Bass Technique?

[eoinwalsh]

what would be the best book to buy that deals with bass strictly on a technical level, ie - excercises to improve your playing?

 

example -

 

with my plucking hand i usually begin the 1st note of a pattern with my index finger and then do the second with my middle finger and continue alternating index-middle-index-middle etc. but i have run into patterns that require fingereing in a different order. this causes many problems.

 

 

technical {censored} like that. any advice on the best book to buy?

[78pbass]

I would recommend a teacher. I have some exercises I teach, but its only so effective if your foundation is not solid.

[Super Bass]

Are you talking about your fretted hand fingering or your plucking hand's fingering??

 

Regardless, there are exercises that you can do without having to buy a book. I'm sure someone will chime in with them. Sorry, I don't have time to type them out at the moment.

[eoinwalsh]

my plucking hand.

[wades_keys]

 

my plucking hand.

 

 

Watch instructional videos of master fingerstylists, like Jaco and Geddy Lee.

 

There's one technique I copped from Geddy that is almost like a rake - great for descending runs like in YYZ.

 

Hard to describe but basically say you're doing fast alternate plucking on the high g and need to fluidly play the next note on the d string.

 

The last pluck on the G - let it follow through all the way to D string (muted) so it will be in position.

[ivanthetrble]

Go to www.musicdojo.com and look for Adam Nitti's class titled Right and Left Hand Techniques. I found it very useful to help clean up your fretting and plucking.

[wades_keys]

with my plucking hand i usually begin the 1st note of a pattern with my index finger and then do the second with my middle finger and continue alternating index-middle-index-middle etc.

Well, stop doing that!

 

Play exercises that force you to start with your middle finger, for starters.

 

Notate or (gasp) create tab for some patterns, and mark above the notes which finger should be plucking.

 

Force yourself to play through slowly, making sure you do not skip a finger.

 

Do this about 10 minutes every practice and I guarantee you will get results - it's been working for me, anyway.

 

Bill Dickens gave some good advice on doing repetitions during your practice - he said he'll sit with his bass unplugged and watch tv while playing repetitions on exercises.

 

This helps build muscle memory - just don't overdo it to where you are having pain or stiffness - take breaks....

 

BTW, I like to mix string skipping and alternate plucking into one exercise - check out Rocco Prestia's vid on Youtube - he demonstrates the bass line for "Oil In The Ground".

 

Now, don't do his left-hand fingerings, but that bassline (actually a bastardized version of it) has become a regular part of my practice regimen.

 

Also, a real good line IMO to work up is "RIO" by Duran Duran. It's got it all - nice clean plucking, dead notes, slides, and seamless string skipping.

 

Don't expect it to sound great the first few (dozen ) times you play it - work on it slowly, concentrating on your tone and touch.

 

And of course, there is always YYZ - great tabs exist for this one too.

 

Rock on bro