Playing fourths/sevenths question...

[Faithless]

So, I'm studying Steve Bailey's "5 String Bass" thing (enroaching to be 'the Only One' it's student in whole Basschat so far... )
and been stopped by damn fourths/sevenths...

Got to say, I've never liked ( that means [i]practiced[/i]) playing fourths/sevenths using one fretting finger, but now, there are few excercises [Chapter is about playing scales, thirds, so on... [b]in one position[/b]], that ask to play fourths just like that.. Steve keystoned "one finger per fret rule", so that means, I got to play fourths in one position using one fretting finger at the time.


But it's kinda hard to play 'a fourth' on two inner strings, for eg., A and D using one fretting finger, and keep the hand properly expanded/ready for hitting other notes aaaaand remain other strings silent..

It's even worse about sevenths 'in one position with one fretting finger" - got to use the same finger, and skip one string, for eg., I'm starting to play a seventh on A string, so I'll end up on G, but we got a D-to-be-silent in-between... That's hell!!!

Considering, that was just the forth[of nine] chapter of the book, and other thingies in it weren't that hard, maybe I'm doing something wrong?

Or maybe it simply needs a loootta work?
Or it's just me?...

How do you guys struggle with 'em, played in one position?

Villain Steve didn't tell a thing about that...


BTW, sorry for flimfams, but, I'm expecting, at least a few understood, what I wanted to say..

Cheers,
Faith.

Edited May 28, 2008 by Faithless

[mcgraham]

Well, I don't mean to second guess what Steve was saying, but I believe that one finger per fret is firstly a [i]guideline[/i], not a set in stone rule (watch Dave Marks vid on bad habits for good explanation), and, secondly, isn't that easy or useful for doing double stops, particularly if you're missing out a string.

If you didn't mean double stops (i.e. two notes played together) and were describing going between a first and fourth/first and seventh, then again, it is a guideline, but can be achieved with practice.

Mark

[Faithless]

Nah, I didn't mean double stops..

In other words, I'm about playing fourth/seventh melodicaly.

Edited May 28, 2008 by Faithless

[mcgraham]

Gotcha. In that case I would say it depends on what you are playing. Sometimes it's easier not to, but I would say stick with this method. For instance, I have several exercises that would be impossible to play above a certain speed without doing them this way, other ones I know are harder to play this way but are much more elegantly played as a result. In general I opt for this, but not always. At high speed though I stick with this method. Practice will get you there.

Mark

Edited May 28, 2008 by mcgraham

[XB26354]

You'll need very flexible knuckle joints to play quick alternating 4ths with one finger (for example Heard it Thru the Grapevine), plus there is a damping issue. I've never played sevenths with one finger and wouldn't advise it - you'll be fretting the seventh halfway up your finger instead of the pad, and it seriously restricts your mobility. It wouldn't work at all with major sevenths either. One finger per fret is a very general guide rule. Depends on the size of your hands and how many strings your bass has, of course.

[mcgraham]

Thanks for that XB, I need to de-emphasise my 'stick with this method' comment, I was coming at it from a 'if you're dancing about the neck' perspective. If you're going slowing or playing fairly standard lines at tolerable speed then having more than one finger per fret can really be beneficial and require less work than the above method. It really does depend on the line you're playing.

Mark

[Bilbo]

Fourths and minor sevenths do present another problem in terms in fretless playing and intonation. Using the one finger per fret model is not as simple because your fingers are actually NEVER straight across the neck particularly at the lower end of teh neck (they are simply incpapable of being so, physiologically speaking) so you have to make subtle adjustments every time you move a note.

I think, though, in a nutshell, you just need to stick with it, keep practising the changes you are looking at and develop a personal approach to the issue that lets you find a way to fluently execute your ideas using these intervals. As someone above said, theories advocated by Bailey, Berlin or anyone else are guidance and shouldn't be taken as gospel. As much as anything, there is the limitations of the written word. What is written in these books is often incomprehensilbe if you don't know what they are trying to say! I always find they make sense after I have already worked out the thing they are talking about!

[Faithless]

Well, I don't think, I'll stick with that 'one finger usage' method. Especially for sevenths, and fourths that should be done on lowest and inner strings (exception for D and G strings...).

I've 'invented' a method to use the same finger to play an interval, just elegantly shifting it from one fret on another. The most important moment is shifting process - you gotta work on it, so that there won't be any difference in melodical interval sounding, wheter you'd use one or two fingers to 'fret'.