How do I rake?

[mentalextra]

In musical terms, what does it mean to "rake" and how does this differ from slide?

Thanks in anticipation?

[bubinga5]

raking means dragging one finger on your right hand (if your right handed) to pluck notes.. a slide is a left handed technique(if your right handed) that lets you slide from one note to another, up or down..

there is no right or wrong technique, just what works for you.. but... walking with your fingers (index and middle finger) is the most efficient way of playing.. imo.. or you can go to multiple fingers

just remember james jamerson played with one finger..

Edited October 27, 2012 by bubinga5

[Blademan_98]

This is a good video:
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNAYIfITgpw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNAYIfITgpw[/url]

Scott Devine is a superb teacher (IMHO).

[bubinga5]

you aint wrong blademan... he is superb...

[mentalextra]

You can see where I have to rake on here hopefully?

[AndThenSome1]

A great track to practice this is RHCP's Pretty Little Ditty, some nice movements around the fretboard whilst keeping the right hand raking the arpeggios...

[mentalextra]

[quote name='AndThenSome1' timestamp='1351365715' post='1850629']
A great track to practice this is RHCP's Pretty Little Ditty, some nice movements around the fretboard whilst keeping the right hand raking the arpeggios...
[/quote]

?

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1351365492' post='1850627']
You can see where I have to rake on here hopefully?
[/quote]
Yes, it is a simple rake on the open strings.
Use Scotts technique as described in the video.
It works but needs a little practice

[attachment=122162:Rake.png]

[RussFM]

If he was my teacher I'd have given up before I started!

[thisnameistaken]

Another good RHCP tune with a rake at the front of the bass riff is Mellowship Slinky in Bmaj. Try playing the first four notes in the main riff with one finger down all four strings. It's just a Bmaj chord up at the 6/7/7/5 frets.

[mentalextra]

[quote name='Blademan_98' timestamp='1351371476' post='1850669'] Yes, it is a simple rake on the open strings. Use Scotts technique as described in the video. It works but needs a little practice [attachment=122162:Rake.png] [/quote][quote name='Blademan_98' timestamp='1351371476' post='1850669'] Yes, it is a simple rake on the open strings. Use Scotts technique as described in the video. It works but needs a little practice [attachment=122162:Rake.png] [/quote] Dont mean to sound like an idiot, by where in the video is the "raking" bit. He is running through some scale exercises and bangs on about right hand technique? I cant see how that applies to my op?

Edited October 28, 2012 by mentalextra

[keeptrying]

In the video Scott plucks from the E string to the G then rakes back to the E string, its just a more efficient way to play, you probably already do it without realising.

[pete.young]

I couldn't get past the left hand glove with the missing finger. What is all that about?

The exercise is a bit contrived - I can play that just as fast using alternate index/middle all the way through without any rakes. The one in 'Sensitive' makes a bit more sense.

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1351420634' post='1850934']
Dont mean to sound like an idiot, by where in the video is the "raking" bit. He is running through some scale exercises and bangs on about right hand technique? I cant see how that applies to my op?
[/quote]

At around 9 minutes he does a practical demonstration of a rake.

It is a plucking hand technique and nothing to do with slides at all.

Edited October 28, 2012 by Blademan_98

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1351424473' post='1850986']
I couldn't get past the left hand glove with the missing finger. What is all that about?

The exercise is a bit contrived - I can play that just as fast using alternate index/middle all the way through without any rakes. The one in 'Sensitive' makes a bit more sense.
[/quote]


Hi Pete!

I think the video is for those who are maybe just starting out (I use his videos if I am not sure of a technique).

The rake is fairly simple so he only brushes over it.

[keeptrying]

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1351424473' post='1850986']
I couldn't get past the left hand glove with the missing finger. What is all that about?

The exercise is a bit contrived - I can play that just as fast using alternate index/middle all the way through without any rakes. The one in 'Sensitive' makes a bit more sense.
[/quote]
Scott suffers from focal dystonia, he gives a full explanation on his website, (tried to put a link here but couldn't get it to work)

[JTUK]

A rake is when you pull the striking RH fingers up across 3, 4 5 etc strings. Mostly effective across 3 , IMO
If you want to go up a scale, you can incorporate a flamenco type strum depnding om how many RH fingers you wont to use.

Many players will use the idea with their thumb to get a fast ascending triplet and you need to sort out your damping as you don't want really live strings, IMO

[mentalextra]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1351435400' post='1851144']
A rake is when you pull the striking RH fingers up across 3, 4 5 etc strings. Mostly effective across 3 , IMO
If you want to go up a scale, you can incorporate a flamenco type strum depnding om how many RH fingers you wont to use.

Many players will use the idea with their thumb to get a fast ascending triplet and you need to sort out your damping as you don't want really live strings, IMO
[/quote]


OK....but! Again, looking at my sample phrase. I play GDAE open strings. What is the difference in sound from playing my 4 open strings in an ordinary fashion to 'raking' 4 open strings?

[Blademan_98]

Probably nothing

It's just a technique to aid in speed and keeping finger position.

Or you can use your thumb

I often play a rake with my thumb nail but as JTUK says, you need to sort your damping out.

[JTUK]

You couldn't do it in practical terms...as you would have to mute with the LH pdq....which you would have to write and
the notes would make no real sense.

To use raking, you really are going for very fast muted notes and open strings would complicate it to a degree that it wouldn't be worth doing.

IIRC Billy Sheehan covers raking very well in a video...

[JTUK]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okBPsjjvAz0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okBPsjjvAz0[/url]

from 4.41 is useful

[Lfalex v1.1]

I rake quite a lot! I can play passages with alternating finger strokes, but with rakes and the odd hammer-on from my plucking hand, it's much more economical, particularly in fast passages. As for ascending (in terms of pitch) raking, I often use the side of my fore finger, as it leaves my thumb free for damping or the odd percussive stroke (!) whilst leaving my middle finger ready for what's coming next...

[risingson]

Raking made it into my technique without me even really noticing. James Jamerson did it a lot, or at least a kind of rake where he'd follow through an open onto a fretted string below, presumably a way of tying together parts as he only ever played with his index finger on his right hand. It's really handy to have the ability to offer a phrase in a different way like that for me.

[popoctave]

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1351365492' post='1850627']
You can see where I have to rake on here hopefully?
[/quote]

It's just goin up and down the strings one after another

Karn plays fretless as well which does help a bit getting round the fretboard I think, crackin player his early Japan stuff is knockout.

[popoctave]

Bloody hell just googled Karn after this thread I didn't know he died aged 52 of cancer last year.....on my Birthday aswell, where have I been man...really quite gutted