How to get even plucks?

[Bocete]

I had great problems on recording the other day. One of my plucking fingers plucks differently than the other one. I'm not sure if one is louder than the other but I do hear a difference in sounds, like the plucks have slightly different EQs. Of course that is not the case, it's in my fingers.

Are there any exercises to fix this? Or some hints to fixing this. I tried hard to get at least 3 even, successive tones with two alternating fingers, no way, not once.

[JimmyM]

Play quarter notes very slowly on one note, the open E is a good place to start. Concentrate on accuracy, and don't try to go faster until you master it at a slow speed. Then once you do, go slightly faster until you master it at the new speed. Lather, rinse, repeat.

[pstyle]

practice

[Joe P]

In the meantime, get a compressor.

That percieved EQ change might be partially to do with your amp/pre reacting to the volume changes. In that case, a footpedal compressor between the bass and amp would do more good than one at the console insert.

The BBE unit is very well spoken of over at Effects. Also the Demeter, Punch Factory... Ah - I'm sure I'm missing some important ones...

I use a Boss CS-3, full-time - but I go for a 'squashed' sound; I'm trying to be like Tony Levin...

Joe

[Pacman]

You know, fully 75% of the questions in the technique forum could be answered with the following advice.

Slow down.
Practice with a metronome.

[eric atkinson]

Or try and use it to your advantage...

[SBassman]

There's not a whole lot of magic or technique to explain on this one.

Get the bass out, and pedal, and pedal, and pedal. Moving across the strings. For a block of time. Every day. With a metronome or drum machine. Repeat for as many days/weeks/months until this is effortless, automatic, and even.

[SirCanealot]

Use one finger. So many bassists I've seen plucking 8th notes with one finger. Geddy Lee's probably the main guy.

I use one finger when I want to get a nice, consistant tone to my strikes. I use two fingers when I want an pick-like alternate picking note (one emphasised note followed by a sligyhtly less emphasised note). Not even sure if I COULD do completely even notes with two fingers now. But that's how I like it.

Just my 2 cents

[Deacon_Blues]

Originally Posted by Bocete

I had great problems on recording the other day. One of my plucking fingers plucks differently than the other one. I'm not sure if one is louder than the other but I do hear a difference in sounds, like the plucks have slightly different EQs. Of course that is not the case, it's in my fingers.

Are there any exercises to fix this? Or some hints to fixing this. I tried hard to get at least 3 even, successive tones with two alternating fingers, no way, not once.

Is your problem only that the sound is different or is it a timing problem as well? If it is only the sound, the variation comes from the simple fact that you are playing on two slightly different positions on the string, and IMO, that is nothing to worry about. If you still want exactly the same sound, play with only one finger instead. I do that sometimes.

If the timing also is a problem, I know an excellent practice (also VERY good for increasing finger speed):
- Start on the G string, for instance. Pluck the string with your index finger and mute it as quickly as possible with the middle finger. You should barely hear the note before it's muted. Then pluck the string with your middle finger and mute it with your index finger. Then switch again, and again, and...

- Using a metronome is a must. (If you don't have one, use a clock. You should get at least the tempo 60 bpm from it. ) Start with a very slow tempo (those are the hardest ones to keep, IMO) and when you got the technique right, move to the D string, the A string, E, and go back the same way. Play for instance 4 quarter notes on each string before switching, alternatively 8 if you think 4 are to few to start with. When you play decently four plucks per string, switch to 2. When you got that working well, increase the speed.

- The key in this exercise it to minimize the finger movement to a minimum. I know it is much easier to move from the G string to the E than the other way, but in case the lower strings start ringing when moving in the latter direction, mute those with your left hand.

This practice helped me a LOT with both timing and speed. When practicing this in 10 minutes a row, the endurance gets better also. Another bonus for me was that now I can play staccato eights also without having to mute the string by lifting my left hand finger after every pluck. (I can do that rather quickly, I'm left-handed and have played guitar also for over ten years, but muting with the other finger on the right hand sounds cleaner and better and works on open strings as well. BTW, I play right-handed basses and guitars).

Good luck with practicing!

[pajohnso58]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

If the timing also is a problem, I know an excellent practice (also VERY good for increasing finger speed):
- Start on the G string, for instance. Pluck the string with your index finger and mute it as quickly as possible with the middle finger. You should barely hear the note before it's muted. Then pluck the string with your middle finger and mute it with your index finger. Then switch again, and again, and...

-

I just took my first lesson with a new teacher (a very experienced upright player who teaches at the college level) and he showed me this same exercise, which he learned during a lesson with Dave Holland. The only difference is that after you mute the note, you immediately stop all movement with your hand and take a moment to relaxe your hand before doing the next one. Economy of motion, accuracy, and relaxation are the key, rather than speed, at least at first.

[DocBop]

First practice playing even eigth notes with a metronome, not a drum machine. You want to hear every little sound your fingers make a drum machine will mask a lot.

