Demystifying Metal styles, how to make fingerstyle playing heard in Metal

[Feral Feline]

Glad this thread floated to the fore again. Learned a lot that applies to any genre. I'm not into the metal genre – closest I get is bands such as Tool, Primus and lots of other eclectic exceptions – so, as you can see, not even close to metal. In my youth, lots of friends were into metal such as Slayer, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath etc. so I was exposed to the genre.

I regularly check out the up & comers to see if there aren't any exceptional exceptions to the rule of "metal bands of today don't appeal to me". Why don't they? JimNYC summed it up.

Originally Posted by jimnyc

i tried getting into the death metal bands and i really did enjoy the music.(I listen to everything from Jethro Tull to Sabbath and Dead Kennedy's to Tom Waits to Marcus and Hiromi) But i could not handle the screaming vocals. I wish there was a way i could mute the vocals because I would really enjoy that music..and I'm 48!! Great post Pablo!!

+1

Originally Posted by El-Bob

Well, it's not really "screaming"... if you want screaming go listen to like, metalcore or screamo or other such things.

But, i see where you're coming from. it took me a while, but if you keep listening to the music you WILL learn to like the vocals. It just takes time

Originally Posted by Willem

Yeah definately. It takes time.

I wouldn't want to learn to like this vocal style. I'm not slagging people for enjoying this style, I'm just saying it doesn't appeal to me in the same way that people have different culinary preferences. I can assure you, it won't take time. I will never enjoy the guttural growling within metal's sub-genres the same way Durian fruit will never again touch my palate.

The style of vocals I enjoy can be found listening to Iron Maiden or Tool where I can hear and comprehend what is being sung.

Nonetheless, I will read about these great metal-based musicians and continue to check them out for the music, but the vocals and other aspects of the genre continue to repel. I've often thought "If only there were purely instrumental metal bands I could enjoy".

Originally Posted by Monotheist

Check out this band if you don't want any vocals. It's a project featuring Alex Webster from Cannibal Corpse. Fantastic record.

This album showcases Alex's ability to kick serious ass. :-)

Not really Death Metal but this album is a masterpiece.

Blotted Science - The Machinations of Dementia

Here is a piece from them.
Brain Fingerprinting - Blotted Science - YouTube

Great! Any more "Instrumetal" suggestions?

[sergicrust]

Hi, you can also check these bands out, "Continuo Renacer", a basque-spanish band with a couple albums out and "Amogh Symphony" from India. This band uses brutal vocals in some songs but many are instrumental.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZeQs...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch5Qa...eature=related

[Chipter]

Originally Posted by Feral Feline

I wouldn't want to learn to like this vocal style. I'm not slagging people for enjoying this style, I'm just saying it doesn't appeal to me in the same way that people have different culinary preferences. I can assure you, it won't take time. I will never enjoy the guttural growling within metal's sub-genres the same way Durian fruit will never again touch my palate.

The style of vocals I enjoy can be found listening to Iron Maiden or Tool where I can hear and comprehend what is being sung.

Tool and Maiden are two of my favourite bands, and one "Death Metal" band I would recommend for you is Opeth.
They're very melodic and technical, but they also have Death Metal gutteral vocals as well, it might be a good little gateway band for you.
It's the best of both worlds.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3ZHajw3-3s

[evanatch]

Originally Posted by Feral Feline

Great! Any more "Instrumetal" suggestions?

Behold... The Arctopus:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myZb4gvwdN0

Liquid Tension Experiment (not as "metal", it's basically Dream Theater minus Labrie and Myung, plus Tony Levin):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edqH0ofRQrM

Animals as Leaders:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmfzWpp0hMc

Spastic Ink (the guitarist is Ron Jarzombek, the same guy from Blotted Science):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOuLJvk7Y34

Gordian Knot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2tIUzoQwcQ

That's some of the more prominent instrumental bands I thought of, there's probably plenty more that are also great. That list is also pretty progressive/technical, so if you aren't used to that it can be hard to listen to.

This thread is a great resource. I usually don't play much extreme metal, but when I play something technical I normally use just one finger, moving it up and down like a pick. I might want to start developing a better 2 or 3 finger technique soon though to help with ultrafast string skipping and such, and this guide is definitely extremely helpful.

[Yogen]

This was a really good read, because I want a bass to play the clank style, although I didn't know how it's called or anything.

I'm buying a budget bass of course, which would have a better fret work? A cort action V-A or an ibanez gsr 205? And for standard tuning, which strings are best? Is there a way to keep the same strings and change tuning? Or it won't sound right?

And, with how many fingers should I begin to play? Also, which string muting technique suits better the style?

I used to not like growling a while ago, but it kind of grew on me, I can understand some bands, but yeah, there are many completely unintelligible. Try listening to "malevolent creation", is aggressive vocals, but they are easy top understand and is not growling

[Calaverasgrande]

This is why I like the stingray so much. It excels at the fret banging technique.
I woudnt say I lack for dynamics though. I play fingerstyle during the quiet parts and switch to pick and pretty much riccochet off the fretboard on every note for the loud parts.
In my last very loud Metal band, Hexe, I ended up running my bass mostly flat and using a slight mid boost for the "heavy" parts.
Kinda tough with 3 guitar stacks to compete with. But a bass amp seems to get much louder flat then it does with the smile curve.

