How fast can you play?

[bullshark]

Fingerstyle?

Me, I can do eighth notes consistently and with control @ 160 bpm, I can venture into 180 bpm territory on my best of days. That's pretty slow, I know, but when I started about 2 years ago I could only do about 90 bpm.

Unfortunately, a lot of the covers we play I have to modify/simplify since my fingers just refuse to move fast enough.

And you? How fast can you play and how long did it take you to get there?

 

[Fine Cut]

i can play decently fast, but REMEMBER...if you dont know which frets to hit, and when to hit them, fast means nothing...

 

[Ramstien]

Much like DragonForce, playing fast =/= good.

 

[bullshark]

i can play decently fast,

Yes, but...numbers please? How fast and how long have you been playing?

but REMEMBER...if you dont know which frets to hit, and when to hit them, fast means nothing...

Yes and no. Ex: I'm supposed to play a cover of a song; it's originally @ 114 bpm AND there's a few sixteenth notes run in it which, obviously, I can't do. That is a problem (I'm working on it, but it will take me time...lot's of time I'm afraid).

 

[JamesTheBassBoy]

try learning to do 3 finger walking or if your daring 4, once you develop it, you'll be able to play those faster bits.

 

[BassLand]

music is not a race...

 

[bullshark]

I see trying to extract numbers from talkbass is an exercise in futility.

Ok, thread closed, thank's for the help folks.

 

[deaf pea]

fast enough!

been playin' 50 years . . .









FWIW, 16ths at 136 bpm . . .


BTW, I usually only use my index finger for straight 8ths and 16ths. When playing 12/8 (shuffle) I'll use two fingers to get the accent going (for the difference in sound of the different fingers).

 

[Joos]

i figure i can do 200 bpm on 8th notes, with parts i practiced a lot

played for bout 1 n 1/2 yrs

 

[Tobbo]

something around 220 or so eights.. 2 years down

 

[Deacon_Blues]

When you guys mention your max speed... do you mean you can keep that speed for several minutes (4+) without problems or is it kind of a "peak speed"?

My long-term speed is 16ths @ ~90-100 bpm, peak speed somewhere at 140bpm. I use two fingers.

I'm slow, I know, but I partially blame it on the fact my right plucking hand is my weaker one. I've been working hard to increase my speed and to play economically by using as little movement as possible per pluck, but it is still very hard to get past 100bpm...

Being able to play faster means to me less limitations on what I can play.

 

[Tenma4]

My metronome maxes out at 208bpm...but I consistently hit straight 16ths at that. I've never found a use to be faster than that. Any more and I think my fretting hand would suffer. I don't play speed metal or anything like that, but I think the fastest I've ever had to hold constant in a band setting has been driving 8ths at 196bpm with a few 16ths thrown in.

 

[jsingles]

12,474 x 10 to the tenth power notes per nanosecond.

 

[kevteop]

Can't say I've ever had to play a song at an inhuman tempo, so I've no idea how fast I can play. "Fast enough" I suppose.

 

[bullshark]

Ah, this thread might be redeemed after all.

When you guys mention your max speed... do you mean you can keep that speed for several minutes (4+) without problems or is it kind of a "peak speed"?

I meant controlled, meaning you can get good notes placement and even tone with accent when/where they are required while still controlling unplayed string resonance. Being able to hold that for a long time is a matter of endurance which, while related, isn't really the same topic (maybe worth of another one thought).

For instance, even on my best days I can't get past 16th@90 bpm without getting uneven tone and dropping a note here and there, sound like garbage, so I don't consider I can play anything useful past that speed.

My long-term speed is 16ths @ ~90-100 bpm, peak speed somewhere at 140bpm. I use two fingers.

I'm slow, I know, but I partially blame it on the fact my right plucking hand is my weaker one. I've been working hard to increase my speed and to play economically by using as little movement as possible per pluck, but it is still very hard to get past 100bpm...

How long have you been playing/practicing?

Being able to play faster means to me less limitations on what I can play.

Exactly.

 

[jsingles]

being able to play really fast = GOOD

playing way too friggen fast = BAD

 

[Ric5]

My mustang cruises real nice over 100 miles an hour

 

[mothmonsterman]

As fast as i need too, too fast loses the groove IMO

 

[bassforce]

fast enough.

 

[Fine Cut]

My mustang cruises real nice over 100 miles an hour

haha, my Camaro cuts off at 118...cant wait to program that limiter out