Rake or strict alternation?

[Suckbird]

This is not about what technique is best but wich one you use..

[BassGod]

When doing really fast scales and fills, I tend to rake.

Graeme

[The Clap]

rake rake rake. But, in all honesty I have my doubts about the merit of raking. It's hard to get the same 'feel' between strictly alternating and raking, so it tends to fit better with certain tunes/patterns than others I find.

To be honest, I'm working on strict alternation whenever I can help it, I just don't mind my natural tendency to rake.

[Aaron Saunders]

Rake it. Economy of motion, people. Move less, play more, play longer.

[Bassist4Life]

I have been raking all along. I thought it was the "proper" way to play. I am participating heavily in another thread where I'm learning that a lot of people do strict alternation. I'm working on it right now to see how things go, but for the record, I have to say I'm still in the raking camp.

[Suckbird]

Wow!

thought it was going to be 50/50 =)

anyway, i'm working on my strict alternation i have to think everytime i play to not rake...

[La Garrida]

I use strict Alternation, that way I can generate better structured rhythms.

When raking I find that I always rake back to my dominant finger (in this case my index) which I assume is one of the main reasons for raking.

Besides it doesn't bother me that I have to put a little more 'effort' in my hand movement-I've played seven hours straight before and still had energy to muscle on!

[Bassist4Life]

Originally Posted by La Garrida

When raking I find that I always rake back to my dominant finger (in this case my index) which I assume is one of the main reasons for raking.

The finger you last used before going to the next lower string is the finger that rakes. This may not be true of all rakers, but this is my experience. Designating one finger as a raking finger would certainly send me to strict alternation in a hurry.

Joe

[Eliot L]

How come 50/50 is not an option? I do both, I practice alternating a lot these days although raking feels and sounds great a lot of the time.

[Bassist4Life]

Originally Posted by Eliot L

How come 50/50 is not an option? I do both, I practice alternating a lot these days although raking feels and sounds great a lot of the time.

I know what you mean. Since I've practiced some strict alternation I have used both. When it comes down to playing, I've heard, "If you think, you stink." I usually go with what my fingers do to make the music happen.

Joe

[Suckbird]

I started play strict alternation this week and i found out that i use
it more and more without thining about it, i like this technique and it gives me control..

i used to do arpeggios raked, and man did i pull myself out of rhythm...

[Eliot L]

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

I know what you mean. Since I've practiced some strict alternation I have used both. When it comes down to playing, I've heard, "If you think, you stink." I usually go with what my fingers do to make the music happen.

Joe

I totally agree with if you think, you stink. What ever works and comes natural does turn out the best. I'm with suck though, the more I've been practicing alternation the less I think about it....although if I were to catch myself raking a bunch at a show I wouldn't beat myself up over it as it would have come naturally.

[floydbass]

Raking, I tried always alternating, I didnt like it at all.

[werbo1]

Rake...thats when you use one finger to go down two or more strings right? Yeah i do that...its not worth it to me to practice strict alternation - everything i do kinda comes spontaneously - i mean i won't play with my teeth and i try to do one finger per fret- bt most of the time spontenaeity comes over

[Norwegianwood]

I used to rake alot, but now I feel that alternate gives me better control over the tone....I dunno, but if feels "cleaner"

[Juneau]

I use both, depending on how fast I need to go, or what sound I want out of it.

[jeff schmidt]

BOTH

[JimmyM]

You know, I have no problem with rakers...I'm all for doing what you think is best to make the music in your head come out to your fingers. But what I have a problem with is people saying that raking is a more efficient and easier way of playing than strict alternation. It just isn't so.

If you think it's easier, it's only because you haven't practiced strict alternation enough. There is more of a learning curve to SA than raking, but you do something that initially slows you down, then you get better at it, then you start to realize the benefits. People who say raking is easier haven't allowed themselves to get good enough with SA to see the benefits.

And when you rake in the middle of a fast 16th note riff, you reverse the pattern of your picking and turn your leading finger into the following finger. Jaco may have raked, but I would bet dollars to donuts that he'd never rake in quick 16th note riffs like in "Teen Town" or "Donna Lee" because it would throw your fingers out of rhythm and cause a stumble. That's not nearly as efficient as keeping a steady back and forth between two fingers.

And this "If you think, you stink" stuff...good technique doesn't have to equal "non-creativity." You just develop the good technique until you do it without thinking. Creativity is in your ideas, not your technique.

[HaVIC5]

Raking, I think, makes the most sense. It is more economical since there is less movement, since the finger has already been placed on the next string as soon as the note has been struck. I can do both effectively, but for the most part I stick to raking.

[bassman314]

I strictly alternate... or is that alternate strictly?

When I started playing I had enough problems trying to think about using 2 fingers, that trying to use 2 fingers.. and rake... just wasn't happening... now it's habit. trying to pull a thiurd finger in the mix, now too.. so raking prolly won't happen.