The art of pick control =\

[Lowpro]

This is just a quick post, but I'm trying to play songs in a more stocatto fashion (song i'm doin right now is Stockholm Syndrome by Muse) their bassist bassically is playing quick fast 32nd notes. Now this I can do all nite till the cows come home, but when I play them, the sound mostly comes together, but in the music you can hear each note individually. My notes keep running together. Any tips on getting a better stocatto sound?

And their bassist uses 2 fingers which I thing lends to a better mute but I was trying it that way and wasn't getting any difference.

[JimmyM]

Do it slower. Sounds like you're trying to play this stuff at tempo when you're not ready to. Play it slowly until you get it perfect, then gradually increase tempo.

[BullHorn]

Yeah, alternate fingers. When you pick, your other finger should land on the string and mute it. Then pick again and the first finger is back for muting, etc.

[Chriso21]

that bass line has a synth playing along at the same time as him, which has perfect sticato, which means you'll strugle to be exactly the same.

[Lowpro]

Really? I thought it sounded synthed, but I was watching a live vid of them playing it, and I could swear it sounded perfect, I almost wanted to say it was synced or something, but the bassist has some cred...

Time to practice this for awhile...

At least I can add this to my repertoire of neat things I can do.

[Rumblestiltzkin]

Use palm muting to stop the notes from ringing.

[Lowpro]

not easy to mute between 32nd notes like this. The real problem is, I mean if ya listen to me play it, it's not too bad but the notes kinda become convoluted. You can't hear each individual attack. Hard to get a sticatto effect. And since I'm playing with a pick, it makes it all that much harder.

[bassit]

Try to play by nail on your second finger.

[Alaska Bass]

Play it slower at first, and try using acrylic fingernails (not ungodly lengths, by any means) instead of a pick, and mute with the alternate finger if you want a more staccatto sound.

[Rumblestiltzkin]

Originally Posted by Lowpro

not easy to mute between 32nd notes like this. The real problem is, I mean if ya listen to me play it, it's not too bad but the notes kinda become convoluted. You can't hear each individual attack. Hard to get a sticatto effect. And since I'm playing with a pick, it makes it all that much harder.

I'm sure I sound like a a fool, but at what tempo are we talkin' about 32nd notes?

As a guitar player and bass player of 7 years, when I hear the words "convoluted notes," it sounds to me like a co-ordination problem b/w the right & left hands. This is from someone who has played geetar and bass for 7 years seriously. What you need to do is slow down and

FOCUS ON THE PROPER FEEL of the line

32nd notes? Isn't that just 16th notes at half the tempo? Think about it.

Oh, btw, if you play a riff at 32nd notes at 250bpm, I wouldn't give two monkey fuks and neither would anyone else.

Most likely, at that speed, your riff would end uop sounding like donkey balls.
F** dude this ain't gran turismo

[lenkyloos]

Originally Posted by Lowpro

Really? I thought it sounded synthed, but I was watching a live vid of them playing it, and I could swear it sounded perfect, I almost wanted to say it was synced or something, but the bassist has some cred...

His synth is a pedal (Akai Deep Imapct) incase you were wondering bro. It's not a studio effects so his credibility stay in tact.

He has a way of using very unsynth sounds, more of a super compressed fuzz sound than anything else. That compression most likely helps bring out the nuances of his fingers hitting the strings making it more stacatto sounding.

I think any good compression pedal (Boss, MXR, whatever) should help you out as long as you have the riff down already at full speed.

Cheers,
Dan.

[Lowpro]

The way I play the 32nd notes are I put four notes per tap of my foot, which I tap along with the song (Stockholm Syndrome - Muse) Think of it like Parallel Universe by RHCP, but a faster tempo. I've plugged into my Peavey amp for the compressor, and if anything it makes the sound more convoluted. Still practicing though. Perhaps my strings are dead too...

[Subculture13]

Originally Posted by lenkyloos

His synth is a pedal (Akai Deep Imapct) incase you were wondering bro. It's not a studio effects so his credibility stay in tact.
Cheers,
Dan.

Actually, not to take from his cred, because it is well deserved but he has gone on record and dissed his own playing on tracks like that and Hysteria.

Yes, he uses the Deep Impact, but both live and in the studio the synth parts are actually played on a synth. I read an interview where he joked that he played along sloppily (his words, not mine) to the synth on those songs.

And if you listen really closely, especially on Hysteria, where there is more breathing room to the notes, you can hear the pick attacks on the notes, and no, they are not tightly locked in with the synth at all times.

It is infact 2 different people playing 2 different instruments (bass and synth) doubled and mixed together to make one cohesive sound. It sounds great, and it is his killer basslines, but it is not strictly played on bass guitar.

[The_D]

You might want to remember that they play live with a keyboard/synth player these days too. They just hide him up the back of the stage. It took me half of the show I was at to realise he was even there.

I love Muse' live sound but they are no fools. If they need an extra set of fingers tinkling some keys to reproduce the sound they want they will add those fingers.