Two-Finger Alternation
i-m-i-m without doubling up. Patience.
Lesson
Index, middle, repeat
The standard bass plucking technique is two-finger alternation: index plays one note, middle plays the next, index again, middle again. Never double up on the same finger.
Why alternate?
Speed. A single finger can't recover fast enough for sixteenth-note runs. Two fingers can comfortably play 200+ BPM eighths. It also evens out your tone — both fingers produce slightly different attacks, and alternating averages them out.
The drill
- Open A string, metronome at 60 BPM.
- Play one note per click, strict alternation: i–m–i–m–i–m…
- For 60 seconds. Watch your plucking hand. If you ever feel yourself doubling up on i or m, restart.
Common mistake
Always starting on the index finger. Practice starting on the middle finger too — it should feel just as natural. You can't predict in real music which finger will be available; you need both to be the leader.
Stretch goal
Three-finger technique (i-m-r) is used by a few bassists for triplet-based grooves. Don't worry about it for at least a year. Two fingers takes you 95% of the way.