Use headphones. Get a clean sounding headphone amp, or if have home recording gear use that anything that you will hear every little nuance of your playing with. Turn the amp or mixer down and crank your bass up all the way full volume and treble (like recording in the old days.) Now practice with the click. It is scary the first time your really hear how uneven and noisy your technique is. With headphone work on single notes playing eights. Get the tone even and no extra noise, focus on your muting of other strings and etc. Once you have that down using each string. Now time to play scales and hear the noise you make moving around.

You work on this with your pickup wide open you will also discover all the tone you bass has to offer too. Then time to practice playing with pickups wide open and controling your volume and tone with just your hands. You master that and your friends will wonder how you get such a big tone when you play any bass.

[Deacon_Blues]

To Pajohnso58-> I was shown this exercise in my first bass lesson too, a couple of years back. Although I had been playing for 3-4 years at that time, I have never improved my technique as much as I did when I learned this one, and the famous spider.

I noted that I also do that "stop all movement... before doing the next one", but the time I relax in between is rather short... It depends on the tempo on the metronome. I actually never noticed I did this before you told me that part of the exercise.

[pajohnso58]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

I noted that I also do that "stop all movement... before doing the next one", but the time I relax in between is rather short... It depends on the tempo on the metronome. I actually never noticed I did this before you told me that part of the exercise.

My teacher said that after a while you will get to naturally relaxing your hand and it will enable you to increase your speed, but he stressed doing the exercise very slow and deliberate at first with a real emphasis on relaxing your hand in between plucks.

It must be a fairly common technique or else Dave Holland has been teaching it and it has gotten around.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Joe P

In the meantime, get a compressor.

That percieved EQ change might be partially to do with your amp/pre reacting to the volume changes. In that case, a footpedal compressor between the bass and amp would do more good than one at the console insert.

Never use equipment to fix technique issues.

[ibnzneksrul]

Originally Posted by SirCanealot

Use one finger. So many bassists I've seen plucking 8th notes with one finger. Geddy Lee's probably the main guy.

I use one finger when I want to get a nice, consistant tone to my strikes. I use two fingers when I want an pick-like alternate picking note (one emphasised note followed by a sligyhtly less emphasised note). Not even sure if I COULD do completely even notes with two fingers now. But that's how I like it.

Just my 2 cents

That's interesting advice. I don't agree but it is interesting. Makes perfect sense using a pick (even repetitive down strokes vs. alternating down-then-up-strokes), but I think most (not all) players doing fingerstyle need to alternate 1st and 2nd fingers to get a consistent rhythm (I know I do). Seems to me you're recommending a particular style rather than a general technique.

[Zappstorius]

Originally Posted by Bocete

I had great problems on recording the other day. One of my plucking fingers plucks differently than the other one. I'm not sure if one is louder than the other but I do hear a difference in sounds, like the plucks have slightly different EQs. Of course that is not the case, it's in my fingers.

Are there any exercises to fix this? Or some hints to fixing this. I tried hard to get at least 3 even, successive tones with two alternating fingers, no way, not once.

I know this may seem a little on the simplistic side, but is it possible that one of your fingernails is longer than the other?

I know there are some metal guys (Steve Harris comes to mind) that grow their fingernails out to get the "pick-effect". This would result in a different EQ, with a little bit of a sharper tone, as opposed to the softer sound made by playing with the meat of your finger.

[deaf pea]

Originally Posted by SirCanealot

I use one finger when I want to get a nice, consistant tone to my strikes. I use two fingers when I want an pick-like alternate picking note (one emphasised note followed by a sligyhtly less emphasised note).

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Never use equipment to fix technique issues.

+1 on both of those comments . . .

I've also noticed that my index finger callous is harder than the callouses on the other 2 fingers that I pluck with. I find that that's the reason the notes plucked with that finger have a more agressive sound than notes played with one of the other fingers (or with my thumb). Those notes sound more "mellow" . . . YMMV

[EricF]

Originally Posted by SirCanealot

Use one finger. So many bassists I've seen plucking 8th notes with one finger. Geddy Lee's probably the main guy.

Ever hear of a guy called James Jameson? He played stuff with one finger that a lot of people can't play with two.

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by EricF

Ever hear of a guy called James Jameson? He played stuff with one finger that a lot of people can't play with two.

So did Chuck Rainey in his early days like James he just used his index finger. I've played around with the one finger technique and some things can be played easier and more even using that technique. Worth adding to your toolbox of techniques.

[Rakie]

Originally Posted by Bocete

I had great problems on recording the other day. One of my plucking fingers plucks differently than the other one. I'm not sure if one is louder than the other but I do hear a difference in sounds, like the plucks have slightly different EQs. Of course that is not the case, it's in my fingers.

Are there any exercises to fix this? Or some hints to fixing this. I tried hard to get at least 3 even, successive tones with two alternating fingers, no way, not once.

Only surgery can fix that my friend.

And by surgery, i mean practicing with a Metronome.