Question for those who play using the "3 fingers style"

[Higon]

I started training the 3 fingered style using that lessons from the Hippie, and perhaps someday I´ll stop using the pick. But for now, some questions:

1) - Do you always follow the pattern when picking? I mean: 3-2-1-2. Always? Like when you do the double-picking style in guitar (always upstroke-downstroke patterns)

2) - Can you do some fU***** fast scales by finger-picking?

3) - Do you keep the pattern, even when you do the string-skipping, don´t matter wich finger you´ll use to pull the other string?

4) - I´ll be sent to hell if, while playing the "3 finger style" I use my little finger (pink?) to pick sometimes?

:eer: So many doubts...

 

[Higon]

Hummmmmm. UP?

 

[Coypu]

Since now one seems to be answering I can give you my view of it. There are however people on this forum who master it far better than me so hopefully someone of them will reply sometime.

1. I usually follow the 3-2-1-3-2-1 pattern for sheer speed play and 3-2-1-2- for playing 4 notes fast and not more.

2. Well I can play a scale like fill in 180bpm 16th notes, not sure if that is counted as fast but that is how fast I can go on 3 fingers at the moment.

3. I don't but I am bad at string skipping, go to garry willis site, he has a tecnique for using 3 fingers for changing and skipping strings.

4. I use 4 fingers when I need to, I really don't see how it could hurt in any way as long as you are gaining more speed that way. If you use your pinky at the cost of speed then don't.

 

[flaviu]

I Use the 1-2-3-2- pattern, a little different from everybody I guess, (start from the 1)

I'm currently trying to keep the pattern even when changing strings, I think it makes the playing cleaner. Without any mute notes or something



Thanks to Steve I removed my Fender Squier frets and know I can do Breaking the Broken harmonics, lol

 

[Coypu]

..and if you want to listen to a fast fill played with 3 fingers then listen to this : http://medieteknik.bth.se/joba01/sound/PeteMosquitoBrainSurgery.mp3 , it is from the spastic ink album and pretty fast.

 

[Higon]

Thank you guys.

1. I usually follow the 3-2-1-3-2-1 pattern for sheer speed play and 3-2-1-2- for playing 4 notes fast and not more.

Nice. I´ll try it and take a look at the garry willis site.

I'm currently trying to keep the pattern even when changing strings, I think it makes the playing cleaner. Without any mute notes or something

I think my problem is more a lack of coordination then... I´ll look keep working on it.

 

[FractalUniverse]

play fast triplets!!!! that helps a lot
1-2-3 1-2-3.......

 

[capeda]

I dunno... playing triplets exclusively might mess up your muscle memory in your right hand and end up hindering you...

The method I use most for practicing is going up and down the fret board (E -1-2-3-4, A -1-2-3-4, D -1-2-3-4, G -1-2-3-4, G -2-3-4-5, D -2-3-4-5, etc) up till I hit the twelth fret. I do this like 5 or 6 times daily, using either 2 fingers or 3 fingers (in the 32123212 style). Extremely effective, IMO, and you see results pretty fast.

 

[capeda]

Whoops, I meant two fingers AND three fingers, not OR....

 

[FractalUniverse]

triplets raised my fingers strenght, that's why they helped me a lot...


peace!!!

 

[capeda]

oh yeah, a tip for finger strength is to walk the fretboard (like I described a few posts up) and just use your 2nd and 3rd fingers (no index fingers allowed!).... hurts like hell for the first couple days, but speed goes up as well as strength.

Anyways, any tips on left hand techniques? Thats definitely my biggest problem.

 

[FractalUniverse]

http://www.adamnitti.com/lessons/bassplyr/bp03/bp03.html

maybe this helps

 

[Charlotte the Harlot]

Don't just use every note use modes instead and throw four in there. Takes a while (I haven't finished it ...yet) and it's goooood exercise especially if you don't brake the 432123 pattern when you change strings.

 

[capeda]

Hahahhahahsdjahdja!!!

