Technique for Fast Octaves?

[matti777]

Originally Posted by Swipter

I normally use index and pinky for octaves. Judging by what everyone else is saying I guess that is wrong.

Based on the variety of techniques used by pro bass players I wouldn't say there is a wrong technique as long as your not hurting yourself. I have never seen anybody with a pinky strong enough or fast enough for repetitive octaves though. Perhaps they are out there.

[dmusic148]

Originally Posted by matti777

Based on the variety of techniques used by pro bass players I wouldn't say there is a wrong technique as long as your not hurting yourself. I have never seen anybody with a pinky strong enough or fast enough for repetitive octaves though. Perhaps they are out there.

Not exactly 'repetitive octaves' but Alain Caron uses his pinky for popping all the time. EDIT: I'm not so sure. Maybe it's his ring finger. Hard to tell.

[PaulErik]

Originally Posted by rydin4lifebass

Thanks guys. I broke the rhythm down into five notes to practice moving back and forth between strings as noted below:

Root - Index
Octave - Middle
Octave - Index
Root - Index
Octave - Middle

Is that the "pattern" you guys would follow or do you suggest something else? That seems to be the most natural to me but I'm open to suggestions. By the way, the video I watched for this is at THIS LINK . His fingers move too fast so I can't follow what he's using on his right hand.

While there's obviously no right or wrong way to do this, I was the Village People's bassist for several years, and here's how I played it:

Root - index
Octave - index
Octave - middle
Root - index
Octave - middle

My main issue was endurance, those octaves can be tiring, and the VP's show had lots of them!

[jmverdugo]

I guess it may be obvious for some but, we are taking about the right hand, right? Then usually I'd do index(r), middle(o), index(o), index(r), middle (o).


if you are starting to play it doesn't really matter as you probably will get used to whatever you decide to practice.

[rydin4lifebass]

Well I'll be damned..the VP bassist chimes in..didn't expect that! Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm still working on building speed while concentrating on playing the line cleanly and not upping the speed until I get the transitions down CLEAN!

[rimbaud]

Originally Posted by HolmeBass

I think the gut in that video was actually doing this:
Root - index
Octave - index
Octave - middle
Root - index
Octave - index

I think slapping it would be cheating, too, wouldn't get the same tone. But if your thumb is good you could play the bottoms of the octaves with your thumb and the fast upper notes index-middle. Otherwise your proposed pattern is fine if you can get it working.

I would probably do it the way you have suggested as well because my thumb isn't that good. It would be tough for me, I may have to work on it just for that reason!

Approved, this is the correct sequence to me.
Practice, practice, practice... yes.... I'm working on fusion/pastorius/Prestia grooves, there's nothing better than practice to get those octave basslines right... and this is most of the time 16th notes all the way, double roots/double octave sequence, when you are able to play those at a good speed, you are jumping into a higher level.... but.... work slowly first, and if sometimes you can set a metronome to beats 1 and 3, or 1 and 4, or just one beat of the bar you'll hear if you are getting accurate.

[Clark Dark]

Originally Posted by rydin4lifebass

Sorry..thought I mentioned the song. It's YMCA by the village people. I started practicing using index-middle-index-index-middle...for note-octave-octave-note-octave. Feels OK, just needs practice obviously but I wasn't sure what everyone else does.

Pork aka Alphonso Carey who played locally with a band named Gypsy Lane and later with Patti Labelle was the bassist that played on all the Village People LP's. His technique was thumb, index, middle.

[matti777]

Originally Posted by PaulErik

While there's obviously no right or wrong way to do this, I was the Village People's bassist for several years, and here's how I played it:

Root - index
Octave - index
Octave - middle
Root - index
Octave - middle

My main issue was endurance, those octaves can be tiring, and the VP's show had lots of them!

I'm trying to convert to that style using a bit of rake with my hand pivoting back and forth. I was hitting the G with my middle first. I wish I could get some more clarity and definition to my G string notes. Some guys just seem to be able to get these notes to pop more. Strings, set-up, callouses, talent? I don't know.

[Clark Dark]

Paul were you the original bassist for the VP?

[Clark Dark]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Village_People

4th paragraph down

"Because Morali could not speak English, songwriters Phil Hurtt and Peter Whitehead were brought in to write the lyrics for the first album. However, Willis wrote the lyrics to the group's biggest hits, including "Y.M.C.A.", "Macho Man," "Go West" and "In the Navy," and for other Can't Stop Productions acts such as Ritchie Family and Patrick Juvet.[4] Likewise, Gypsy Lane (the Village People band) and their conductor, Horace Ott, provided much of the musical arrangements for Morali, who did not play any instruments..

Alphonso introduced me to Ralphe Armstrong back in '77

[darius8]

What's the BPM of this song?

[TOOL460002]

I also do the split finger thing (index on root and middle and/or ring on the octave). Another way is to use your thumb and fingers like you would playing classical guitar. You need to dig in harder to get that punch though. It depends on the song.

[peledog]

practice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_AI2v-4DTs

[Tupac]

How come nobody ever straight alternates I M I for a R O O pattern? I've never seen a player do anything but I I M. It's like a bad technique that everyone just accepted! I'd imagine you could go faster if you mastered it alternating.