• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

How to avoid a gallop with a 3 finger technique?

C

ChorusPedal88

Aug 25, 2007
175
3
#1
After watching a few John Myung clips, it has inspired me to someone make the jump to the 3 fingers, I've pretty much got further than I thought, but I just cannot seem to avoid the annoying gallop, I'm using a slowed down midi bass and drum track of Damage Inc by Metallica and speed it up when I feel I've got it, and everytime I try, I get into an unwelcome gallop sound

Damn 16th notes grrr. lol

heres me finger config..

R M I - R M I - R M I

Any tips and hints appreciated :D
 
#2
I understand what you mean, I just recently overcame this.

The trick is to get your ring finger down pretty much as the index is coming up. What I mean is, as soon as you lift your index, your ring should be right down there. It can be hard to perfect, but most galloping problems lie within laggy ring fingers.
 
#6
What seems to work for me when using three fingers (assuming 4/4 or 2/4) is:

I M R M - I M R M - I M R M

I put a slight emphasis on the I in 4/4 and on the I and R on 2/4.

The pattern you were showing - R M I - I would probably invert to I M R , which is what I would use on triplets.

Of course I'm no teacher - maybe my technique is a 'no-no' - but it works for me.

hmm - I should work on R M I - it always helps to work on weak-fingerings...and that is one of mine.

Dave
 
#7
Not to be snarky here (or did I misunderstand the question?), but unless you are going something that requires that quick triplet gallop sound, which you are now doing with three fingers, don't use three finger plucking technique for anything else but that gallop sound!

:)

Spend time playing stuff that has 16th note grooves using your index and middle finger, like Tower of Power's "What is Hip" and Jaco's "Come On Come Over" and so on...

There's no "law" that says just because you've learned to use three digits for the quick gallop, that you have to use that technique for anything else.

Hope this helps.
 
#10
Delta, what you're doing basically means you use the middle finger twice (Right after the index and then again right after the ring), so essentially, you're not getting the full potential of 3 finger picking.

Yes, it is easier this way but it's also a waste of time. :x

To fix the galloping problem, you need to practice, practice, practice, not make threads about it on the internet. :)
 
#11
Personally I use three fingers anytime either the song is fast or my two fingers are getting tired. Eight notes for 4 hours gets tiring... Playing with three also gets me through those tedious songs. Messing around and playing with diffferent combinations of fingers while keeping the tone the same makes those three minutes fly by!

Airbass......... works...... it's practice. Tappping them on your leg helps a lot. Part of the galloping problem is because when you're using three fingers part of your little brain (mine too) is thinking trip o let trip o let trip o let and it sneaks in there. One way to overcome the galloping is to do 16th notes and emphasize the first one while keeping the beat constant...... So the accent will move across your fingers.

I also do it MRI...... so the exercise it'd be M r i m R i m r I m r M etc. It'll mess with your head but it will help you even out the fingers.

If you'll notice when your hand is at rest your fingers slant MRI.... so it's a bit more natural to do it that way (ok at least for me).

If you ever watch a bored good trumpet player you'll catch them doing air trumpet..... it's all muscle memory :)
 
#12
Get yourself a metronome and practice quarter notes.

Start slowly where you can comfortably execute a solid straight rhythm.

Play that speed for a few minutes and then increase the BPM in small increments. You can do single notes or play scales just as long as you maintain sold quarter notes.

Not only will your technique and rhythm improve You will find the more you do this you will be able to reach a higher speed than the last time.
 
#13
The easiest way to get rid of it is practice strictly repeated note figures. Do your scales, but hit each note twice, as
8ths or 16ths. Do the same excercise alternating strings as well. That will force you to to play with a two feel.

I've been playing with three fingers for 30+ years. I don't adhere to any specific right hand patterns for normal playing (I'm usually just looking to avoid hand fatigue as much as possible) but when the going gets fast, I have to lock into a strict R-M-I .
 
#14
One of the best things to do was already mentioned: Use a METRONOME!!!

The other thing that helped me avoid this galloping problem, and it is completely controllable, is to practice what Myung showed on his instructional video. It w simply works:

Run through your scales or simple fingering runs up and down all the strings with ONLY your I & M fingers. Then do it with ONLY your I &R fingers. Then, the most difficult and odd feeling, the M & R fingers. Then do it with all three. Do this everyday for a a while. (It took me doing it everyday for about 3 weeks before I felt I had completely cured myself of the galloping triplet feel to everything I played.)

The idea is that if you can completely control any two of the I, M, or R fingers together, you should be able to work all three without a hitch.
 
#19
Well I'm mixing up my technique a bit now with a metronome on my computer, I'm now going RMIMR, not sure if thats going to help though but it may change, I've got the fast 16ths down, I never knew I had such speed in 2 fingers lol.
 
#20
BullHorn said:
Delta, what you're doing basically means you use the middle finger twice (Right after the index and then again right after the ring), so essentially, you're not getting the full potential of 3 finger picking.

Yes, it is easier this way but it's also a waste of time. :x

To fix the galloping problem, you need to practice, practice, practice, not make threads about it on the internet. :)
Click to expand...

I don't see it as a waste of time - in effect you are rocking your fingers back and forth - and if you are doing something in 2/4 or 4/4 it works great - been doing it for years. Now if I want to get triplets - or a gallop - then I do it IMR - IMR, works out easier. Of course these are all just general guidelines - depending on what run or riff I'm playing it may not follow any of this.

The way I see it - if you are doing a 4/4 based run or pattern and doing it as a IMR or RMI pattern - your '1' is going to land on a different finger (goes thru a rotation or cycle) - for me, having the '1' consistently on the I finger (it could be on anyone of them) repeatably just works best for me - tightens up my timing and it flows smoothly. In 3/4 time, the other method works better for me.

Regarding the galloping problem - yep, practice helps - and start slowly and build up your speed - no matter what method you use.

Dave
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back