I rely too much on hammering/ left hand tapping?

[oniman7]

I was thinking about my playing the other day, and I noticed I maybe pick less than I should. If I'm playing two notes close to each other, I tend to do a hammer on, even if it's on a different string. Also, when I do certain pulloffs (unless to get that pull off sound) I tend to fret one note, strum it, remove that finger, and hammer onto the note below it, which is basically like a hammer on backwards.

For instance, here's part of a Tool riff that I do this to.

G------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------
A------5-------------------------------------
D--5-7--7-5-0------------------------------------

I tend to play it like this


G------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------
A------5-------------------------------------
D--5h7--h7-h5-0------------------------------------

I only strum it twice. The first A on the D string, and the D on the A string.
I still manage to get some pretty decent sound out of it though.


This isn't the only time I do it, but this is probably the worst example I'm aware of. Is this something I should focus on changing?

[champbassist]

The whole point about legato (i.e. hammering on/pulling off) is that it lends a smooth sound to your playing, esp. when you're playing fast. If you play legato, the constant picking/plucking attack is absent, smoothing the flow of notes.

So, using legato or not using it depends solely on the sound you're trying to achieve. As long as you're sure that the hammer on pull off sound is what is required by the song, you're OK.

A line of thinking I've come across from some guitar players (e.g., Al Di Meola) is that while playing fast if you play legato exclusively, it tends to hamper your ability to develop picking speed. But, IMO, with the bass, you hardly have to play such fast lines often enough to worry about missing development of right hand picking speed by using too much legato. Just make sure legato is what you are required to do. If it gets you the desired sound I don't see it as a problem

[oniman7]

Thanks for the advice. In that song it sounds OK. It's a riff from The Pot by Tool, if anyone knows it.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by oniman7

It's a riff from The Pot by Tool, if anyone knows it.

I figured so, but I wasn't sure I like Tool a lot but I'm not among their biggest fans.

And yes, playing this part with hammer ons does sound OK, at least the way I play it

[totallyfrozen]

Originally Posted by oniman7

...Also, when I do certain pulloffs (unless to get that pull off sound) I tend to fret one note, strum it, remove that finger, and hammer onto the note below it, which is basically like a hammer on backwards....

Sounds like that'd be pretty slow.

[oniman7]

Originally Posted by totallyfrozen

Sounds like that'd be pretty slow.

It's basically just a hammer on done backwards, but I have to lift the finger that's higher on the neck at the same time. Barely any slower at all. Don't think I'd be able to do it if I were a guitarist who needed blazing fast solos, but it works for me pretty well.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by oniman7

It's basically just a hammer on done backwards, but I have to lift the finger that's higher on the neck at the same time. Barely any slower at all. Don't think I'd be able to do it if I were a guitarist who needed blazing fast solos, but it works for me pretty well.

Yes, but it does sound like a fair bit of work for the finger which is hammering on the note lower down on the neck.

[oniman7]

Originally Posted by champbassist

Yes, but it does sound like a fair bit of work for the finger which is hammering on the note lower down on the neck.

Not really. I just lay it down fast. Lift one while you're lowering the other. It's a lot faster than it sounds. I can't use it for tapping or things like that, but when I need to play two notes without that pulloff sound.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by oniman7

Lift one while you're lowering the other.

Yeah that sounds fine. I misunderstood your statement in the OP about this technique.

Edit: If I understand correctly, Joe Satriani does something very similar on his song "Not Of This Earth". Do give it a listen, if you haven't already.

[oniman7]

Good song. Sounds similar, but some of those do sound like regular pull-offs.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by oniman7

Good song. Sounds similar, but some of those do sound like regular pull-offs.

Yes most of the song has just simple regular hammer on/pull off stuff: I was talking about a specific part; the segment 1:28-1:37 in the following vid:

Joe Satriani - Not Of This Earth

[oniman7]

Originally Posted by champbassist

Yes most of the song has just simple regular hammeron/pull off stuff: I was talking about a specific part; the segment 1:28-1:37 in the following vid:

Joe Satriani - Not Of This Earth

Yes, I think I hear it now. It's sort of like a pull off, but a lot smoother.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by oniman7

Yes, I think I hear it now. It's sort of like a pull off, but a lot smoother.

Yes, the hammer ons/pull offs in that segment are like:


G||--14h--15p-14s-12--
D||---------------------
A||---------------------
E||---------------------

[Stealth]

I've been criticized of doing the same thing, using hammer-ons and pull-offs too commonly. Not too sure on others' take on it, but I figure if you can pull it off so it sounds good, there's no harm in it.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by Stealth

Not too sure on others' take on it, but I figure if you can pull it off so it sounds good, there's no harm in it.

That's right. At least IMO

As I said earlier, I really don't think we should be all that bothered about this as bassists. To legato or not to legato is a more important (and somewhat controversial) question w.r.t. guitarists.