Sliding from one fret to another repetitively

[StuntBacon]

I do hope there's a way to change the thread title, as well as my user name because this title makes me feel like a complete dunce.

Is there a concise way of describing this technique? In case you didn't know what I meant (can't blame you) I mean the technique where it almost sounds like a wild vibrato, but you're moving your wrist back and forth covering more than one fret... Know what I mean? Thought not.

I'm having some trouble with this technique, and I need some advice. If you can offer some advice with setting up the bass properly so it's easier to utilize this technique, that would also be helpful, I just thought that this would be the best forum to post this long-winded question in.

[Stanley Design]

Hammer-on/pull-off?

Use two fingers instead of one...

[StuntBacon]

Ha ha ha no that's certainly not what I meant. It is sort of a trill but with one finger... like I said above.

I am getting redder in the face already, so here's another hiding smiley

[Ayliffe]

sounds like its just a really dumb way of doing a hammer on/pull off... unless you mean doing it over multiple frets very quickly; say 5 frets or something like that.

otherwise stop it and do hammer ons

[Electra Player]

Actually, it's not "dumb."

It is more fluid, and lets you do osme cool stuff by mixing with hammer-ons, um...hard to explain.

I'll try and record some thing.

[kesslari]

No, I know what the OP means. It's definitely a trill, and has a different sound than a hammer on-pulloff. I've seen MarloweDK do it in a few vids.

Low action and thinking of it like a wild vibrato work for me when I use it.

[StuntBacon]

No, not at all Ayliffe! It's produces quite a different tone. I like expanding tonal possibilities

It's sliding back and forth between two frets rapidly, I'm pretty sure jaco was good at it... except he didn't have frets...

I knew this was going to happen! This thread was going to be more about explaining what I meant...

It is very amusing watching everyone trying to decipher what I'm trying to say though.

[endorka]

I've heard this referred to as a "shake" in the past.

Jennifer

[Electra Player]

Originally Posted by StuntBacon

It is very amusing watching everyone trying to decipher what I'm trying to say though.

I knew it was a trap!

[frstr8dmusician]

It's called the Shake. One finger rapidly sliding back and fourth between 2 frets on the same string. It's an alternative to the thrill.

[frstr8dmusician]

... And it's really cool when played at the right time.

[frstr8dmusician]

Watch here @ 0:23 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvBtX_omY4o

[warnergt]

Try turning the gain up (bass and/or amp) kind of high and use a
soft touch on the pluck and the sliding fret-finger.

[StuntBacon]

Originally Posted by kesslari

I've seen MarloweDK do it in a few vids.

Yes, him too! He does it quite a lot, and besides his use of the double thump it's the one technique he uses which I'm having quite a bit of trouble with. And it's making me feel really bad about myself...

Not really. I believe Tal Wilkenfeld does it as well, though not as rapidly as MarloweDK. But yeah, wild vibrato seems like a fairly good description, except I suppose you could also bend wildly on a string.

Endorka calls it a "shake"? I'll google 'bass shake' and see what comes up.

Low action? Hmm, maybe, but that seems to compromise my fingerstyle speed for some strange reason. However, I'm thinking of purchasing some thinner Fodera strings to replace my thick Lakland ones. And I tried thinking of it as a wild vibrato, in fact that's kind of how I always thought of it, it just seemed like a poor choice of words to describe the technique.

Also, a friend of mine who also plays bass says that I should try flatwounds, and that they'd be easier to slide with. Should I listen to him?

[StuntBacon]

Frickin' Richard frickin' Bona frickin'... I feel even worse about myself now!

Even with the light touch though, the friction and the heat gathers up pretty quickly and my fingers just stop.

Alternative to the thrill you say? What's that? Sounds like an awesome techinque

Uh, so, anyone know how to rename this thread title "need help with the shake please" as an alternative to the embarrassing mess of a thread title I have created?

[frstr8dmusician]

Try it with your thumb off the neck. Just one finger on the fretboard and do it like you mean it :-)

[frstr8dmusician]

BTW, I would stick with roundwound you get more fret noise and I believe you want that in this case.

[StuntBacon]

Ok so I just googled it... first result... Booty bass, "Shake that a#% b#^%$... god I love google... What's even sadder is that that's most of the results...

http://www.google.com.au/search?clie...utf-8&oe=utf-8

Not joking.

Seems like this is a really underground technique, or I forgot to press "omit nitwit search results" button. So much for google giving helpful results.

[StuntBacon]

I kind of always did this technique with the thumb off. It's a bit easier with the index finger, but I still can't do it with the ring or middle fingers. Is it possible to get roundwounds a little easier on the fingers? I've also tried using my other fingers as support when using my ring finger, but the wrist movement still seems forced. I don't think it's all in the wrist though, because I can also feel hand fingers being held back more and more by the friction the more I do it.

I'm not looking for any timbre in particular at the moment, at the moment I'm worrying about the playability. Once I feel I can do this at a decent speed without sounding forced, then I'll worry about the tone.

[StuntBacon]

Still need a little help. It's not that I can't do it at all, it's just that it takes too much effort and the sound diminishes very quickly.

Should I use the tip of my finger, or the side of it?