There's no shortcuts.....Practice, Practice, Practice

LarryO · #1 05-18-2004, 08:08 AM

Why can't most people grasp this? Those damn triplets are cramping my left hand. Damn you metal guitar players who write fast songs....LOL

**Vorago** · #2 05-18-2004, 01:40 PM

go with 3 finger technique, 3-2-1-3-2-1, that should ease those triplets up.
Read Steve Di Giorgio's article on his site on this subject, very interesting

SlavaF · #3 05-18-2004, 10:04 PM

Yeah, those triplets are a pain... but it's great finger exercise. Once you stop getting those cramps, you know you're the boss!

DaemonBass · #4 05-19-2004, 05:53 PM

Let me be the Devil's Advocate and tell you to use a pick. From my experience, playing bass longer than playing guitar, I picked up some pretty quick picking - 16ths at 120 (ok not speed demon fast but pretty quick) with a few months of practicing my alternate picking. Way way faster than I can play a bass using 2 fingers, even though I've been playing bass longer. Granted I haven't put in any "Speed" time for 2 finger technique but the majority of the faster speed metal bassists use picks. Some people may quote some famous metal bassists that use their fingers, however, I will put myself on the line and say that they either don't play speed or thrash metal and are nowhere near as fast as the fastest metal pick players. Granted there may be a few exceptions but I'm talking majority here. Anyways, the pick is a tool, a tool that can be used for speed on the bass.

Fliptrique · #5 05-20-2004, 04:23 AM

the fastest bass player i know plays strictly fingerstyle. grindcore, extreme death metal - + 200bpm. and that`s 200bpm with difficult stuff... he says he could not play that fast with a pick and keep his tone and playing style.

LarryO · #6 05-20-2004, 09:12 AM

I don't know if you read my post but I said it was my LEFT hand that was cramping. I'm right handed (not that you knew that). A pick isn't needed.......triplets with alternate fingerpicking is not hard at all....alternate your fingers....that's it. It's the damn guitar players in dropped D tuning and there silly chord changes

DaemonBass · #7 05-20-2004, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fliptrique

the fastest bass player i know plays strictly fingerstyle. grindcore, extreme death metal - + 200bpm. and that`s 200bpm with difficult stuff... he says he could not play that fast with a pick and keep his tone and playing style.

200bpm what?

Sorry Larry-O I assumed it was a right hand question because of the second post. The "left hand" part just went in one ear and out the other

**Vorago** · #8 05-21-2004, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fliptrique

the fastest bass player i know plays strictly fingerstyle. grindcore, extreme death metal - + 200bpm. and that`s 200bpm with difficult stuff... he says he could not play that fast with a pick and keep his tone and playing style.

wohow, who is this guy? you made me curious

D_man · #9 05-21-2004, 07:41 AM

I just began learning the bass about six months ago..i'm looking for any exercises that will help get my hands stronger and my fingers faster and more accurate...i'm willing to put in the time i'm just not sure where to begin....
so any ideas...on what i'm looking for would be great...thx

tim99 · #10 05-21-2004, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D_man

...i'm looking for any exercises that will help get my hands stronger and my fingers faster and more accurate...

Try the book "Bass Fitness"

http://www.bassbooks.com

http://www.bassbooks.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=30

Tim99.

tim99 · #11 05-21-2004, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D_man

I just began learning the bass about six months ago...

...and welcome to talkbass!

Chiefbass · #12 05-21-2004, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D_man

I just began learning the bass about six months ago..i'm looking for any exercises that will help get my hands stronger and my fingers faster and more accurate...i'm willing to put in the time i'm just not sure where to begin....
so any ideas...on what i'm looking for would be great...thx

Remember to use a metronome. Start slowly, and gradually speed up. To play fast accurately you need to play slowly at first. Relax.

BTW, this is my first post to TB! Whoa!

Matt Till · #13 05-21-2004, 11:24 AM

No shortcuts huh? What about genies. If you had a genie make you the greatest bass player ever, it would be a shortcut.

Edit: Unless it was an evil genie, then you'd remain of equal talent and every other bass player would be reduced to fieLdy's level.

lemur821 · #14 05-21-2004, 04:20 PM

He's right.

dirtgroove · #15 05-23-2004, 12:27 AM

Edit: Unless it was an evil genie, then you'd remain of equal talent and every other bass player would be reduced to fieLdy's level.[/quote]
forum police-Nobody says the F word.

Hellsgamerz · #16 05-23-2004, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StupidMatt

No shortcuts huh? What about genies. If you had a genie make you the greatest bass player ever, it would be a shortcut.

If there *was* a shortcut to being a great bassist, it wouldn't be a shortcut, it would just be the way.

Matt Till · #17 05-23-2004, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellsgamerz

If there *was* a shortcut to being a great bassist, it wouldn't be a shortcut, it would just be the way.

Phhht... sorry buddy, we don't all have genies.

ERIC31 · #18 05-25-2004, 07:57 PM

I'm not sure if he still uses the finger technique but Frankie Bello from Anthrax played all their classic stuff fingerstyle. I have a live video of them from 87 and he is just cranking out the speed on every song except for 'Gung Ho' which he uses a pick on. Very fast player. Good too.