So I Got a Bass...

It's just about possible to do decent "dragged" slaps on bass like a drummer, it's something I experimented with a while back briefly.

Soulman wrote: now I've developed this ethic that I shall never play with a bass pick, but it just seems bloody impossible to play those triplet notes with just your fingers.

Classical/flamenco guitarists use what is called a “tremolo” technique, which involves using your ring, middle and index fingers in quick succession to create quickly repeating sequences of notes (usually sixteenth notes). It’s not an easy technique to master—indeed, it’s one of the reasons I never made much of a guitarist—but it is possible with lots of practice.

Of course, “slap” bass style (think Mark King or Flea) involves using the thumb as well. I don’t know particularly what that entails, though.

Even with some of Chris Squires basslines, it makes me wonder if they have used bass picks, like ever.

I thought Squire always used a pick? It seems I saw him using picks on stage when I saw Yes live.

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MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

 "Is mayonnaise an instrument?"  --Patrick Star

N.P.:"Crystal Blue"-Music Magic

I'm an amateur, my GOD it is difficult to become a pro!

You're playing four-string, right? Wait until you get a six... 
 Anyways, I use to put my thumb on the mikes as support, when I play on the E and A strings. Then I'll use the little finger, to dampen the G and D string every now and then. When you're playing on the low strings, the chances that the right hand will do something stupid on it's own with the strings you're not playing on, so then it's not necessary to dampen the top two strings all the time, even if they will do some harmonic vibrating if you let them be for too long. You've got to use your little finger for your playing, but you'll manage.
 It's trickier when it comes to the D and G-strings. When I play figures on those, I'll support my thumb on the E-string instead of on the mikes, and use the third or little finger for damping the A-string (and the D-string, when you play on the G). But, I've switched more and more to damping them all simply with the flesh of the hand, but keeping a small angle so that I use the right side of the right hand (think below the little finger). This comes naturally, since you've got to have a good playing position. As a four-string player, you won't need this, so keep to silencing with the thumb and the thrird/fourth finger, but the more strings you get, the less fingers you've got. So store this away somewhere, if you'll ever get any more strings. Also, when you know that you'll play a longer passage with a lot of G-string work, you might like to move the thumb to the A-string, which gives you better access to the G. Then you'll just use any available part of your hand to dampen the E-string.

 Hope this helps! My explanations tend to become a little messy, especially in English.

chopper wrote: Anyway, can anyone play the fast diddly bit from the middle of Perpetual Change properly?

What time in the song does it happen? (minutes:seconds)


PS: Man the mix of the organ and guitar in the beginning of Perpetual Change just sounds like crap to me lol...quite an ugly sound

I don't use a pick as it's simply so difficult to me, and I don't currently have the patience nor will to rehearse doing it! I could try it sometimes, but now I just hit all four strings with all my fingers so hard that 'ey bleed! (fingers, not strings)  

About triplets, they might be easier to play when learning to do them with three fingers.

Hi all, noobe here.

I always use a pick since Squire was my main influence. I think I'm the only person on earth who uses those big triangler fender picks. I hold them kind of weird though with my first and second fingers on either side and my thumb in the middle. By doing this I can bend the pick to make it firmer or softer.

Anyway if you want to get a pick sound without using one let your first fingernail grow a bit and hold your thumb and first finger just like you are holding a pick in the "normal"way then strike the strings with the back of the nail. You can vary the angle for more or less attack. I use the meaty part of my palm (opposite the thumb) to mute the strings for a tighter sound.

i play pick. it helps me throw in alot of notes and makes anything sound faster. but the real advantage is the sound of picking. it gives you that loud treblely ripping. like squire. he picked.

Cygnus X-2 wrote: IWith YYZ, for instance, which is an incredibly difficult bassline, I played the song very slowly until I memorized the entire thing, then kept playing faster every time I played it.

For YYZ I was able to play some of it right away, but I improved my finger picking immensly before trying to tackle all of it, and I am still only able to play the first minute and a half. I do not know how I improved my finger picking but I did.

Yeah definetly take lessons. I find myself doing something wrong and it takes a very long time to fix that problem.