Exercises for practising 16th notes

[speedrabbit]

Cheers guys. Great advice, especially the idea of practising different accents. Always good to remember that the point of playing bass isn't speed as well.

[Grinky]

If you're bored of doing drills over and over again, try playing along with Jamiroquai. The bass lines are good practice for 16th notes and you make music along with improving your fingerwork. 2 birds with 1 stone. (:

[HaVIC5]

Originally Posted by speedrabbit

Cheers guys. Great advice, especially the idea of practising different accents. Always good to remember that the point of playing bass isn't speed as well.

More important than speed, in my opinion, is coordination and precision. Speed is a fortunate byproduct. One important part of practicing sixteenth notes is getting under your fingers string skipping and crossing excercises up to speed, ESPECIALLY if you use an asymmetrical plucking technique (3 fingers, or whatever). I've seen guys who can play at ridiculous speeds on a single string, but when it comes to any sort of ghosted 16th note groove at a more reasonable speed (110, or thereabouts), they fall apart instantly.

[jschwalls]

I have a great lick that i show my intermediate/advanced students....lets see if i can tab it out on here...

----------5678---
---------6----7--
--------7------6-
---5678----------

play as 4 groups of 3, triplets will work as well

i also get them to reverse it..

----------8765---
---------7----6--
--------6------7-
---8765----------

then i make them count with accents to re-phrase it

1.2.3., 1.2.3., 1.2.3., 1.2.3.
1.2.3.4., 1.2., 1.2.3.4., 1.2.
1.2.3.4.5., 1.2., 1.2.3.4.5.

making string accents on the 1 of each group, it's a hell of a way to learn control over your hand.
I agree with HaVIC5, speed will come with time and it will happen faster with the more control one has over their hands.

I also use odd meters to teach with and of course using accents too.

x=1/16 note rest

------7-x-----5-4-----------
----------5-x-----7-5-0-5-7-
--5-x------------------------
-----------------------------

This lick is in 13/16

accents are like this:
1.2., 1.2., 1.2., 1.2.3.4., 1.2.3.

as before accents on the 1 of each group

(for fun replace x with the note before it, turns into a very bouncy, carnival type riff.) ENJOY!

JON

[HolmesBass]

Watching Rocco's videos...he uses his alternating two-finger right-hand technique (index and middle finger). I can't always tell if he's leading with his index finger, or if it makes a difference.

In the beginning exercises, should I be striving to be always playing the downbeat with my index finger?