Can anyone help with this? Frustrated :(

[Evil Undead]

I'm trying to learn a song, inspired by a fellow BC'er, and I knew it was a hard song but this is silly!

How on earth do I play this? My fingers just don't move fast enough, and they just fall over each other, and the other strings. Playing a normal octave is fine, but with the extra bit... yikes. And argh.

Is there a special technique? Something I'm doing wrong? Particular fingering that should be used?

Grateful for your help ladies and gents

EDIT I should mention that one set (like, the first 3 notes) is fine, but it's repeating it that's the trouble, I hit all the strings on the way back down to the low F#

[IMG]http://i1032.photobucket.com/albums/a407/ImaginaryEvil/6377f960f0a7cbbc9482adccb5881f79_zpsf41a099e.jpg[/IMG]

P.S. it's in 4/4, which is probably obvious but it doesn't say on it so thought I should mention

Edited September 14, 2013 by Evil Undead

[paul_5]

Depending on the tempo I'd play the low F# with my plucking hand thumb, and the two high F#s with my 'normal' finger technique.

Hope this helps, Mel.

[Evil Undead]

I've tried that as well, but I keep having to shuffle back round to fingers for the next song, and it just feels weird. Thanks for the suggestion though!

I've also tried 1st finger on the low F# and fingers 2 and 3 on the other, can't make that work at all :/

[steve-bbb]

hot stuff ?

[paul_5]

you could try tapping the low notes or the first of the high ones. That's getting a bit too complicated though...

[miles'tone]

I find it's best to start with a click at a very slow tempo, however slow it needs to be that you can play the figure consistently then once your brain and your fingers know what they are doing, up the tempo by say, 5bpm and only moving up when you can play that consistently too etc.

Personally I would hit that lick with 1st finger then 2nd and 1st for the 2 16ths, raking back with that first to begin again. Hope that makes sense.
If you start very very slow you will probably find what suits you best.

Any good with a pick? Could be easier that way.

[Evil Undead]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1379180036' post='2209592']
hot stuff ?
[/quote]

Naw (although I want to learn that one). It's (don't) give hate a chance (Jamiroquai)

[Lozz196]

Use a pick. Just tried it, with fingers not so successful, with a pick it`s much easier to get the hang of.

[Evil Undead]

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1379181277' post='2209607']
I find it's best to start with a click at a very slow tempo, however slow it needs to be that you can play the figure consistently then once your brain and your fingers know what they are doing, up the tempo by say, 5bpm and only moving up when you can play that consistently too etc.

Personally I would hit that lick with 1st finger then 2nd and 1st for the 2 16ths, raking back with that first to begin again. Hope that makes sense.
If you start very very slow you will probably find what suits you best.

Any good with a pick? Could be easier that way.
[/quote]

Maybe that's where I've gone wrong - diving in to playing it at full tempo straight away. Does this starting off slowly thing actually work well? I've never tried it, but willing to give it a whirl.

I've been trying to rake it back but just hitting the string in the middle on the way. So annoying!

[Evil Undead]

I'm horrible with a pick. Awful

[steve-bbb]

[quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1379181399' post='2209611']
I've been trying to rake it back but just hitting the string in the middle on the way. So annoying!
[/quote]

not necessarily bad as long as you did it precisley sort of and in good time so that the middle note is muted that way you hear the first and third note playing the octave and the middle note muted

i do this on bad girls and hot stuff - try to get all three notes clean but usually the middle one comes out clipped - it just takes lots and lots of repetition to get it rolling off your fingertips accuratley

[SpaceChick]

I had a similar issue Mel with another song.

I did low note with first finger, high notes with second finger.... But in all honesty I do favour my second finger anyhow, so it is quick!

[JapanAxe]

I have always cheated on this and just played 1/8-note octaves. Hope that makes you feel better.

[visog]

Not happy with some of the advice so far... tapping!? WtF?

No - finger-style, metronome on a slow tempo, 'do-digga' rhythm, and slowly play the F#s cleanly. Work up the tempo gradually.

