Sliding into the 3rd in major scale

[Lobster11]

I'm trying to master a basic technique that I've ignored for too long, and would be grateful for any advice y'all might have. A lot of oldie rock songs (and some newer ones) have simple major-scale bass lines featuring a pronounced slide into the major 3rd: "Hound Dog" would be a classic example with its simple 1 /3 5 figure, though the one I'm actually working on now is Young Blood, which (I think) goes 1 1 /3 5 6 5. I can think of a variety of ways of fingering this, but I'd like to pick one to really focus on.

I guess this really breaks down into two questions: First, would you play the 3rd on the same string as the root, sliding up with your pinky and/or ring finger, or would you get the 3rd on the next string with your index finger, stretching for the minor 3rd and sliding up to the major 3rd? Then, if the former, would you grab the 5 with your index finger (in which case it's a little tricky to get that same finger quickly back to the root), or would you grab the 5 with your middle finger (feels awkward, but gives the index finger a head start back to the root)?

Once I get this one song down, I'm eager to sneak the same technique into other tunes and lines as well. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

[john m]

Practice it every way you can think of so you don't get locked in to a "mechanical pattern".

[Remguy]

I'm not sure why you mention a minor third, it goes R/3-5(6-5), right? FWIW, I slide up the same string as the root (played with the index finger) to the MAJOR third, played with third finger, and over to the next string for the fifth, again played with the index. Jumping back down to the root to start over with the index doesn't seem to pose any particular problem for me. I see really good bass players making huge shifts in hand position with lightning speed and accuracy. Oh well, there's something for us to aspire too, anyway. There's my $0.02

[Rick Robins]

My advice is to watch videos of the players that played the songs if you can find them. You will find your answer there. Your example of Hound Dog, (I assume you play electric & it's the Elvis versions) find Bill Black playing it (if you can on an electric) then compare it to Jerry Scheff playing it.

For years I was a Billy Sheehan, 5 fret stretch guy playing lots of scalley Malmsteen like things. then I got into Rocco Prestia & found I had to change my left hand technique to pull of Rocco's stuff. Being able to see the players style really made it clear what I was doing wrong or why/how I was making it harder on myself or why I was not capturing the FEEL.

[Zooberwerx]

As mentioned, learn all the patterns. However, I'm a firm believer in the conservation of energy...here's what works for me (example in A):

*A - middle finger, E string / 5th fret

*C-C# slide - index finger, A string / 3rd-4th frets

*E - pinky, A string / 7th fret

Nothing wrong with using the open A string either but I find myself doing a C-C# hammer-on rather than a slide.

Riis

[Mayers]

If the root if "F"

G|----------------------
D|----------------------
A|----------3---5---3---
E|-1--1--/5-------------

Index, index, pinky, index, pinky, index

Very simple pattern if you are in a major scale

[Rick Robins]

in A
G|----------------------
D|------------4----------
A|-----4---7------7------
E|-5-5-------------------
m m i* p i* p * = barre with index finger

with Min3/Aug2

in A
G|----------------------
D|---------2---4---2----
A|---3--4---------------
E|-5--------------------

p m r i r i

I barre/pivot & mute with the index finger for these types of patterns.

[Munjibunga]

I do the slide from the second to the third rather than all the way from the root, and I do it with my third finger, then to the fifth on the next string with my index.

[Lobster11]

Thanks for all the suggestions. As I'd kinda expected, it looks like there isn't much of a consenus: Everyone prefers a different way. (All the more reason to learn and practice all of them, I suppose, but I'm still eager to choose one to master first.)

One thing I didn't expect disagreement about, though, was where the slide (to the major 3rd) should start in something like Hound Dog or Young Blood. Some of you have the same interpretation as I do, i.e., that it's a one-fret slide from the minor to major 3rd. Sliding all the way from the root to major 3rd sounds like too much slide to me. Munjibunga has an interesting idea about sliding two frets from the 2nd, which I actually find a tad bit easier than starting on the minor 3rd (but I'm not sure is "right"). Any other thoughts on this?

[BassChuck]

Depends on how pronounced the slide is. A quick grace not kind of shift, put the 2nd finger on root and slide from b3 to 3 with index. But...if the b3 needs to be a little longer and the b3 to 3 pronouced, like articulated, then I put the 4th finger on the root, and b3 with 2nd finger, 3 with 3rd.

In the end you need to find something that is comfortable and gets the sound you are hearing.

[Munjibunga]

I just listened to the original of "Hound Dog," and there's no slide in it. In "Young Blood" it goes from the second to the third, and it's not a slide, each note is articulated (it might be a hammer-on).

[Lobster11]

FWIW, the transcription of "Hound Dog" in the Bass Tab White Pages, which carries the original 1956 copyright, shows the second note of the bass riff as a slide from the minor third to major third. I don't necessarily put much stock in the tabulature from the White Pages -- I often can find alternative fingerings I like better -- but I think the standard notation is probably true to the original sheet music.

BTW, the tab there shows the root (C) played at the 3rd fret of A string, and the 3rd sliding from the 1st to 2nd fret of the D string (followed by the 5th on the A string). I'm still not sure if I like that fingering....