Advice for progressing with Matthew Garrison technique

[lobematt]

I've been working on the Matthew Garrison four finger technique recently. The exercises I've been doing at the minute are pretty basic, just running up 4 frets on each string, 4 plucks per note, 2 plucks per note, 1 pluck per not. And then two low notes and two high for octaves and fifths.

I can play these pretty steady now although not at any great speed (yet!) I've started trying to apply this to scales to make it a bit more useful but I'm getting my finger order messed up. For example if I was playing Dorian would my right hand be playing

T 1 2 - T 1 - T 1 2
D E F - G A - B C D

or...

T 1 2 - 3 T - 1 2 3
D E F - G A - B C D


What I mean is are you meant to start each new line with the thumb or continue the right hand pattern regardless? Also any other exercises to develop this technique would be much appreciated!

Thanks

[Joebass]

What you're practising is pretty much on the money. You should be comfortable with any fingering for scales, just keep doing it until you
don't have to think about your right hand anymore.
That said, the easiest way to finger scales with that technique is to play 3 notes per string. Take that dorian up to the 9th and reapeat on the way
back down.

Edited April 5, 2012 by Joebass

[visog]

JoeBass,

I'm no expert but this doesn't look like a good example of Garrison right-hand fingering as the 3rd finger isn't used.

I'd go:
A-string: D=T, E=1, F=2
D-string: G=3, A=T
E-string: B=1, C=2, D=3

I.e. keep the T123 sequence going. Thoughts from experts?
Visog

[louisthebass]

Urb's a big user of this technique, I think he did a couple of YT vids?

[Joebass]

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1333736538' post='1605963']
JoeBass,

I'm no expert but this doesn't look like a good example of Garrison right-hand fingering as the 3rd finger isn't used.

I'd go:
A-string: D=T, E=1, F=2
D-string: G=3, A=T
E-string: B=1, C=2, D=3

I.e. keep the T123 sequence going. Thoughts from experts?
Visog
[/quote]

It's just one approach, Matt uses thumb and two fingers a lot - especially for triplets.

[Chris2112]

I tend to use four fingers for this technique, though I will rarely revert to starting a line with a thumb unless there is a distinct rest or a break. In quicker, flowing lines I tend to just roll on the plucking order of my fingers and thumbs and take the first note with whatever is available. But in terms of becoming comfortable with this technique, I think slow speed practice is the way to nail it. That said, a lot of the 'feel' in this kind of playing only really becomes apparent at higher bpm's where the fluidity afforded by the plucking motion really comes into play.

[kjb]

[quote name='Chris2112' timestamp='1333828284' post='1607166']
I tend to use four fingers for this technique, though I will rarely revert to starting a line with a thumb unless there is a distinct rest or a break. In quicker, flowing lines I tend to just roll on the plucking order of my fingers and thumbs and take the first note with whatever is available. But in terms of becoming comfortable with this techniquei, I think slow speed practice is the way to nail it. That said, a lot of the 'feel' in this kind of playing only really becomes apparent at higher bpm's where the fluidity afforded by the plucking motion really comes into play.
[/quote]

I'm genuinely interested in seeing how you use four fingers and your thumb. Do you have a video demonstrating it ?
I can use three fingers with my thumb, but not four. My 3rd finger is the same length as my index finger, but my little finger is 2cm shorter, kind of hampering me incorporating it in to my playing, unless my hand is almost closed.
It'd be great to get 4 fingers moving independently though, it'd maybe be great to save string moving my hand when skipping strings that aren't next to each other.

Edited April 8, 2012 by kjb

[Hector]

[quote name='lobematt' timestamp='1333620241' post='1604273']
I've been working on the Matthew Garrison four finger technique recently. The exercises I've been doing at the minute are pretty basic, just running up 4 frets on each string, 4 plucks per note, 2 plucks per note, 1 pluck per not. And then two low notes and two high for octaves and fifths.

I can play these pretty steady now although not at any great speed (yet!) I've started trying to apply this to scales to make it a bit more useful but I'm getting my finger order messed up. For example if I was playing Dorian would my right hand be playing

T 1 2 - T 1 - T 1 2
D E F - G A - B C D

or...

T 1 2 - 3 T - 1 2 3
D E F - G A - B C D


What I mean is are you meant to start each new line with the thumb or continue the right hand pattern regardless? Also any other exercises to develop this technique would be much appreciated!

Thanks
[/quote]

Hey Matt. I'm far from expert at this technique but I'd say the thing to keep most in mind is that to play fast you have to practise slow. Be really honest with yourself and take things right down to a very slow tempo and be as accurate as possible before you speed up. It will come with patience but only out of very accurate technique that comes from taking it really slow.

As for order of thumb/fingers, I'd say that you need to find whatever works for you. Personally, I agree with Chris 2112 - keep a strict order of thumb, index, middle, ring when a line is continuous. However, use your head a bit with where you start with the thumb, as sometimes it's useful to reset the pattern (e.g. playing 3 note patterns across 3 strings quickly it makes sense to use thumb, index, middle for speed).

One thing I found really useful for this technique was to do string cross/right hand exercises with every combination of two fingers from thumb index middle and ring separately. So I would play the same exercise with strict alternation of thumb and index, then thumb and middle, then thumb and ring, then index and middle, index and ring, then middle and ring.

Sadly, my 4 finger technique has long since fallen at the wayside due to my upright playing - I hardly play electric bass any more except for sessions/gigs that require it.

[lobematt]

[quote name='Hector' timestamp='1333884580' post='1607685']
Hey Matt. I'm far from expert at this technique but I'd say the thing to keep most in mind is that to play fast you have to practise slow. Be really honest with yourself and take things right down to a very slow tempo and be as accurate as possible before you speed up. It will come with patience but only out of very accurate technique that comes from taking it really slow.

As for order of thumb/fingers, I'd say that you need to find whatever works for you. Personally, I agree with Chris 2112 - keep a strict order of thumb, index, middle, ring when a line is continuous. However, use your head a bit with where you start with the thumb, as sometimes it's useful to reset the pattern (e.g. playing 3 note patterns across 3 strings quickly it makes sense to use thumb, index, middle for speed).

One thing I found really useful for this technique was to do string cross/right hand exercises with every combination of two fingers from thumb index middle and ring separately. So I would play the same exercise with strict alternation of thumb and index, then thumb and middle, then thumb and ring, then index and middle, index and ring, then middle and ring.

Sadly, my 4 finger technique has long since fallen at the wayside due to my upright playing - I hardly play electric bass any more except for sessions/gigs that require it.
[/quote]

Thanks for all the tips. Yeah I've been practicing slowly, could probably do with going even slower though. I've started practicing my scales to hip hop drum loops too, just to make things a bit more interesting haha. Thanks again boys, I'll let you know how I get on!