a good sounding bass line. I need a spark and it's not there. This has been troubling me because I really like playing original stuff with my band and since we're only two people, I have to come up with most of the songs. All I'm asking is for some tips to not necessarily bring my bass lines to life but to actual make a good sounding bass line. Thanks! Have a great day - Chris

[@marvelousmaker]

Well I just face palmed. I wish I knew this when I tried to learn bass the first time. Back then youtube to my knowledge was just cat videos.

[@einarabelc5]

What's with the gloves? Psoriasis. Sorry to ask. I even use two fingers to bend on guitar sometimes, like on Voodo child.

[@scooterthomas768]

He made a video on it but he basically just has a condition that causes his hands to shake uncontrollably, but it's calmed by like having something touching his hands, which gloves work for. He's said without them he wouldn't be able to continue playing bass.

[@ecedeveci5392]

Why do you wear gloves?