How to play octaves in SRV's Little Wing?

[mhoward]

There's a section where he starts playing octaves, and I don't see how he does it so fast. It goes on for 3 bars or so, but here's a short excerpt:

 

e---------------------------------

b----------------------------15----

g---------12------14--12-----X----

d--14-----X--14---X---X---- 12----

a---X----10---X--12--10-----------

e--12--------12--------------------

 

I don't see how you could transfer your index and ring finger from the 12th position to the 10th position and back on different strings as fast as SRV plays it on the record, even if you did have his deadly speed and accuracy. I wondered if he might be holding fingers on a 4 strings (E, A, D, G) and when he moves he just mutes one pair while holding down the other pair. That's quite a great coordination exercise -- try it. Do you think that's what he's doing?

[mhoward]

Actually, I can't play it with 4 fingers... they get in the way. But I think I see a better way: I use my index finger to bar the E and A string at the 12th fret, and my ring finger to bar the D and G string at the 14th. Then I use pick and finger to pluck the E and D string, then slide my left hand up to the 10th fret and pluck the A and G string, etc. I don't see how to play a muted string marked by the X; it doesn't seem important. But I wonder why the Hal Leonard tab shows the X, unless it assumed it was played by transferring your fingers between strings?

[Stackabones]

 

I wondered if he might be holding fingers on a 4 strings (E, A, D, G) and when he moves he just mutes one pair while holding down the other pair. That's quite a great coordination exercise -- try it. Do you think that's what he's doing?

 

 

Sorta. If I read you correctly about the muting, I think you're right on.

 

Like most players playing octaves, he uses the 1st and 3rd fingers (or 1st and 4th if you have small hands) for playing on the E & D strings and on the A & G strings. For octaves on the D & B strings, most will use 1st and 4th fingers.

 

Start slowly and you'll eventually build up the speed that SRV had. Also, check out Wes Montgomey, a master of the octave technique.

[sumpm1]

He just slides those shapes like a power chord shape, his hand shape never changes.

[Crosscut Saw]

 

Actually, I can't play it with 4 fingers... they get in the way. But I think I see a better way: I use my index finger to bar the E and A string at the 12th fret, and my ring finger to bar the D and G string at the 14th. Then I use pick and finger to pluck the E and D string, then slide my left hand up to the 10th fret and pluck the A and G string, etc. I don't see how to play a muted string marked by the X; it doesn't seem important. But I wonder why the Hal Leonard tab shows the X, unless it assumed it was played by transferring your fingers between strings?

 

 

As sumpm1 said, you're going to want to hold your fingers in the same shape, the 1st and 3rd fingers for octaves with the bottom note on the E and A strings and the 1st and 4th fingers for octaves with the bottom note on the D and G strings. You hold the shape steady like a power chord and move as if you're moving between barre chords when you change notes.

 

The muted X is there because most people that play octaves palm the pick and brush the strings with the thumb to get the Wes sound. The inner string is muted between the two fingers on the fret hand.

[Burningleaves]

 

He just slides those shapes like a power chord shape, his hand shape never changes.

 

 

 

 

Ya, I just tried it and that's pretty much how I did it. I used my 1sy and 3rd fingers up until the last octave when I switched out my 3rd for my 4th (pinky). The A and G strings were muted by my first finger "naturally" because of the "power chord" shape used.

[captain average]

you could do it all on just two strings, instead of switching strings.

[FlyingZ]

 

There's a section where he starts playing octaves, and I don't see how he does it so fast. It goes on for 3 bars or so, but here's a short excerpt: e--------------------------------- b----------------------------15---- g---------12------14--12-----X---- d--14-----X--14---X---X---- 12---- a---X----10---X--12--10----------- e--12--------12-------------------- I don't see how you could transfer your index and ring finger from the 12th position to the 10th position and back on different strings as fast as SRV plays it on the record, even if you did have his deadly speed and accuracy. I wondered if he might be holding fingers on a 4 strings (E, A, D, G) and when he moves he just mutes one pair while holding down the other pair. That's quite a great coordination exercise -- try it. Do you think that's what he's doing?

 

 

The tab is incorrect. Fix it by removing the X's.

 

This common technique is called hybrid picking. Pick the low note normally while plucking the high with your 2nd finger.

 

You could also pluck the muted strings but there is no point to it. The transcriber incorrectly assumed both notes were strummed while muting the middle.

 

Scotty Anderson picks the higher note with his 2nd finger, which is faster, but not the same sound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDtoP9yv1Ho

Couldn