Raking and alternate plucking -- anything wrong with mix and match?

[Stagelab]

When it comes to descending lines, my natural tendency is to rake groups of 3 per string but alternate groups of 2 or 4 per string. I've been doing this for years without any thought really. Is there a major issue with economy of motion if you are sometimes raking and sometimes alternating? I'm open to reworking my technique for better economy of motion, even if it doesn't feel right now.

 

[vindibona1]

I'm not quite grasping what you're doing when you say "raking" in groups on the same string. I'm not sure how you can rake on the same string. When I think of raking I think of pulling across two or more strings with a single "pull". Can you be a little more specific in terms of what you do to better visualize your process? I'm confused and can't picture it.

 

[Stagelab]

I'm not quite grasping what you're doing when you say "raking" in groups on the same string. I'm not sure how you can rake on the same string. When I think of raking I think of pulling across two or more strings with a single "pull". Can you be a little more specific in terms of what you do to better visualize your process? I'm confused and can't picture it.

When I say rake, it's the same as your definition. What I tend to do is rake from a higher string to the next lower string in cases where on the higher string I pluck three times. Example: C major descending in first position. But if I'm playing a descending line in which I pluck say the G string twice or four times and then move to the D, I tend to alternate picking from the G to the D, or the D to A, and so on.

 

[two fingers]

Let's equate it to baseball. (Works for me because I grew up playing.)

Spend hours running drills. Do the basics over and over. Have someone hit ground balls to you over and over so yiu get down the fundamentals of stopping the ball. Have them hit pop flies to you over and over again so you learn how to chase the ball and grt to where it is GOING to land.

But when the bat cracks, forget all that crap and catch the dang ball.

The same goes for music. Practice the basics. Work the fundamentals. Play scales. Perfect your rakes.

But when the drummer clicks the sticks four times, forget all that and play the song.

 

[bolophonic]

Whatever sounds best for each combination of notes is what I recommend.

 

[vindibona1]

Let's equate it to baseball. (Works for me because I grew up playing.)

Spend hours running drills. Do the basics over and over. Have someone hit ground balls to you over and over so yiu get down the fundamentals of stopping the ball. Have them hit pop flies to you over and over again so you learn how to chase the ball and grt to where it is GOING to land.
But when the bat cracks, forget all that crap and catch the dang ball.
The same goes for music. Practice the basics. Work the fundamentals. Play scales. Perfect your rakes.
But when the drummer clicks the sticks four times, forget all that and play the song.

Agree totally. I practice the efficiency of raking when descending from string to string. Alternating on the same string or when ascending to the next highest string. But when it's time to perform I don't have a clue as to what my right hand is doing. I don't even pay attention to it. Somehow it knows which string to pluck in coordination with my left hand without even thinking about it. I'm pretty sure I play like I train- MOST of the time, but I'm sure there is a bit of spontaneity involved when performing. I just couldn't tell you when because I don't know what my right hand is doing when it's go-time.

 

[Les Fret]

I wouldn't mix rakes and alternate techniques in same line. So say you play a descending C scale choose either rake or alternate but don't mix up, that's too confusing. However if you play a line with always two strokes per string (say playing the same C scale down but now with each note twice) you can play alternate or rake whatever you want. So to sum: don't mix the two techniques in the same line/phrase but you can still use both techniques in separate lines if you want.

Problem is that lot of people don't know what they are doing with the right hand. You have to be very aware of what you are doing I tell my students. When you have practiced it really good and a lot you will automatically do the same thing in a performance situation. Even in a performance you have to be aware of what you are doing with the right hand from time to time. Without overthinking it of course.

 

[hintz]

Nothing wrong with doing both at all! I've been digging on the "scotts bass lessons" recently and he has a very good scale exercise ascending/alternating, descending/raking.

He emphasized being able to rake with both index and middle going back down.... anyways I'd share it but my phone is jacked up right now.

The whole point is to drill it until it's 2nd nature! Like Victor Wooten says "if you're thinking, you're stinking"