[xavplusplus]

What I want to know is how three finger plucking works. Also I got invited to be in a hardcore band which to me is like metal and punk had a baby. I think uping my midrange would be a good idea but since I'm quite new to bass how can I tell I'm setting my settings right(I know dumb question but I figured why not just ask)

[Jay2U]

Originally Posted by xavplusplus

What I want to know is how three finger plucking works. Also I got invited to be in a hardcore band which to me is like metal and punk had a baby. I think uping my midrange would be a good idea but since I'm quite new to bass how can I tell I'm setting my settings right(I know dumb question but I figured why not just ask)

John Entwitle was a multiple finger plucker. See for yourself: John Entwistle Youtube

I don't understand your question about setting the strings right. Do you mean tuning, action or intonation? Cranking up the midrange would rather be a matter of amp / pedal settings.

[xavplusplus]

Yea I was talking about my amp

[Hamlet7768]

Originally Posted by xavplusplus

Yea I was talking about my amp

Okay, well, first off, the only real way to get better with three-finger plucking, like any technique, is to practice it, first at low speed, then picking up very gradually until you can get consistency across all three fingers. This will take a long time, just so you know.

Now, about the amp: There should be EQ (Equalization) controls on the amp, probably dials. They're labeled "Bass" (or "Low"), "Mid" (Or two dials, one "Low Mid" and another "High Mid"), and "Treble" (or "High"). You want to turn up the "Mid" dial. Or, if you have the two dials, turn one of them up. I personally recommend the hi-mid for some wicked-sounding snap.

[xavplusplus]

So like 123 123 123 (pointer middle ring) or some other order? Also If I put my mid up what do I do with my lows and highs?

[Hamlet7768]

Originally Posted by xavplusplus

So like 123 123 123 (pointer middle ring) or some other order? Also If I put my mid up what do I do with my lows and highs?

Yes, pretty much like that. You can do 1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3 or 1-2-3-2-1-2-3-2-1-2-3-2-1; it's whichever works best for you.

I've heard from some people (including the OP of this thread) that you should lower the lows and the highs to focus on the midrange snap, but I personally would leave them flat and just boost the hi-mids. On the other hand, it's your sound, and your situation may be different from mine, so experiment with the guitarist(s) and see what sound helps you cut through and support them well!

[TheInsane]

Originally Posted by Hamlet7768

Yes, pretty much like that. You can do 1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3 or 1-2-3-2-1-2-3-2-1-2-3-2-1; it's whichever works best for you.

Just nitpicking but I go 3-2-1-3-2-1

And just remember that 1-2-3-2 migh feel more natural at first but your second finger will do double duty and will thus tire quicker than the other two.

[mpdd]

my fingers are really skeletal so i think i get away with the finger style cause i don't have these fat/big/muscly hands like somebody who could crush a piece of coal into a diamond like superman, i'm not hitting the strings with whole lot other than bone

[thebandcircle]

Build those calluses on your fingertips to sound like a pick. 3 2 1 not 1 2 3
Your fingertip must go past, or through the string, to make room for the next finger.
Work up strength until a fingered note sounds like you slapped it with your thumb.
I sometimes use my pinkie and ring finger together as one, during gallops!

[ArvindJayaram]

Cool thread, bro.

- Jimmy Rage

[Yogen]

Originally Posted by xavplusplus

What I want to know is how three finger plucking works. Also I got invited to be in a hardcore band which to me is like metal and punk had a baby. I think uping my midrange would be a good idea but since I'm quite new to bass how can I tell I'm setting my settings right(I know dumb question but I figured why not just ask)

Alex Webster said something like this:

Go ring-middle-index, always in that order, try to "accentuate" the first of the four beats.

would be something like:

ring-middle-index-ring, middle-index-ring-middle, index-ring-middle-index.

3-2-1-3 2-1-3-2 1-3-2-1

or as Sean Malone: ring-middle-index-middle, and start over.


Edit: I found that practicing with a metronome works great, try doing 4 plucks per beat, every tick from the metronome you must be plucking with your initial finger, something like this:

3 - 2 - 1 - 3 2 - 1 - 3 - 2 .......
tick tick

and so on...

[doctorpan]

Great resource. Thanks so much - it seems like you probably have an entire book in you to write about bass!

[ArranMcs]

If you're starting to use 3 fingers (or 4) in metal, I break down the basics of consistency and string crossing in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4robudUAdMc

For reference, I always go with my amp flat (but then I'm trying to use a warm tone to cut through the mix, instead of a trebley click when I pluck). I turn up the treble on my bass a little bit though, to let through a few more high frequencies and let more of the fretless's natural grinding tone cut through.

[basswiz_scott]

Great post and so awesome to have fellow bassists to converse with.

I have been playing bass for almost 20 years now and I found it near impossible to keep up with fast play styles without using a pick, and I found that very disheartening. I always felt that bass should be played with fingers and not a pick, that in my opinion is what is the difference between a bassist and a low end guitarist. Until late 2011 when I discovered the three finger plucking method. Until then I thought that playing fast with finger was a super human ability. Now that I have implemented that play style, I practice with metronome at 210 and grind it out. It is such a good feeling to be able to play that fast after struggling with it for so long. Now I'm attempting to learn some Cannibal Corpse riffs. I have always tried to incorporate my favorite bassists play styles with my own.

As far as tone, for the longest time I always cut out the mids, thinking that muddied up my tone but came to realize that mids are crucial to presence in a death/metal even rock band. Sadly I haven't been a band for about 5 years now but I'm hoping to get started again soon.

Currently I'm playing my Ibenez 4 string through a Gallen Kruger 400RB with a 4-10 Hartke cab. I am looking to downsize to like a 1-10 Hartke kick back.