Tips for middle part of Tom Sawyer?

[the_hook]

My son has nailed the drum parts for Tom Sawyer and we play together each night on it. I have the whole song down but just can't match the speed I need for the middle part Geddy does during the guitar solo.

Things I've done to get the part down:

I found a more convenient fingering to keep the left hand in one spot, but no matter what I've done, once the music gets underway I can't sustain the speed and play the notes accurately for that part

I've practiced with the metronome slowly and added an extra beat until I hit the song's speed but still can't match it 'live'

I've practiced doing only 2 notes, then adding a 3rd, etc. until I can nail them all at the required speed, but again, no luck playing 'live'.

Any tips people have used to successfully get that part down?

[southernrocker]

Just keep working on it. I had to work on it for a while before I could nail it.

[tracer03]

I've always played it using my index and ring finger - sliding my hand down the neck, starting the riff on the 'D' string, 7th fret. I learned this from video I've seen of Geddy playing it live.

A good tab example is here:

http://www.songsterr.com/a/wa/song?track=bass&id=287

Measure 46 is where the riff starts.

[dmusic148]

Edit: See my next post.

[Gasman]

I play it with my pinky on the low root (7th fret E, if I recall)

[4001]

I just started learning the keyboard solo part. It's a bit of a finger twister for me, as I am not Rick Wakeman.

To play bass, sing, play Moog pedals, keyboards etc., and then entertain 18,000 people every other night is a real tough job, but at the same time, it must be the coolest thing to do.

[dmusic148]

First, put the nome away. You have to learn it without time, first.
Here's how I do it.
Start with index finger, A on the D string. Then the F# with your pinkie, on the A string. Ab with index on the D string. E on the A string, with middle finger. Step down to the D, still on the A string, with index.
Now all that's left is the B to C#, which I do with my pinkie, on the E string. Slide your pinkie up to make the B to C# slide(every other time). Use your index to fret the A on the D string again, starting the riff over.
Then just move up to the G string for the next part, and use the same pattern.
EDIT: I had it all wrong. Fixed.

[jgroh]

I used to play it one way, but recently switched it to an easier way or playing it and it really helped alot. The old way:

On the D string, use your pinky to play the 7th fret > index for the 4th > ring finger for the 6th > pinky on the 7th of the A string > ring finger for the 5th fret > pinky for the 7th fret on the E string.

Ive been playing it for 20 years and even I can get behind every now and again. So I tried the new way:

Middle finger on the 2nd fret of the G string > pinky for the 4th fret on the D string > index finger 1st fret of the G string > middle finger 2nd fret of D string > open D string > middle finger 2nd fret of A string.

This is the main part..when it transposes for those couple of bars, I got back to the old way of fingering, then back to this new way to finish it out.

Made it much easier to play.

[the yeti]

fingering as suggested, although the one you were using will work as well (if you like that better, i play it as suggested). the most important thing is Don't Rush! (no pun intended) rushing invites panic, which in turn invited failure (that's how i have it sized up anyways). stay relaxed, keep working, and know that you can, and will, do this.

that's not strictly tecnique i know, but i think it's important and hope it's helpful.

[Trapezius]

If you can't play it in time, you just need to work on it more out of time. You just have to play it slow enough to play every note with presicion, and then try to increase the speed little by little. It's a tricky part to play, especially to make it sound a fluid as Geddy. I still sound staccato when I play that part.

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by jgroh

On the D string, use your pinky to play the 7th fret > index for the 4th > ring finger for the 6th > pinky on the 7th of the A string > ring finger for the 5th fret > pinky for the 7th fret on the E string.

That's exactly how I play it, but are you sure you use your ring finger there (in bold)? Middle is the logical choice to play that note using the one finger per fret technique (which is the purpose behind those fingerings).

[jgroh]

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

That's exactly how I play it, but are you sure you use your ring finger there (in bold)? Middle is the logical choice to play that note using the one finger per fret technique (which is the purpose behind those fingerings).

No...you are right, I use my pinky for the 5th fret. I typed this before I had some caffeine! but this was the old way I used to play it (actually, the old way I used to play main "A" part of the solo. When it moves up to "D" for a bit I got back to this fingering, then back down to the 2nd fret on the G string)

[M0ses]

Practice it more. That's really the only way. I've been working on that song for a few months and I'm not quite at full speed yet, either. It gets easier to play faster the more you do it, but you always just have to build it up over time.

[Vincent P]

I have to smile while reading some of these posts. I thought I was the only one who struggled with speed and accuracy with regards to this, and some other Rush pieces. Practice, Practice, Practice, you'll get it.

[jdwinva]

No, no, no. You must slap da bass mon!

[jgroh]

Originally Posted by jdwinva

No, no, no. You must slap da bass mon!

No, no, no...you need to pick the F# with your teeth

[the_hook]

I'm not at home right now so I don't have my bass to work off of, but walking thru it in my head, I know I start:

On the D string:

A, 7th fret, pinky
F#, 4th fret, index
G#, 6th fret, middle

On the A string:

E, 7th fret, pinky
D, 5th fret, index

On the E string:

B, 7th fret, pinky

Then later it moves up in pitch to the G string doing the same pattern, using the same finger work, then back down to finish it off.

The flubbing is in two areas, or sometimes both:

area 1) is as I move up to the A and E strings my right hand alternating fingers (index, middle) get messed up. I've walked over the pattern many times and the fingers all walk fine, but once I'm at speed the flubbing starts.

area 2) is just being unable (at speed) to move the fingers fast enough up the A and E strings. Of course sometimes both happens too.

And there's nothing worse than getting 'the look' from my 10 year old son when I flub that part over and over again while he's keeping his end going solid...

To make things worse...he's already got most of YYZ down and he's waiting for me to catch up!!!

[jgroh]

try the "new way" I typed above...its alot easier (IMO of course)

[Audiophage]

Perhaps it's how the meter shifts that is tripping you up? Just remember to keep your 2's and 3's straight.

[c-ba55]

This is the part where he's just playing a descending scale, in thirds? (something like 5 3 4 2 3 1, 5 3 4 2 3 1)

Practice scales in thirds! It comes up all the time.