how do you gain speed in playing

[Redballjets88]

i have been playing bass for like 6 months now and lately i have hit a wall in what to do. like im good at everything i have tried that is just begginer stuff. im alright with slap and pop and im good with a pick and fingers but now im trying to get my speed going...whats a good way to start blazing away?

[Matt White]

Originally posted by Redballjets88
i have been playing bass for like 6 months now and lately i have hit a wall in what to do. like im good at everything i have tried that is just begginer stuff. im alright with slap and pop and im good with a pick and fingers but now im trying to get my speed going...whats a good way to start blazing away?

The only way to gain speed is thru repetition....play all the time...

You'll get more comfortable moving around the bass...

Try playing exercises with a metronome....slowly increasing your speed every day...

You'll be blazin' away in no time.....

[Redballjets88]

yeah thats what i expected to hear especially since there really isnt any other good way other than practice

[Brett]

Build up strength in your fingers, make sure you use ALL of them. A lot of players choose to ignore they have a pinky, and if you truly want to develop speed and accuracy, you need to be adept and comfortable using your pinky. A lot of players aren't.

[nosuchluck]

if you want to shred on bass, try picking with 3 fingers - index, middle and ring. the important thing is to get the notes to sound 'even' with all three fingers.

billy sheehan uses three fingers to pick.

[Matt White]

Stick to constructive comments and you'll be fine.

Building forearm strength & strength in your hands will help facilitate faster playing..and make you less prone to fatigue....

As with all exercise, stop when you feel pain...

[Don Corleone]

Practise, Practise, Practise. As Matt rightly pointed out the more you repeatedly play something, the faster you will get at it.

[Nitro Express]

I'm not a bass player but what works for me on guitar is to push myself hard playing. Play fast as you can without making mistakes during practice and the speed will come.

Equipment is an issue in playing fast. The neck shape, fingerboard radius, what the neck is coated with, neck relief, string guage, and string height all come into play. Also your pick guage makes a difference.

I'm a haul ass player who plays a lot of Dick Dale (I can rip out a mean Miserlou) and Yngwie stuff. Yngwie still can kick my ass but I'm trying. One thing I found is a thicker pick guage is important. When your fingers get that nice dexterity you worked your ass off to get and you know the songs in your head, you will find you are sevral notes by in your head and the strings haven't fired. Why? The pick is flexing too much. I like thick Dunlops and Claytons for hauling ass. Like 1.5mm. Anything from .88 to 1.5mm work good.

It's really a feel deal. I have bought all sorts of hand exercisors and tried all sorts of exercises. They are boring as hell and about as useless as using a penis enhancement pump. If you want good sex, drink lots of water, eat right, stay in shape, and fuck a lot. If you want to play guitar, streatch out your hands by warming up slowly and pick up speed. Just like sex really.

[ELVIS]

Play along with Iron Maiden Number Of The Beast until you have learned it and can play through the whole album from start to finish...



:elvis:

[Mr Grimsdale]

practice practice practice


Originally posted by Matt White
Building forearm strength...

ooh no missus no

[ELVIS]

Calm down dude...;)

[Panamark]

One word - Amphetamines ! :D

[Matt White]

The "Snowy" conditions of the '80s also helped many to play faster!!!:p

[zeronumber]

Practice, practice, practice, practice, practice...

Chops have to be earned through sweat, blood, tears, repitiion, and hard ass work.

You can't short cut your way to the top.

[GAR]

Metronome set at 90 bpm and going thru your scales and modes runs up and down the neck, increasing to 120bpm till you can take no more.

Alot of what good bass playing is about revolves around the "push and pull" of the beat division of the music played, for example, striking notes before or after the downbeat (coming in early or late) occasionally to enhance the drummer.

Another thing is to watch the drummer, not the guitar player. Watch for that snare and kick trying to play right on top of each strike, then like I said learning to push and pull the beat.

[jacksmar]

Check Magnus Rosen's licks.

[Eyes of the Night]

Originally posted by Brett
Build up strength in your fingers, make sure you use ALL of them. A lot of players choose to ignore they have a pinky, and if you truly want to develop speed and accuracy, you need to be adept and comfortable using your pinky. A lot of players aren't.

That's the way I brought myself up to do as a playa ... the pinky adds a whole new 12 notes ... I actually learned all those scales recently watching that fookin' LWAN dvd 1 year ago all tweaked out n' shit ... Im coo now seeing that I moved away fromit all ...

[Eyes of the Night]

I got mad demos too ...

[Big Troubles]

Originally posted by Brett
Build up strength in your fingers, make sure you use ALL of them. A lot of players choose to ignore they have a pinky, and if you truly want to develop speed and accuracy, you need to be adept and comfortable using your pinky. A lot of players aren't.


fuck I love it when you say "pinky". :D


say it again!