Ideally you want to work on different patterns. Get one down and then move onto another. You'll have some that you prefer more then others. For ones that don't seem to come as easy as you would like, practice a little more on them.
Dave
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How to avoid a gallop with a 3 finger technique?
- Thread starter ChorusPedal88
- Start date
Ideally you want to work on different patterns. Get one down and then move onto another. You'll have some that you prefer more then others. For ones that don't seem to come as easy as you would like, practice a little more on them.
Dave
I watch a TON of videos of Martin Mendez from Opeth, He is the reason i decided to try to learn the bass, anyhow he is a three finger player, he doesnt appear to use any specific order, just seems to use whichever finger is closer to the string he wants to hit. I could be wrong internet videos are kinda hard to see, and on DVD the attention whore mikael akerfeldt seems to like the spotlight on him. Anyhow i use two fingers most of the time but every now and then i use my ring finger when i think about it, with ring and pinkie being folded in a little sometimes its already near the B or E string and my others are down on the d so i use the ring finger. I dont think im good enough yet to try to use three all the time.
Billy sheean has a video on youtube where he clearly explains his three finger technique, you can try and search it, I would post the link but I'm at work and youtube is locked.
Bassicly it's about alternating patterns of four note groups, always alternating.
Like:
RMIR MIRM IRMI and your back to the first pattern, it's another way of thinking your plucking, since you are playing 8th's or 16th's with an odd number of fingers.
It will throw you off at the beginning but eventually you'll overcome it.
Edit:
whatever you do, avoid patterns where you would use the same finger alternating with another like IMRM IMRM IMRM...
Those patterns seem easier on your mind when you practise them but you'll gain absolutly no speed compared with a two finger technique.
Think about it, IMRM or IMIM, the middle finger is always playing every other note so your hand is not moving faster at all, you just alternate the finger that does the first pluck. The goal in playing 3 finger style is to gain speed, each finger has two strokes of the other fingers to get back in place on the string and pluck, that is what creates the speed and helps you with fatigue when using RMI or IMR.
Bassicly it's about alternating patterns of four note groups, always alternating.
Like:
RMIR MIRM IRMI and your back to the first pattern, it's another way of thinking your plucking, since you are playing 8th's or 16th's with an odd number of fingers.
It will throw you off at the beginning but eventually you'll overcome it.
Edit:
whatever you do, avoid patterns where you would use the same finger alternating with another like IMRM IMRM IMRM...
Those patterns seem easier on your mind when you practise them but you'll gain absolutly no speed compared with a two finger technique.
Think about it, IMRM or IMIM, the middle finger is always playing every other note so your hand is not moving faster at all, you just alternate the finger that does the first pluck. The goal in playing 3 finger style is to gain speed, each finger has two strokes of the other fingers to get back in place on the string and pluck, that is what creates the speed and helps you with fatigue when using RMI or IMR.
R-M-I is the technique i use. i never had to really overcome the galloping because i started off playing bass like this.
hehe... i asked this question just the other day and i got like 10 posts
you got like a million!
are you famouse?
anyways i think the advise from these guys stands as the most important:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=480244
you got like a million!
are you famouse?
anyways i think the advise from these guys stands as the most important:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=480244
I've never gotten into RMI for 16th notes. Your accents are going to fall out of sync. RMI is great for triplets.
This is how I do my fast 4-patterns: RMIM / IMRM
It takes a while to learn the reverse motion, but it's more logical to me.
If I am playing in the low range (B string) and want the articulation of accents to come out right, I'll do: TRMI. Nothing beats a slap on the downbeat.
This is how I do my fast 4-patterns: RMIM / IMRM
It takes a while to learn the reverse motion, but it's more logical to me.
If I am playing in the low range (B string) and want the articulation of accents to come out right, I'll do: TRMI. Nothing beats a slap on the downbeat.
Billy's argument is going back and forth works the middle finger twice as much, and (to him) it's more natural to just keep the same pattern, like drumming your fingers on a desk when you're bored.
My three-finger is more random... I try to adhere to that, but I'll usually go with what was mentioned before, whichever one is nearest, or change it up just for the exercise. For pure speed, it's just RMIRMIRMI.
The key to avoiding the gallop is usually the callouses. Your index and middle are most likely rocks while the ring is still developing. Try the R-I and M-I only exercises that were talked about already.