Fractal, according to that article, I probably have the worst fretting hand ever. I guess I got alot of work ahead of me!

 

[Bonjournaste]

edit

 

[Unregistered]

Hey Higon,
It's me from the other thread (the picking or finger style), I can give you my point of veiw (for what it's worth).

The 3-2-1-2 three-finger style is to break up the triplet sound of 3-2-1 picking (ala Steve Harris). It really takes serious work to get it good, so if your coming along with it, your doing great. I usually do 4-3-2-1, but that's just me (i was a Sheehan fan early on, and didn't realize he only did 3). If you want to be a perfectionist, you keep to the pattern even in string crossing, but I find it'll work well enough for raking a finger down string when crossin strings (i just told you one of my bad habits, shhh!)

Yes! You will be able to play very fast with 3 and 4 fingers styles, but it takes work to get out the sloppiness out (maybe get to know your metronome). Steves alternating 3's is a bit tough, because you kind of double work your middle finger, but it's effective once down. Steve Bailey is another bassist that uses this technique, plus he's a fretless player too (but it's electric jazz).

If you burn in hell for using your pinky, then I'm the frickin anti-christ, because that's my personal favorite method.

Later man

 

[Higon]

The 3-2-1-2 three-finger style is to break up the triplet sound of 3-2-1 picking (ala Steve Harris). It really takes serious work to get it good, so if your coming along with it, your doing great.

Actually I´m working both with 3-2-1-2 and triplets, and I´m getting form now (about 15 days of practice) a good fluency (but not too muck speed). But triplets are fucking hard to practice slow =P

If you want to be a perfectionist, you keep to the pattern even in string crossing, but I find it'll work well enough for raking a finger down string when crossin strings

I noticed that when I do string crossing, the finger in the right hand I use to pick is the same that I press the freatboard in the left hand. (Thats why I asked about using the pinky). This is absolutelly not good!

I think that if "I" want to play faster, I must learn to get independence from right hand, so I can keep a faster and smooth 3 fingers playing and at the same time keep a good job at the left hand.

a tip for finger strength is to walk the fretboard

Always walking the freatboard. This is what I do to improve left hand. Trying some Death songs at full speed always work too

 

[Unregistered]

Ah, I didn't realize you were having right/left hand independence probs.

The other guys reply about using 4 note patterns while doin triplets is a good one.

For the 3-2-1-2 or 4-3-2-1, I used to do patterns of 3 with my left hand. Like, 1-2-4, 1-3-4, 4-3-1, or 4-2-1 with the left hand. So, that way by doin 4 with right hand and 3 with the left, a different finger starts the plucking after each set. After doing that awhile, I didn't even think of what my right hand fingers were doin they were on autopilot.

Hehe, I'm not certain I can stop my raking a finger across the strings when crossin strings, it's been 10 years I've used this style, I think my bad habit is too ingrained. That sucks, I wish I had people around then to help me when I was starting 4's. Some good ideas I've seen in this message board, pity I only found it recently.

Just an idea (I'm not preaching, for those of you who like to jump on someone helping someone out. Just an idea that worked for me, not preachin).

 

[Higon]

Originally posted by Unregistered

For the 3-2-1-2 or 4-3-2-1, I used to do patterns of 3 with my left hand. Like, 1-2-4, 1-3-4, 4-3-1, or 4-2-1 with the left hand. So, that way by doin 4 with right hand and 3 with the left, a different finger starts the plucking after each set. After doing that awhile, I didn't even think of what my right hand fingers were doin they were on autopilot.

Hummmm. Seems logical. I´ll try it.

 

[Unregistered]

I forgot one discrepancy. Since I'm a 4-3-2-1 player, it does ends on a different finger each time with triplets (middle then ring, then pinky, then index, ect.) and I could keep track of if I'm playing accurately. But, you do 3-2-1-2, so your playing would end on index, middle, ring, middle, ect. with triplets. So it's not exactly the same. But, you should be able to keep track of if you skip a finger.

Hope this doesn't screw things up for ya.