Building right hand finger stamina

[dave74200]

Good day,

 

I want to play The Trooper with my fingers but really struggle to mantain the stamina and run out of gas very quickly. Any tips or ideas to build this please?

 

Also, are some of us just less able to play in this style? I don't mind putting in the work but don't want to flog a dead horse!!!!!!

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Acebassmusic]

Good day @dave74200

 

For me, learning songs that push me into areas I'm not used to eg: speed / style / genre etc. I slow them down using the likes of "Amazing Slow Downer" This allows my brain and body time to think 🤣 and I split the track down into manageable chunks. Once I've learned the sections I'll start joining them together (still at a slow speed) which helps me remember fingerings and start to build on stamina. Once I can play the whole track through I then start increasing the speed by a few % making sure I'm playing as cleanly and accurately as I can. I also use the likes of Youtube to check out how otheres are playing it, noting both left and right hands.

 

"are some of us just less able to play in this style?" I don't think it's a case of "we can't" so much as "we've probably not learned the techniques and practiced it much" Mr Harris has been playing in this style for around 40 years so has a bit of a head start on most of us 🤣

Edited June 28, 2023 by Acebassmusic

[dave74200]

9 minutes ago, Acebassmusic said:

Good day @dave74200

 

For me, learning songs that push me into areas I'm not used to eg: speed / style / genre etc. I slow them down using the likes of "Amazing Slow Downer" This allows my brain and body time to think 🤣 and I split the track down into manageable chunks. Once I've learned the sections I'll start joining them together (still at a slow speed) which helps me remember fingerings and start to build on stamina. Once I can play the whole track through I then start increasing the speed by a few % making sure I'm playing as cleanly and accurately as I can. I also use the likes of Youtube to check out how otheres are playing it, noting both left and right hands.

 

"are some of us just less able to play in this style?" I don't think it's a case of "we can't" so much as "we've probably not learned the techniques and practiced it much" Mr Harris has been playing in this style for around 40 years so has a bit of a head start on most of us 🤣

Thanks so much for your helpful response. I will get to work!!! I'll also look for that app as it sounds great! Thanks again, really appreciate it!!

[Acebassmusic]

2 minutes ago, dave74200 said:

Thanks so much for your helpful response. I will get to work!!! I'll also look for that app as it sounds great! Thanks again, really appreciate it!!

 

There is a thread HERE on Basschat which gives a number of options for slowing / looping tracks for learning. I found that you can slow "Amazing Slow Downer" a lot without it getting too distorted. You used to be able to download a free version which was limited to the fist 2 mins of a track (if I remember). I tried it first (for a couple of years!) to see if I was happy then bought it.

[velvetkevorkian]

Also take a look at your finger movement - is there any extra unnecessary motion? Are you hitting the strings harder than necessary? The more efficiently your hands move, the easier it is to speed up. Don't be afraid to play with a lighter touch and turn the gain up to compensate, if needed.

[Reggaebass]

I don’t know that song, but if I need to up my speed for certain tracks I do pretty much what Acebass does above, I’m not a very fast player so I break it down into sections until I’ve got all the notes comfortably and then slowly up my speed, I did include some speed exercises into my practice routine before and it definitely helped, good luck ☝️

[Paolo85]

The Trooper is the first song I learned in bass. Not because I am naturally fasr, but because I cheat. Try plucking with three fingers - ring, medium, index. The order is very important, I can't explain why but you'll see when you try. So make sure you start with the ring finger. It is basically a single movement, as if you were to close your fist, with the fingers "falling" on the string but staggered. Try it a little bit and see if you can get a good sound. That's not how Harris does that and maybe in time you'll build the stamina to do it with two fingers. But using three is perfectly legitimate

[fretmeister]

Youtube also can slow down stuff now too.

 

'Arry actually plays quite gently and in his own words only "tickles" the strings. With those massive Roto flats he uses he can have a really low action. They are way too heavy for me though.

Play it as slow as you need. Don't move up a speed until it's perfect, and by perfect I do NOT mean "play until you get it right" I mean "Play it until you cannot get it wrong"

 

That being said, and with the personal knowledge of some early arthritis, we do all have our own physical limitations. So take it easy and don't hurt yourself.

[dave74200]

Massive help here guys. Thanks all so much for your time, really appreciate it!

[Fishfacefour]

On 28/06/2023 at 14:07, fretmeister said:

 "Play it until you cannot get it wrong"

Golden advice! 

 

I always struggle with playing too hard as I tend to practice at home unamplified. Switching on the amp really helps with fluency and lightness of touch. It also shows up any badly fretted notes that I miss when unamplified. 

[Newfoundfreedom]

I believe the main trick to Steve Harris style playing is to use a very light touch. Don't be tempted to dig in, your fingers will fatigue extremely quickly at that galloping pace. Try playing by barely feathering the strings until you've cracked the correct pace and rhythm.  

[BassAdder60]

I gig this song and find with fingers I get close enough to be good enough 

 

I can play it with a pick better as the attack for the gallop really comes through and compliments the guitar sound 

 

Tone issue … fingers sounds full but less articulate.. good enough or pick is less full but articulation is spot on ( palm muting helps ) 

[Baloney Balderdash]

If you use 3 fingers it doesn't take much speed or stamina to gallop fast. 

 

I use a combination of various finger picking/plucking techniques, depending, as well as I am quite adept at playing with a pick, but by far the easiest way to do the typical Iron Maiden galloping thing is using 3 fingers, for me it almost comes automatically that way, and as said doesn't require much stamina or speed.

 

Edit!: And yes, as someone pointed out, use a light touch, more so stroking the strings, with a light slapping motion,  rather than striking or pulling them. And imagine a sort of  a fluently rolling wave motion with your fingers as you stroke the strings.

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[ahpook]

13 minutes ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

If you use 3 fingers it doesn't take much speed or stamina to gallop fast.

 

 Try telling that to a horse !