The ultimate secret to playing fast?

[nysbob]

The secret is youth. When we become old, we will never be able to play as fast as we did in our youthful days.

Baloney. I'm pushing 60 and can play faster for longer periods of time than I could at 30.

 

[wishface]

If you can't play it fast then either a) you don't know the part as well asyou might think and/or your fingers can't play that fast period.

IME fast parts are never as complicated as they sound (which is not to say they are easy of course). For example, Geddy doesn't play exactly the same as Alex on the intro riff to The A alog Kid)

 

[joebar]

When we get older we realize it is not a race so we don't have to play as fast. As Muddy Waters sang, "Young horse is fast, but old horse know what's going on."

I have no desire to play fast after 30 years nor am I able to.

I look for reasons to stay economical.

 

[fearceol]

People keep mentioning about not needing to play fast, for whatever reason. My interpretation of the gist of this thread is...if/when/maybe/depending on the song, etc the need arises to play fast, what is the best method of nailing it..regardless of whether you are nine or ninety.

 

[red_rhino]

Baloney. I'm pushing 60 and can play faster for longer periods of time than I could at 30.

As another member of the "pushing 60" club, I'll back you on that. I can play faster and with more articulation now than I ever could, and I was pretty fast to begin with. The biggest difference about being older is now I know when not to play fast.

To the OP's question: I do first learn the pattern slowly, but I take it up to tempo very quickly in order to get an idea of where it falls apart and what adjustments I need to make to technique, with particular attention to articulation. I move back and forth between slow and fast tempos and repeat that process until I can bring it all up to speed. One thing I have incorporated into my technique recently is greater use of upstrokes on the plucking fingers for both real and ghost notes. It really lends itself to economy of movement and reduced hand fatigue, as well as allowing for easy repositioning of your fingers at critical points in a passage. (Sorry if that sounds disjointed; it was the best description I could think of.)

There is a secret function on TB called the SEARCH feature. Playing fast is discussed in other threads. I actually looked it up myself a while back and found a technique that works very well for me. You should try it.

Search isn't a bad idea, but asking the question again often turns up new input (and contributes to someone else's search in the future).

-Alan

 

[karl_em_all]

The secret is youth. When we become old, we will never be able to play as fast as we did in our youthful days.

I can play faster now than I ever could. Old dogs can learn new tricks.

A lighter touch, fingering exercises, and practice (of course). That alone will at least give you an advantage when tackling more complicated passages.

 

[lfmn16]

Search isn't a bad idea, but asking the question again often turns up new input (and contributes to someone else's search in the future).

I'm not against bringing up subjects that have been discussed before. It also gives people who weren't around the first time a chance to chime it. I just think it would be nice to research what has been written previously before starting a new thread. Just my opinion.

 

[hintz]

"If you want to play fast, practice slow. If you want to play real fast, practice real slow."
-Charlie Parker

I saw this thread and was gonna mention parker, but someone beat me to it!! Parker was right, but I do the same thing with attempting stuff at tempo in fragments, especially notey stuff like parker solos, example: the parker omni book, while its good for copping his ideas, you really don't get the phrasing unless you attempt his licks at speed with the recording which can be a daunting task!! I find myself ditching 3 finger technique in favor of 2 to play alot of his stuff, where at slower tempos I use my usual "fast" technique. I also had one teacher tell me a few years ago in a group lessson "to play fast, you need to practice FAST", I can't agree 100% on that, but that idea has its place, kinda like pro runners doing interval training(sprint 30 seconds, jog 60) to train for a 10 mile marathon(where you wouldn't want to sprint!)

 

[CGremlin]

"If you want to play fast, practice slow. If you want to play real fast, practice real slow."
-Charlie Parker

Word from the Bird.

 

[Slevage]

"Speed ain't nothin' without class" The Good Rats from Long Island. "You gotta play tastie"

 

[dropitonthe1e]

I wouldn't call it a secret either. I'd call it common sense.

Is this what goes on at this site, too?

 

[Yango]

The ultimate secret to playing fast is: Being able to, and knowing when not to.

 

[fishdreams]

"If you want to play fast, practice slow. If you want to play real fast, practice real slow."
-Charlie Parker

Yep. All there is too it.

 

[Stick_Player]

In his book 101 Bass Tips: Stuff All the Pros Know and Use Gary Willis mentions this very technique, breaking down difficult passages into small sections, and learning and eventually joining together all the sections until you can play the passage.

Good advice... In fact...

Learn the small sections from back to front. In other words, learn the last 2 measures, then the second to last 2 measures, then the third to last 2 measures. Etcetera...

 

[radioface]

For those of you speed demons who are pushing 60, I already past it and know what's waiting for you. Your dexterity will diminish, just wait and see.

 

[ZenG]

String height is one.......

You just can't go fast when your fingers are bouncing on the strings like a trampoline......
IMO......

 

[Jensby design]

I wouldn't call it a secret, but I call it practice

Nailed it.
I would just like to point out that practice is when you play to improve your ability, if your having fun you're just jammin.

 

[Baird6869]

If you can't play it fast then either a) you don't know the part as well asyou might think and/or your fingers can't play that fast period.

IME fast parts are never as complicated as they sound (which is not to say they are easy of course). For example, Geddy doesn't play exactly the same as Alex on the intro riff to The A alog Kid)

Good point.

I have been playing bits and pieces of Rush for almost 30 years. I don't know an entire song as I don't really gig Rush tunes, but once you play a bunch of different Rush songs/riffs, Geddy is pretty easy to figure out. Lots of root/octave stuff and he likes a few similar patterns. He can play fast, but it isn't nearly as fast/complicated as many of Jaco's lines.

My point is, practice the song until you get it right but be conscious of what you are playing and where. Geddy also sings and plays a ton. He doesn't tend to fly all over the neck when he is singing.

 

[Baird6869]

String height is one.......

You just can't go fast when your fingers are bouncing on the strings like a trampoline......
IMO......

True.

Regarding technique.... right hand 3 finger technique, left hand 4 finger/4 fret technique, string height, where you position your right hand, etc. can make a difference for being able to physically pull off crazy fast riffs.

 

[BazzTard]

the bridge in Tom Sawyer was a riff where I had trouble with a couple of notes within it. The rest of it I can play at full speed, just those two notes I'd miss or trip up on.

So, I played it at full speed but leaving out the troublesome notes.

On the third play-through I was playing it so easily that it seemed an awful long gap where I missed the troublesome note. When this gap feels long is when you can add that troublesome note now.


PS I'm 53 and I play faster and more complex basslines now than I ever did before