right hand speed

scorpionldr · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2003 6:53 pm Post subject: right hand speed

i've been playing bass for 2 1/2 to 3 years, but i play pickstyle alot cuz i'm slow in my right hand. since i'm taking lessons it's mostly based on playing with your hands. any ideas on how to get faster at playing bass with your right hand fingers?? please help

GreyFox · Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2003 7:45 pm Post subject:

i really dont know what to tell you other than practice practice practice start playing easier songs you have learned and alternate between fingers start slow and before you know it you'll be playing faster and faster and then eventually it will be natural to play with your fingers, it may be pretty boring but youll be happy you did it because there is alot of songs you cant or would be hard to play w a pick (i used to play w only a pick and im alot better of a bassist for leaving that pick alone in my opinion). and for building dexterity i squeeze a tennis ball or hold a tennis ball in my fist then lift ONLY you index then ONLY your middle ect i do it with my left hand to build up speed (maybe its all in my head jk)
there may be some other way to help but thats may take on Very Happy

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SAguitar · Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2003 4:59 pm Post subject:

On the Carvin website, there is a video available by Bunny Brunel, that describes and shows in great detail how he executes his incredible technique. He also talks about using your amp and it's eq to get your tone. I had been playing bass for about 20-some years when I watched it, and it gave me some great insights into developing my technique.
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Ninestring · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2003 4:11 pm Post subject:

Speed ? well part of playing speed is comprehending speed. I used to watch spiders and centipedes crawling quickly. I got to thinking ,and then I started moving my fingers as fast and relaxed as I could on my right hand , .I just sort of tickled the strings lightly at first . Once I got the speed going , I had to apply it to making musical sense but at first the notes didn't matter , just the motion. I then went for accuracy. Check out the bass solo at the beginning of the "Halekala" excerpt at MP3com/Garry_Goodman and see if that is the kind of speed you are talking about .That technique started out as tapping on a table top , trying to do a drum roll with four fingers. You have to get the concept in your head so you can "hear" the tempo and motion.
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flaviu · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2003 5:30 am Post subject:

Make your technique the most disciplined you can, because when playing fast you gonna need your hand to be where you want, and you will not be able to think about it.

The right hand must be very natural, and automatic, if you know what I mean.
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Greasy Parisi · Tadpole Joined: 26 May 2003 Posts: 25 Location: Oakland

When I think speed, I think of one of my bass heroes--Rocco Prestia. He almost always plays 16ths, but often he is muting or "ghosting" many of the notes. This used to seem impossible to me. I would trip off the fact that I could move my index and middle fingers as fast as I wanted when I wasn't playing bass, so how come I couldn't move them that fast when I simply applied them to my bass strings? Just like someone else said, go with a relaxed approach--loosen up and don't pluck too hard. Just practice playing 16ths on one note. Then try octaves. I'm not sure what sound you're going for, but my left hand appraoch is different, too. I lay my left fingers flat across the fretboard. Often times, only my left index is putting full pressure on the strings while my other fingers are used to ghost and mute and generally keep a tight staccato feel.

audiowkstation · Sea Monkey Joined: 21 Aug 2003 Posts: 13

Ninestring hass the right idea. My right hand is fine..it is muting with the left hand and knowing where to go is my situation in speed.

In practice, I am turned way up and use a feather light technique. I mean way loud..almost to feedback. If I can get it right there...it is right on. I barely stroke the strings with my fingertips for any kind of right hand speed. I also find a way to get authority (by moving up the neck with my right hand) and keep that light touch

Hope this makes sense.
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