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Songs with Shifting

Discussion in 'Technique [BG]' started by Kuark, Jul 27, 2009.

  1. Jul 27, 2009 #1
    Kuark

    Kuark

    May 10, 2009
    I have been playing since January and I have been working on my timing but I realized one thing I have neglected is working on shifting. I can play in good time in any one spot but I lose all accuracy and timing when I try and shift. So my question is what are some good songs that have a decent amount of shifting like Rancid's Journey to the End. I am not necessarily wanting to learn entire songs but just some patterns that I can practice at a steady tempo with the metronome to work on accuracy and timing on my shifts.
     
  2. Jul 27, 2009 #2
    mambo4

    mambo4

    Jun 9, 2006
    Dallas
    apologies if this sounds trite...

    Any song can be played using shifting, if you so choose. In fact, it can be an extremely valuable exercise to try playing songs or phrases in as many ways on the fingerboard as you can figure out.
     
  3. Jul 27, 2009 #3
    southernrocker

    southernrocker Inactive

    Apr 4, 2009
    Natural science-Rush
     
  4. Jul 27, 2009 #4
    Dogbertday

    Dogbertday Commercial User

    Jul 10, 2007
    SE Wisconsin
    Blaine Music LLC
    even though I hate it when guys warm up with this song.... Around the World by RHCP

    or make your own exercises... go on the DB side and search "Vomit Drill" "Vomit Exercise" or "Shifting Exercise"... they're all pretty much the same and work on BG just as well as DB... especially if you're learning fretless
     
  5. Jul 27, 2009 #5
    J. Crawford

    J. Crawford Supporting Member

    Feb 15, 2008
    PA
    Im taking it that shifting is just playing the same thing, but on different parts of the fretboard? Its a term Im new to.
     
  6. Jul 27, 2009 #6
    Dogbertday

    Dogbertday Commercial User

    Jul 10, 2007
    SE Wisconsin
    Blaine Music LLC
    shifting is playing notes consecutively on the fretboard that are far enough apart from eachother that you have to move your thumb to reach them...

    I never really think about this on electric, but it just creates muscle memory for big leaps
     
  7. Jul 27, 2009 #7
    Kuark

    Kuark

    May 10, 2009
    ohhh I like the vomit drill thanks, that one is really helpful for my ears too
     
  8. Jul 27, 2009 #8
    dbthump

    dbthump

    Mar 20, 2009
    Tampa
    Originally posted in 2004. Very funny how exercises like these have never bothered me. My parents sure put up with a lot with my first instrument, tuba. :)

    http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=151490&highlight=vomit+drill
     
  9. Jul 29, 2009 #9
    Vendele197

    Vendele197

    Jul 22, 2009
    Salt Lake City, UT
    Here's my explanation of shifting:

    First, take a F Major scale for example, played without shifting (staying in the same position)...
    I M R I M R I M (left hand fingers; spacing may not be perfect...)
    G|---------------------------
    D|---------------------2--3-
    A|-----------1--3--5--------
    E|-1--3--5------------------

    You can play the same scale countless ways by introducing a shift. If you were to play the entire scale on the E string, it would look like this... (>=shift)
    I M R I M R I M (left hand fingers; spacing may not be perfect...)
    G|-----------------------------------
    D|-----------------------------------
    A|-----------------------------------
    E|-1--3--5->-6--8--10->-12--13-

    This is all from my small amount of experience playing DB, but it all works really well on BG. One important thing to remember is that when you shift up, shift up with your index finger. So basically, if you play three ascending notes in succession and then shift up the neck, you would use your index, middle (ring if more comfortable), and the pinky fingers, and then play the fourth note with your index. You will notice that your index is more accurate than your middle, your middle is more accurate than your ring, etc. when it comes to shifting to a new position.