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  • Bass playing speed/technique

    I'm a very proficient bass player, but I need to work on increasing my speed/technique. Are there any excercises or warm-ups that you can recommend? Also, I see a lot of people discussing "Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar". Back when I played guitar, I was mainly a rhythm/heavy riff player, so I never picked up that book. Is there a version for bass? Or someting similar for bass? I heard it's an awesome read, but I just never picked it up. Thanks for the advice! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

  • #2
    Re: Bass playing speed/technique

    Im a guitar player, and a new one at that... but:

    For finger style bass a good technique is a three finger gallop one, where your 1st\2nd\3rd fingers pluck in succession....

    'duh duh duh <pause> duh duh duh <pause>'

    do quickly so you get a galloping rhythm (think like when you drum your fingers onto a table when bored)... just transfer that over to your bass guitar so you can do it on any string.

    I picked this up from watching my friend play metal bass on fast songs (hes a big maiden\steve harris fan), might be some use to you [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

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    • #3
      Re: Bass playing speed/technique

      The galloping idea is a good one but try and play 16th notes the same way. It is VERY hard because 1 is on your index finger, the next time 1 is on your 2nd finger and the next time it is on your 3rd finger. VERY hard to do WITHOUT making it gallop. My strong advice is to get videos or Dave Larue, Billy Sheehan, Victor Wooten, Jaco, Steve Bailey............check out THOSE guys and report back!

      Good luck,

      Chris

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      • #4
        Re: Bass playing speed/technique

        I used to teach 3 finger technique at Musicians Institute so ill give you the primer on it.Shortz has a point but it can be overcome pretty easily and it's definetly worth it.
        It's kind of like the old "ask a caterpillar what order his legs move in and he won't be able to walk " thing. If you rely more on your sense of time to accent the downbeat you will just naturally start to get even fours. Try starting by beginning on the ring finger and going to middle and then index while playing with a metronome at a fairly moderate tempo. Just concentrate on adding a accent to the 1 each set of four. Im sure it will start to feel natural quickly.
        The other thing is to spend a while praticing with just your ring and index finger by themselves. Play all your usual songs and technique warm ups, but leave out the index finger. This will help get the independance going. The ring and middle fingers are more closely joined than the middle and index and that's why it's initially harder to get rid of the triplet feel. develop them on they're own and then add in the index and you will be suprised how much better your picking gets.
        Also after doing your straight 4's try doing a ascending and descending thirds exercise. It will get you used to string jumping with the 3 finger combo. hope this helps and let me know how it goes. Ill be happy to help further.

        Rodney

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        • #5
          Re: Bass playing speed/technique

          I like to work on my guitar speed, and then move onto bass, and try to catch up with what i was doing on Guitar. Doesn't work for everyone though. It also helps to have a low action. Very hard to do on a fretless without buzzing though.

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          • #6
            Re: Bass playing speed/technique

            Coolness. Thanks, everybody. [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img] Any other suggestions?

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            • #7
              Re: Bass playing speed/technique

              i found an atricle by Steve DiGiorgio(sp?) that helped me a lot but the site is down. When it comes back up i will post it.
              One this that's been helping me get the 16ths downis,
              Grab a metronone, set it to a comfy speed, say 70bpm or so, start with an open string.
              I start with my ring finger for some reason just feels natural.
              With the fingers of the right hand it's 3 2 1 2 3, the count with the metrone is one ee and uh two ee and uh etc... SAY the count to yourself forget about who may be looking at you and how silly you'll appear. Each finger strike is a syllable of the count.
              Adding upon this I've been inching the metronome speed up and adding some basic left hand fingering. ex. 0 1 2 3 2 1 0 walk it up and down the fingerboard, up one string down the other etc.. get your coordination down.
              I really think you must use a metronome to build the speed up it's a measure of your progress and will help you play 16ths evenly.
              hope that makes sense and helps

              [ November 20, 2003, 11:42 PM: Message edited by: buzzsaww ]
              1+2 = McGuirk, 2+4 = She's hot, 6-4 = Happy McGuirk

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              • #8
                Re: Bass playing speed/technique

                I was also going to suggest the Steve DiGiorgio lesson. You can find it on his webpage at www.stevedigiorgio.com

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                • #9
                  Re: Bass playing speed/technique

                  where man? i don't see it.

                  Originally posted by DumpyWumpy:
                  I was also going to suggest the Steve DiGiorgio lesson. You can find it on his webpage at www.stevedigiorgio.com
                  <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">
                  1+2 = McGuirk, 2+4 = She's hot, 6-4 = Happy McGuirk

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                  • #10
                    Re: Bass playing speed/technique

                    why not play 16ths with 2 fingers?or a pick i use a pick on the really fast songs though not as much as i used to.
                    The Truth Hurts Only If It's Supposed To !

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                    • #11
                      Re: Bass playing speed/technique

                      Speed is speed...whether it is on guitar or bass.

                      The only real sure fire way to attain speed is by training yourself with a metronome and slowly increasing speed.

                      I find that working on chromatic riffs and breaking up scales etc. in sequences really help your speed, clarity, and confidence.

                      If you are having trouble with something, slow it down, isolate your problem area, then gradually work up.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Bass playing speed/technique

                        no pain, no gain

                        do the 1 2 3 4 things on the frets going down, then up, down etc.. til it hurts like hell

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                        • #13
                          Re: Bass playing speed/technique

                          Thanks again for more advice. Any other thoughts?

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                          • #14
                            Re: Bass playing speed/technique

                            This ws my daily ritual...come home from school ..

                            sit on couch

                            watch the Flinstones

                            Then the Munsters

                            and a few more shows

                            but the whole time running all over my bass with a drum machine set to a fast 4/4 beat ...then change it to a 3/4 beat and do that forever..

                            The whole time ...your not even conscience of what your playing ...but your fingers are goin' nuts!!! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

                            That worked for me...no theory , no lessons , no problem...

                            Have fun [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]
                            "Bill, Smoke a Bowl and Crank Van Halen I, Life is better when I do that"
                            Donnie Swanstrom 01/25/06..miss ya!

                            "Well, your friend would have Bell's Palsy, which is a facial paralysis, not "Balls Pelsy" like we're joking about here." Toejam's attempt at sensitivity.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Bass playing speed/technique

                              horns - Dude, that's awesome. [img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img] Better bass playing through Barney Rubble. [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

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