Right hand speed excercices?

makanudo · #1 06-22-2010, 10:41 PM

So my index and middle finger feel so much more slower that what they were a while ago and i wanted to know some tips ond eveloping right hand speed..

Part of it is because i stopped playing for a while but now that im back into it im getting frustrated at my lack of speed=/

fearceol · #2 06-23-2010, 02:20 AM

Ironically, the best way to build up speed is to start at a comfortable tempo and increase the speed gradually.

makanudo · #3 06-23-2010, 05:20 AM

Yeah i thought so.. but just usin a metronome? anyting else?

Eminentbass · #4 06-23-2010, 07:18 AM

Maybe try doing chord tone exercises up and down the neck? The bigger intervals require a bit more work than scales and are good for accuracy and then speed. They're good string jumping exercises for the right hand too. Also, maybe doing exercises at a moderate pace or atempo for a few days then trying to speed up. You probably already know this but constant and slow repetition often has more efficient results than trying to force speed. I'm not a fan of metronomes but sometimes they are useful for working on consistency and accuracy at a slow tempo.

BlakeJustBlake · #5 06-24-2010, 02:29 AM

After practicing a bit I've gotten it down to playing fast enough with two fingers so that I don't need to use a pick (at certain speeds I used to have to use a pick because my fingers just weren't fast enough) But here's how I improved that:

Find a comfortable metronome speed for playing sixteenth notes. If you don't know how to count sixteenth notes they're four notes per beat, you can count them by saying something like one eee and uhh two ee and uhh three ee and uhh... Just play one note on one string using alternate picking moving down the bpm on the metronome until you can playing each one eee and uhh clearly, consistently and comfortably. Once you've found that point then move the metronome down a few clicks more.

Now just keep it there and alternate pluck sixteenth notes. Try different things while doing this like adding accents to different beats and resting on different notes. I used while doing this exercise for awhile and it improved my rhythm reading and rhythmic playing in general, it's just a ton of sixteenth and eighth note rhythms: http://www.instituteofbass.com/subscribe/sample.pdf

I would do this for about 10-15 minutes every day and saw improvement in a couple days. After about a week you can reassess how fast you're practicing, but just remember to stick to the bpm that you end up with, don't try to rush yourself, it's all about perfecting every little movement. Remember while you're doing this to pay attention to everything that's happening and see if you're doing anything wrong and correct it. And after you start improving like this then start moving around strings.

The problem with this was that after awhile my right hand moved faster than my mind interacting with my left hand so I wanted to play fast lines that I knew I could play with my right hand, but I couldn't think up what to play and move my left fingers there fast enough to do anything as cool as I thought I could do. It's not too much of a problem though.

Nashrakh · #6 06-24-2010, 03:19 AM

Yo Blake, that pdf looks just like what I've been looking for.

Unrelated to the OPs problem, but thanks a lot, man!

millsbass5 · #7 06-24-2010, 03:59 AM

Just rip straight into this

& you'll be fine come morning!!

:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJUfC4gDJa4&feature=fvw

You'll be there in NO time!!!

I know,I know!!!

makanudo · #8 06-24-2010, 05:24 AM

Hey blake thanks!

I got a question though, you said move down a few clicks, didint you mean up?

BlakeJustBlake · #9 06-25-2010, 03:20 AM

No, I definitely meant down. Find a tempo that you're comfortable with and practice at a tempo slower than that.

Xwolf Okami · #10 06-25-2010, 07:01 AM

Another good way to count the sixteenth notes is "ti-ka-ti-ka".

I agree with the BlakeJustBlake. Starting out slow and working your way up makes your rhythm more solid.

