Yep Another 2 vs. 3 fingers. thread

[GDANDREA]

http://www.gieson.com/Library/projec...ome/index.html

Well, with 2 fingers, i can go to 16th notes at 212 bpm, the limit of this, and surely mine. Just linear 1234 per string.

With three fingers i go much more smoothly.

With 2 i note, that my right forearm (picking hand), is just as after a light gym session. After 1 1/2 years of playing constantly (i play since, 14, have 22 now ).
In jam, my right hand tendoms, tend to block, by the strenght and speed that i try to put.
Do i am reaching my 2 limit?
Is there any way to prevent this tendom blocking.
Doing weightlifting/bodybuilding, will improve my playing endurance?
Do i better start to using three?

Is there a good gym workout to gain muscular action on the hands?

Thank you.

[Gawd]

16th notes at 212 with 2 fingers sounds a bit unbelievable.

[GDANDREA]

not 16 notes, 16th notes.

[Gawd]

That's what I wrote...

[Nashrakh]

Proof?

212bpm sounds ridiculous. I've seen people play that fast with 4 fingers, but that takes a lot of practice to get anywhere near and I doubt this is possible with standard 2 finger technique.

Of course anybody's free to prove otherwise...

[Zombbg4]

If you can play faster with 3, and playing faster is what you want, why even bother sticking with 2? Use three and blow us all away with your speed, which I would love to hear.

[Erick Lam]

It's not impossible but after 1.5 year, I doubt it's clean. The question is: why? I play with three fingers and speed isn't the reason.

[HaVIC5]

Two things, constant, clean, individually articulated 16th notes at 212 beats per minute is kind of ridiculous. You're going to have to put your money where your mouth is with that statement, I'm afraid, because quite frankly I don't believe it. You might be playing eighth notes instead, which would then mean you're playing 16ths at 106 - a far more realistic number.

[Bassorama57]

Originally Posted by HaVIC5

You might be playing eighth notes instead, which would then mean you're playing 16ths at 106 - a far more realistic number.

Probably. Back to the OP's original question -
Weightlifting isn't going to do it - in fact, that'd probably slow you down. You want "fast twitch" muscle action, not bulk.
I just ordered the Dr. Kertz book, based on a favorable review in the UK Bass player magazine. http://www.drkertz.com/buy_book.html

[GDANDREA]

So is not impossible. Well put that isnt so clean at 212, and my tendoms start to block, as my fingers became rigid.

The question was that:
Im trying now to play slow, to less movement in the action.

What can i do to get more real speed, clean, comfortable and usable.
With 3 fingers, if i try to put only ring-middle fingering, its slower, and a pain between fingers.

[HaVIC5]

Originally Posted by GDANDREA

So is not impossible. Well put that isnt so clean at 212, and my tendoms start to block, as my fingers became rigid.

The question was that:
Im trying now to play slow, to less movement in the action.

What can i do to get more real speed, clean, comfortable and usable.
With 3 fingers, if i try to put only ring-middle fingering, its slower, and a pain between fingers.

Then you're not playing at 212. You're stumbling along with a metronome, creating nothing but gibberish. If you clean, comfortable, and usable, you need to practice a lot at slower tempos, not stumble along at 212. Practice getting your notes clean and even at 80, then slowly build up over a long period of time (see: months). Simply adding fingers won't do anything to change the equation.

[GDANDREA]

the question was.

Hi, my fingers start to get rigid what can i do?
at slow tempo its well.
should i add a third finger?

[TXLawDawg]

I want the minute I took reading this thread back...

[dmusic148]

Originally Posted by GDANDREA

the question was.

Hi, my fingers start to get rigid what can i do?

Relax and play lightly. That's all. No magic solution for this.

[TripleDouble]

TXLawDog,

If you can get it back somehow, I'll give you $1000 for it. I'm going back to sleep.

[Bassorama57]

Originally Posted by dmusic148

Relax and play lightly. That's all. No magic solution for this.

Sadly there is no magic. And three fingers will sound different than two imho. Training tip - turn up the amp (preferably headset) loud as you can stand it, then try playing as soft as you can. Reveals all the flaws - wasted motion, etc., in your technique. Practice in front of a mirror as well.

[Nashrakh]

Originally Posted by Bassorama57

Sadly there is no magic. And three fingers will sound different than two imho. Training tip - turn up the amp (preferably headset) loud as you can stand it, then try playing as soft as you can. Reveals all the flaws - wasted motion, etc., in your technique. Practice in front of a mirror as well.

+1

Videotaping yourself might be a good idea too, because playing and looking in the mirror real careful might be too much at first (but being able to play without looking at the fretboard has its advantages)