Edited September 14, 2013 by visog

[xgsjx]

Take your time. It's a new technique to you, so practice slowly & you'll soon build up speed.

Start by doing the pattern on just the one string & the one note (I'll suggest the F on the D string). Right hand pattern for your fingers... 1-321_321_321_32 & so on

It's a pattern that's used in a lot of rock/metal when it's not octaved. Once you get the hang of that, then try doing the "1" an octave lower (playing the pattern that you shared).

It takes time & may take a few days/weeks/months, but you'll get there.

[paul_5]

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1379185667' post='2209676']
Not happy with some of the advice so far... tapping!? WtF?
[/quote]

Calm down sunshine; just suggesting different approaches. Granted it's not a conventional 'normal' approach, but it works.

[Mornats]

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1379181277' post='2209607']
I find it's best to start with a click at a very slow tempo, however slow it needs to be that you can play the figure consistently then once your brain and your fingers know what they are doing, up the tempo by say, 5bpm and only moving up when you can play that consistently too etc.
[/quote]

This +100. This is what my bass tutor always advises. Start off slowly, get your muscle memory locked into it then increase the BPM. He recommends 2 BPM at a time but you could try 5 BPM. Only up the tempo once you've mastered the previous one.

[uncle psychosis]

[quote name='Evil Undead' timestamp='1379181399' post='2209611']


Maybe that's where I've gone wrong - diving in to playing it at full tempo straight away. Does this starting off slowly thing actually work well? I've never tried it

[/quote]

yes! Its probably the single most useful practice technique around. Play it slowly, play it right. Then get quicker. Even top, top pros don't try and learn everything at full speed.

[Lowender]

Thumb on the downbeats.

[mcnach]

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1379181277' post='2209607']
I find it's best to start with a click at a very slow tempo, however slow it needs to be that you can play the figure consistently then once your brain and your fingers know what they are doing, up the tempo by say, 5bpm and only moving up when you can play that consistently too etc.

Personally I would hit that lick with 1st finger then 2nd and 1st for the 2 16ths, raking back with that first to begin again. Hope that makes sense.
If you start very very slow you will probably find what suits you best.

Any good with a pick? Could be easier that way.
[/quote]


This.

It's a matter of starting slowly and being patient. It'll eventually work.
I also rake back to the first note, with practice it becomes a soft rake and you don't really hear it once you're playing full steam.

I find that I lose the ability to do it well unless I practice it often... so keep at it!

[fretmeister]

Play it right no matter how slowly. Then slowly increase. Being perfect each time.

Practice does. NOT make perfect. Practice only makes permanent. Only perfect practice makes perfect.

[Lowender]

What's the tempo?

Edited September 14, 2013 by Lowender

[mcnach]

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1379195051' post='2209806']
What a lot of people are missing is that some things cannot be executed simply by practicing it a lot. A flute will not sound good in the piccolo register simply by practicing playing as high as possible for hours a day. There are better ways than others to achieve the best result.
[/quote]

We were not talking metaphysics, but a very common bass technique

[Lowender]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1379195144' post='2209811']
We were not talking metaphysics, but a very common bass technique
[/quote]

I'm not sure the statement was metaphysical in an way. (?) I just heard the tune. It can be played with either thumb or fingers. But yeah, it takes some technique. So the short answer here can simply be "get better." : )

Seriously, if not using the thumb, I think it would be best if it were fingered -- index for the low, then middle and index for the octave, and then the index AGAIN for the lower note. That seems like more movement but it's actually falls more naturally. (To me).

Edited September 14, 2013 by Lowender

[ambient]

1st finger for the low F sharp, then 2nd finger followed by the 1st finger for the octaves, just repeat that.

Fine advice about using a metronome and start at a low tempo, maybe 60bpm, and just increase the tempo as you find it easier.

Ignore the tapping suggestion , and also the thumb suggestion. Why would you want to tap it ????????

Unless you've practiced incorporating your thumb into playing with your fingers, the sound would be too different for it to work properly. The sound between 1st and 2nd finger is noticeable, more flesh on the 2nd finger, your thumb would sound even more heavier.