Technique > Speed

P.S. I've got a right hand excercise somewhere in an old copy of Bass Player; if I find it, I'll be sure to post it for you.

m_bisson · #11 06-25-2010, 10:08 AM

Do you play paintball? Do you know how some PB guns have a double-trigger? I picked up my first bass last month and am faster than a lot of people simply because I can "walk" a trigger extremely fast. I'm talking 13-15bps. (balls per second). Essentially I can strum a string 800 times in one minute....making it sound the same each time i hit the string is a bit harder though

Try this: take a pen and hold it vertically between your thumb and index on your left hand. Using your index/middle finger on your right hand tap the pen enough to move it about 1/2" back each time you hit it. Do it as fast as you can for as long as you can. Youtube probably has examples of this.

makanudo · #12 07-06-2010, 07:22 PM

I am planning on practicing as much as i can today, like in 3 more minutes till i can't keep my eyes open anymore, any tips recommendations?

ill try blake's tip, but i'd like to hear more=)

faulknersj · #13 07-06-2010, 07:46 PM

Learn how to ALWAYS alternate your right index and middle finger. IMIMIMIM (index middle index middle etc). This will do more to increase right hand speed than anything else, particularly when descending ( playing lines that come from the G string and work back oward the E). Most players have a tendency to "rake" (use the same finger twice when going from he A to E string etc) the strings when playing lines in this direction. Play a scale and observe your right hand while you play it, If you are 'raking", it is time to put in the finger work to build a new set of 'muscle memory'.

omnimutant · #14 07-06-2010, 07:53 PM

Tap your fingers on your desk (any surface) all the time. Works for 3 fingers too. You will Annoy everyone you know but you can build that muscle memory without actually playing anything, while your doing other stuff.

makanudo · #15 07-07-2010, 02:13 AM

I rarely rake and im 50% of the time tapping on a desk lol

Ezmar · #16 07-08-2010, 05:15 PM

In my experience, (primarily as a guitarist, but I play bass almost as often), Rush is really good for getting those double finger flutters up to speed. Particularly stuff of of Power Windows and Hold Your Fire. Almost anything off of Power Windows is good, less so are Mystic Rhythms and Manhattan Project, but the rest are all really good, especially Marathon. The main riff is really easy for the left hand, and it's a short lick, with LOTS of double right hand fingering. Hold your fire isn't as good for the fluttering, the best ones would have to be Prime Mover and the instrumental break in Mission (Holy Crap, is that some fast right hand work!), but a lot of the songs are good for building Left and Right hand Coordination, the bass is really precise. There are probably other examples not in rush's catalog, probably many, but they're who I'm most familiar with.

Tim C. · #17 07-08-2010, 05:20 PM

If you want to increase your plucking speed, play along to songs, not to a metronome. You need to learn how to play fast, but also musically and with good technique.

Also, I doubt playing paintball or tapping on a desk has much to contribute with regards to proper bass technique.

Stick to actually playing your instrument.

makanudo · #18 07-13-2010, 04:25 AM

Hey guys so now im actually sitting down with a metronome and i got a question, since i have never used a metronome i had to ask even if its a stupid question..

Im supposed to play Beat 2 3 4 Beat 2 3 4 right?

or am i doing it wrong?

ridgeback · #19 07-13-2010, 04:56 AM

what i used to do was use a rubber band rapped around my fingers when i was just doing my normal practice..its more of an effort to move your fingers so dont over do it.but i would try play as fast as i could ..then remove it when i got tired and practice some more..cant remember where i picked it up (billy sheehan maybe)..

dave956 · #20 07-16-2010, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by makanudo

Hey guys so now im actually sitting down with a metronome and i got a question, since i have never used a metronome i had to ask even if its a stupid question..

Im supposed to play Beat 2 3 4 Beat 2 3 4 right?

or am i doing it wrong?

That's exactly right. A metronome is the best tool you can have to work on your speed. Your consistency, too. And meter. If you have a new-fangled digital metronome, you can work on different time sigs, etc. (I use one on my mac these days). My old teacher (who's the best bassist you never heard of) made me promise I would use a metronome, always. 35 years later, I still do.

Tick-tock!
Dave