Right hand technique problems

[TDM]

My teacher pointed out to me today that I don't always to proper Left, Right, Left, Right alternating fingers when I'm playing certain things. Namely riffs with an odd number of notes per string. I think I learned the technique properly when I first started playing but I've stopped doing it recently. It's really hard to get back into it properly. The only reason I'm concerned is because I'm doing a grade 8 bass exam (for the UCAS points ) and they stipulate you must alternate left/right fingers, or play with a pick doing up/down/up/down.

Personally I think I can play scales at acceptable speed with just one finger and most riffs with my weird hybrid plucking technique. But I really need to re-learn my right hand technique properly. Here's a quick video I recorded of me playing some patterns/riffs that I've identified the problems in.


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

Anyone else have this problem? I've been trying to do some basic three note per string patterns properly and it's like learning to walk again.....

[Doddy]

I don't have a problem with alternate picking,however I do sometimes prefer to play straight 8th notes with one finger. Having said that,I
also like adding my thumb to my two fingers for some triplet passages or wide string crossing(especially on the 6 string).
Get the alternate picking sorted for the exam,but do what you see fit-and sounds the best- when you're playing a gig.

[velvetkevorkian]

One of the best things I've found to help with this is to think of your fingers as being numbered 1 and 2, and say it as you play it; sounds very simple (and I'd recommend trying it in private cos it sounds a bit weird) but it gets surprisingly tricky, especially playing odd numbered groupings. It helped me with my 3 finger technique quite a lot.