My three-finger is more random... I try to adhere to that, but I'll usually go with what was mentioned before, whichever one is nearest, or change it up just for the exercise. For pure speed, it's just RMIRMIRMI.
The key to avoiding the gallop is usually the callouses. Your index and middle are most likely rocks while the ring is still developing. Try the R-I and M-I only exercises that were talked about already.
First suggestion is that this takes time. Secondly, minimize your right hand movement, and minimize your finger movement. What I do when playing three finger is to not move my whole finger, but move from the next knuckle up, if that make sense? Finally, do not play any Iron Maiden for a while.
mark
mark
Update for you (that are interested anyway), I'm getting there 
, I'm certainly better than I was this time last week, I get the rapid 16ths, but then I lose it again, but more practice I believe will fix that, and trust me, I wont be playing any Iron Maiden for a while yet lol
, I'm certainly better than I was this time last week, I get the rapid 16ths, but then I lose it again, but more practice I believe will fix that, and trust me, I wont be playing any Iron Maiden for a while yet lol
Update for you (that are interested anyway), I'm getting there
Steve Harris from Iron Maiden only plays with two fingers tho, he stated that in a couple of interviews.
Yep. The two finger gallop is an excellent exercise because it forces you to lead with both fingers (alternately). It's also a great right hand warmup.
I agree with several statements on this thread, i.e. use R-M-I for triplets, and 2 fingers for 8s or 16s. Use a metronome and try to RELAX your fingers while doing the metronome practice. It'll increase your stamina.
I use this pattern when running an even amount of plucks.
RMIMRMIMRMIM
or
IM RMIM IM RMIM
If I'm planning on playing some triplets or starting a gallop I'll just start on the index finger, that way I don't have to worry about what my fingers are going to do.
RMIMRMIMRMIM
or
IM RMIM IM RMIM
If I'm planning on playing some triplets or starting a gallop I'll just start on the index finger, that way I don't have to worry about what my fingers are going to do.
I found that what worked for me is when I'm descending I use R-M-I and if I'm running up the neck I'll switch to R-M-I
Here are some exercises that may be helpful:
1. Pluck only with ring and index fingers (RIRI...). Gradually increase the speed. Then try plucking with ring and middle fingers (RMRM...). Again gradually increase speed. Keep practising both combinations until you get speed comparable to standard IMIM plucking.
The RMRM combination may be tough at the beginning but for me was VERY helpfull for laggy ring finger.
2. Pluck with all 3 fingers in all possible combinations: forwards (RMI), backwards (IMR) and back and forth (RMIM). You won't be using all of them in normal playing, you just exercise them to improve your coordination.
3. Time to exercise both hands. Pluck with your chosen combination (RMI) and fret following frets with your left hand (1234). It should look right this:
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4...
R M I R M I R M...
Try this with another fretting combinations (1324, 1423, 4321 etc.). You don't even need the bass for it, you can exercise tapping on your desk. Helps to develop accenting first of 4 notes (instead of 3 in galloping).
1. Pluck only with ring and index fingers (RIRI...). Gradually increase the speed. Then try plucking with ring and middle fingers (RMRM...). Again gradually increase speed. Keep practising both combinations until you get speed comparable to standard IMIM plucking.
The RMRM combination may be tough at the beginning but for me was VERY helpfull for laggy ring finger.
2. Pluck with all 3 fingers in all possible combinations: forwards (RMI), backwards (IMR) and back and forth (RMIM). You won't be using all of them in normal playing, you just exercise them to improve your coordination.
3. Time to exercise both hands. Pluck with your chosen combination (RMI) and fret following frets with your left hand (1234). It should look right this:
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4...
R M I R M I R M...
Try this with another fretting combinations (1324, 1423, 4321 etc.). You don't even need the bass for it, you can exercise tapping on your desk. Helps to develop accenting first of 4 notes (instead of 3 in galloping).
I use a metronome when I practice and you might wanna try moving closer to the neck
thats where I get most of my speed from, just behind the fretboard. It is softer and easier to not get hung up on a gallop.
thats where I get most of my speed from, just behind the fretboard. It is softer and easier to not get hung up on a gallop.
On the contrary, I find IMRM/RMIM/MIMR/MRMI easier to use for those faster riffs and I do manage to gain speed over my two finger technique without much effort. Then again, I never broke out of the gallop and this pattern seemed more intuitive to me.
To each their own though.
