16th note string skipping

I-Love-Ratm · #1 03-06-2013, 07:10 AM

Hi! I've been trying to get my speed and stamina up recently and have been working on my quick and funky 16th note playing but I'm finding it very hard. I'm working on What Is Hip? but I keep getting frustrated as I find the string skipping very difficult. I'm trying it at a slower speed to get it but still struggling.

Anyone got any advice or help for me here? I'm cracking up as it seems so easy when you slow it down.

Thanks!

nysbob · #2 03-06-2013, 08:35 AM

I can't do that sort of thing without using 3 fingers on the right hand, then it's easy.

I'm no Rocco, I guess!

VanillaThundah · #3 03-06-2013, 08:39 AM

Yes, that was a technique used in disco a whole lot and it's pretty freakin difficult. The example that comes to mind is Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? by Rod Stewart. I can't play that song without using 3 fingers, and even then it's still hard to keep time correctly for long periods.

phillybass101 · #4 03-06-2013, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VanillaThundah

Yes, that was a technique used in disco a whole lot and it's pretty freakin difficult. The example that comes to mind is Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? by Rod Stewart. I can't play that song without using 3 fingers, and even then it's still hard to keep time correctly for long periods.

+1 a lot of guys don't know how hard it is to play that dern song on bass. LMAO!!!

nysbob · #5 03-06-2013, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phillybass101

+1 a lot of guys don't know how hard it is to play that dern song on bass. LMAO!!!

Fortunately or unfortunately, I made my living playing covers for a few years when I started out in the mid-'70s disco era so I had to learn how to do all that stuff. The music was the pits, but I did learn how to manipulate the instrument.

famousbirds · #6 03-06-2013, 02:02 PM

Strict alternation.

tmntfan · #7 03-12-2013, 10:17 AM

I Finding watching some of the bass covers on youtube help.
keep going slow, the best way is to start the song at something stupid slow like 60 bpm, play through the whole tune, then speed it up to 62bpm, play through the song, then speed it up to 64, repeat for day till it is up to speed. then do it again the next day.

Clef_de_fa · #8 03-12-2013, 12:22 PM

Continue to practice ? There's no magical trick to any technic on bass.

JimmyM · #9 03-13-2013, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by famousbirds

Strict alternation.

+1. Do not pull yourself out of strict alternation under any circumstances. Practice slow and deliberately at first, and gradually build speed.

Play Less Cool · #10 03-13-2013, 12:37 AM

im new to playing bass (not even one year yet) but i was determined to learn the disco octave technique because i loved the sound of it. of course i started slow, i started doing the same notes as the song i wanted to learn (right on time by RHCP) but way way slower. and i would work up the tempo by maybe 5 each time i could play it good and that method of learning worked really well. i can now play all songs with 16th note string skipping that i know of (right on time & monarchy of roses & c'mon girl by RHCP, da ya think im sexy, YMCA and the main riff of river people)

i am going to check out the one that is mentioned in the OP

Fuzzy Dustmite · #11 03-13-2013, 02:37 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6koJJHwEfJo

funnyfingers · #12 03-13-2013, 06:04 PM

Does this sound like the technique?

http://snd.sc/ZARrIt

I can give some pointers if it is close...

funnyfingers · #13 03-13-2013, 06:32 PM

Here is me trying the Do Ya Think I'm Sexy main line: http://snd.sc/ZAUPTU

I use index for the root and ring then middle for the octave. I've never done this specifically but use the technique around.

funnyfingers · #14 03-13-2013, 06:39 PM

I played it a little more and to keep the root from ringing I was able to just lift my finger off of the root...

matthewbrown · #15 03-13-2013, 06:42 PM

I found the best approach was to think of right hand fingering as a drummer would think of using sticks. Ed Friedland helped me with this. You should practice not only alternating fingers, but using different fingering patterns as a drummer would: R-R-L-L; L-L-R-R; and so on. Doing this across strings, I practiced first using open harmonics at the 7th fret, letting the notes ring. Once I developed some velocity, I worked on it fingering octaves at the 7th fret. Then I moved on to different patterns of octaves on different pairs of string (skipping the string between).

Hope this helps.

funnyfingers · #16 03-13-2013, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funnyfingers

Here is me trying the Do Ya Think I'm Sexy main line: http://snd.sc/ZAUPTU

I use index for the root and ring then middle for the octave. I've never done this specifically but use the technique around.

I am not sure what is wrong with this recording! It is like it is overdubbed or something...