How fast can you play?

[cnltb]

How old are you!
I really don't mean to disrespect you,and I guess most of us have gone , are going , or will be going through a phase like this, but the last time I asked that question , I was 13 years old.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Im 25 and rediscovering the beauty of Technical Metal. I dont think age has anything really to do with it

 

[bullshark]

How old are you!
I really don't mean to disrespect you,and I guess most of us have gone , are going , or will be going through a phase like this, but the last time I asked that question , I was 13 years old.

And you are what, 14 now? And you still can't read? You should work on that.

 

[Deacon_Blues]

How old are you!
I really don't mean to disrespect you,and I guess most of us have gone , are going , or will be going through a phase like this, but the last time I asked that question , I was 13 years old.

I'm not the OP, but I'm answering because speed always have been an issue for me as well. I was almost twice that age (23) when I started playing bass. I was never fast on guitar either, which I played before, since the age of 15. I see two reasons to my speed problems: 1) I'm a lefty but playing righty, and 2) I don't practice/play enough....

 

[nysbob]

Im 25 and rediscovering the beauty of Technical Metal. I dont think age has anything really to do with it

I'm afraid age does have something to do with it. If you stlll find that stuff interesting in 20 years, I'll be really, really surprised.

The sonic truth about bass is, it rarely sounds very good played very very fast. They're long, low waves. The trick is putting them in the coolest places, and then leaving some space to make them even more effective. That's exactly why Tony Levin never seems to be out of work.

 

[Kobaia]

You realize that 16th's means FOUR noter per click on the metronome, right?

yes i do

I've seen that video. Actually seemed pretty sloppy to me.

that video is 2 years old

 

[Amitio]

I think this is too fast!

 

[Fretlessboy]

now granted this is just my view but, I practice speed for speeds sake. I also play in a Tower of Power cover band. Impressed yet? Yeah me niether because it's just a gig... however; practicing to pick up speed is a good practice because it allows me to play slower for long and much more precisely. "What is Hip" is a long song if you're working at max from beat 1. Should we all try to pick up our speed from the technique side? Maybe maybe not. Is it a good practice for accuracy and endurence? Yes it is. Does a maraton runner trane for a race running 24 miles?NO he doesn't. I am 46 years old and have been bass for about 25 years. I have 16th's @ 176 BPM for about 7 minutes. Do I ever need that? yes every time I pick up the bass because when Iget to a gig and have to play 1/8th notes @112 BPM they are precise/even and clean...

speed for the sake of speed is worthless if that's the reason you are doing it.

 

[The_Orlonater]

I think this is too fast!

Wow, I'm going to start using my pinky. That's incredible. I realize speed isn't everything, but I love Technical Death Metal too, so who cares? I love Jazz and Funk too, certain genres, different needs of the player.

 

[MikeBass]

I don't get paid to play fast.




I get paid to listen fast.

hehe!!!

Now thats good!!!!

BTW- I can play fast.
I just don't 95% of the time on the gig.
The other 5% is at home.

 

[grooVWy]

faster you can count

 

[mutedeity]

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?

It's really not about how fast you can play something according to numbers. A statistic like "I can play 8th notes at 160 bpm" is meaningless to be honest. It's what you can play accurately that really matters. Knowing what notes matter rather than playing at a certain speed is far more impressive.

 

[the_fonz]

music is not a race...

yes, but this thread is

 

[The_Orlonater]

How many of you can play 32nd notes at 300bpm?

 

[GreyBeard]

as fast as i need too

 

[Nyarlathotep]

I see two reasons to my speed problems: 1) I'm a lefty but playing righty, and 2) I don't practice/play enough....

Being a lefty who plays righty also, I love how im way ahead of the curve with fretting. Now that i use my pinky more, its freakin awesome.

I'm afraid age does have something to do with it. If you stlll find that stuff interesting in 20 years, I'll be really, really surprised.

It interests me on a feral and intelligent level, both of which are important to me. I may have only lived a short while on this forsaken planetoid, but I've yet to discover another form of music that has done that. When I do, you wont be the first to know, but Ill prolly post about it

The sonic truth about bass is, it rarely sounds very good played very very fast. They're long, low waves.

This is why TONE is important. Emphisize the mids and you can sound tight when playing fast. If you use a dubbish type tone, or dont even consider cutting the bass, then you deserve to sound like mud. Or dog ****, which ever sounds better to you

Check out: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=418017
Its my thread looking for death/black metal with audiable bass. Look up Pavor to start. Awesome stuff.

 

[sedan_dad]

Yea, but can you dance to it?

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Yea, but can you dance to it?

In a way, yes

 

[OxJohnson]

I didn't bother to read the posts... so take this for what its worth... nothing!

Who gives a rats behind?

Ox.

 

[AlphaMale]

I've been playing for 15 months.
And I can Descend the minor scale in 8th notes at about 284 BPM.
SPeed isn't everything. It's just something i picked up fast?