Techniques to deal with fatigue while playing demanding/technical songs?

[Cyclos]

That's CannibalisticZombie from youtube, isn't he? That guy kills.

 

[pacojas]

i would try TI strings,.. they cured my problem with fatigue and cramping!

 

[sean_on_bass]

As pointed out earlier, relaxation is imperative to consistently playing these fast songs for long periods of time. If you are getting excited, you'll tense up. Also playing soft enough and letting the amp do the work is huge. If the fatigue is from the right hand, you may be squeezing too hard on the neck, or pressing down harder than needed for each individual note. Just some ideas.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

As pointed out earlier, relaxation is imperative to consistently playing these fast songs for long periods of time. If you are getting excited, you'll tense up. Also playing soft enough and letting the amp do the work is huge. If the fatigue is from the right hand, you may be squeezing too hard on the neck, or pressing down harder than needed for each individual note. Just some ideas.

I think that if you tense up, you aren't ready for that music, you don't know the music well enough, put to much effore

look at this guy! He looks like he's about to fall asleep. How does he achieve his attack and volume whilst looking like he's just come back from an opium binge in 19th century shanghai?

yeah that guy can play very hard stuff just like many other metal bass player that we don't hear.

 

[sean_on_bass]

I agree. Tensing up might mean its time to slow it down a bit and work from there.

 

[Fleebag]

Practice until you bleed, then add crazy glue and practice more.

Try coated strings or StringEase to help with blisters.

Get one of those 1980's spring grip exercisers (for tricepts)

Get 10 packages of playdoh ..not playdoh...um...AH SILLY PUTTY!
Work the putty all day at school.
(I learned the silly putty trick from a physical therapist)

Find places where you can rest in the song and flex your hand out, Shake it out like a swimmer.

Go to GNC and buy a creatine suppliment. You are building muscles, the same as any athlete, what keeps them from cramping will do the same for you.

Alternate fingers and pick use, they use different muscles. Try a bunch of different ways of striking the strings, use the backs of your nails, anything to get rest stops where the song is less intense.

Don't give up, play thru the burn, you will get farther each day, remember tho muscles take time to build up, you need to rest and alternate days for athletic playing like that.

Trippy song.

So much wrong with this^^ Creatine? Grip exercisers?

I come from the light touch school of playing, where you let the amp do the work.

Light touch, low action, light strings, big ass amplifier with tons of power. You can still have an aggressive tone without killing yourself. Its all about how you touch the strings.

Staying relaxed is the key, you muscle down, you lose.

Playing fast comes from practicing slowly and perfectly. If you can't play if perfectly, slow it to a tempo where you can and practice at that tempo. Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. - Vince Lombardi

This man knows what he's talking about^^

 

[sg101]

welp, i followed most of everyone's advice, and i can finally play that song from start to finish now, thanks

the last thing i need to do is practice the dance of eternity bass solo and i'm done with that song

 

[MrLenny1]

It takes a lot of conditioning. Weeks, months ...

 

[Stripes]

look at this guy! He looks like he's about to fall asleep. How does he achieve his attack and volume whilst looking like he's just come back from an opium binge in 19th century shanghai?

At times it doesn't even look like he's playing at all with how smooth everything sounds and how effortless it looks

 

[INTP]

welp, i followed most of everyone's advice, and i can finally play that song from start to finish now, thanks

the last thing i need to do is practice the dance of eternity bass solo and i'm done with that song

It feels good when we make progress. Good for you for being persistent.

 

[Obese Chess]

Another vote for Creatine, oddly enough. Same with proper hydration. Muscle fatigue is muscle fatigue.

EDIT: das it, mane. Nicely done. I'm currently experiencing the same issue with Periphery's "Insomnia," just get too damn tired after the first two minutes of non-stop 16th and 32nd flurries at 140bpm.