Geddy Lee on Developing His Right-Hand Picking Technique
Fender shared a great video featuring Geddy Lee talking about his right-hand picking technique – one he says developed after touring with Primus back in the early 2000s. Geddy was inspired by Les Claypool, and incorporated more of a flamenco-style approach as a result.
A master that never stops learning
Very hip li’l interview about his pick&pluck style. Love It !!!
I’ve tried adding a pick to my playing for certain songs but I’ve used only my fingers for so long that it’s just awkward at best when I try to use a pick. I do know that certain songs require a stronger bass so I use my finger nails like Geddy does.
Always loved Geddys style. Would love to hear Rush cover John The Fisherman.
Very cool. I use a lot of the same techniques myself without being a slap pop funk style bass player. There is a lot of different positioning with your right hand and coordinating your thumb into the mix to get more speed and, like Ged said, more rhythm out of what the bass part lends to the percussion.
I always learn something new by listening to the way Geddy approaches his style.
As my motor dexterity seems to be slipping away with age, I find myself using the index finger, or the middle finger, in a ‘flamenco’ style in order to keep my speed up and not get sloppy…I don’t want to use a pick, as it changes everything about my playing.
When I was 18 my first bass teacher told me to grow my fingernails a little longer for better right hand technique .
I feel better about the technique I use playing bass , General Lee is the first bassist I’ve heard say this . This technique seems to work well for grasping , clipping and strumming my bass strings . Now I simply cant play bass without my fingernails a certain length unless I’m thumb thumping which I enjoy .
Thanks’ much Geddy for justifying this style of bass playing.
Hail to the king Lee!
Personally, I don´t like big fingernails.
It’s hard to find a happy medium in length beween using fingernails on fretted bass and not using them on fretless
Mark ,
Seems I have no feeling in the tips of my fingers on my right hand because of a degenerative disc disease I have in my cervical spine.
8 years ago I woke up and my right hand was just hanging with no feeling , it was so aggravating and it took me 3 months to get my hand strength back by placing rubber bands around the outside of my fingers and doing open hand exercises. I got my hand strength back and this is why I use fingernails for playing bass , it feels like I have no grip against the bass strings using just my fingertips , they feel numb so I had to adapt .
I cut my fingernails one time and it was like trying to play with a pick , I just couldn’t grasp the strings , so I thumb thumped till they grew back .
Great vid, thanx for posting!
Funny thing that mr Claypool stated that he took his technique fro Geddy in the beginning. And years later Geddy states that he took some stuff fom Les. Very cool :)