urb Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Hi People After a lot of requests I've made a new - very clear and SLOW - 4 finger picking technique lesson video - hopefully this will explain how to get started on this style and work it into bass lines etc. - NB I hate talking to camera but I thought I do actually need to explain this as well as show examples of how to use it. Hope it's helpful - any questions just ask. Cheers Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platypus Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Very professional looking viv you have there Mike ! Much appreciated P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 How strictly do you alternate? I'm used to playing with 3 fingers in the Billy Sheehan style, with very strict alternation, but that just doesn't work for me at all when you throw the thumb in- the feel just seems totally wrong. Do you use this a lot for melodic lines or just funky staccatto stuff? Kyle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjamm Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 Nice stuff mate...i'm trying to nail this right now! Getting there with it, although i tend to use it on the G string more as there's less in the way, and trying to get it clean on the others is harder...all in good time!!! Great stuff though mate. Out of interest, what are you using for your drum loops...garage band, or something fed into your looper? Thanks J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urb Posted July 17, 2008 Author Share Posted July 17, 2008 [quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='241353' date='Jul 16 2008, 11:05 PM']How strictly do you alternate? I'm used to playing with 3 fingers in the Billy Sheehan style, with very strict alternation, but that just doesn't work for me at all when you throw the thumb in- the feel just seems totally wrong. Do you use this a lot for melodic lines or just funky staccatto stuff? Kyle [/quote] I know what you mean about the thumb feeling weird at first - like I say in the video I was using it a lot already with the Wooten thumb style so it was a logical progression into this style - if you are used to playing ring, index, middle then it's hard to reverse it AND throw in the thumb...! You just have to switch it and it takes a while to get used to - it's not for everyone this style - all a matter of what suits you. I use 'very strict alternation' with this too, in that I know exactly what my fingers are doing in terms of the amount of plucks I'm playing per note - I do play melodic solos with this - there's a clip I recorded in the Recordings forum - have a look and let me know what you think. Cheers Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Great video Mike! Slow & clear, but above all helpful and insightful. velvetkevorkian, Janek Gwizdala does the 4 finger with TRMI so there's no reason you can't do it that way, but most have found that TIMR works best. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 I don't actually have a problem with going TIMR, I was meaning more that strict alternation doesn't seem to work as well (for me at least). I shall work on it I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjamm Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 (edited) I've found TIMRMI has been quite easy to throw in as well...although, it messes with my head too much!!! Edited July 18, 2008 by bassjamm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Strict alternation is necessary to glean full benefit from this technique. Re-starting the sequence everytime you change strings can be useful, but I'd advise getting the technique right first. Jam, TIMRMI is very inefficient as you're using your middle and index fingers twice as much as the outer two. A key advantage of TIMR or TRMI, is that the work is split evenly between each finger. This isn't the case with TIMRMI. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urb Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 [quote name='mcgraham' post='242372' date='Jul 18 2008, 08:58 AM']Strict alternation is necessary to glean full benefit from this technique. Re-starting the sequence everytime you change strings can be useful, but I'd advise getting the technique right first. Jam, TIMRMI is very inefficient as you're using your middle and index fingers twice as much as the outer two. A key advantage of TIMR or TRMI, is that the work is split evenly between each finger. This isn't the case with TIMRMI. Mark[/quote] Absolutely Mark - what I'm discovering the more I do this is actually using it and getting a lot 'freer' with it - is to mix and match it with other picking styles - I'm also using thumb and index up in a down and up configuration - this way you can set up a nice 16th note groove and then bring in the middle and ring fingers to double up the time - yes it gets fast, but the thumb index groove is there to steady your timing. I'm planning on making a second video that expands on some of the other ideas I've developed with this. Cheers Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjamm Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 [quote name='mcgraham' post='242372' date='Jul 18 2008, 08:58 AM']Jam, TIMRMI is very inefficient as you're using your middle and index fingers twice as much as the outer two. A key advantage of TIMR or TRMI, is that the work is split evenly between each finger. This isn't the case with TIMRMI. Mark[/quote] I understand that mate, i was just saying it comes quite naturally to me. But it's not as efficient as you say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Fair enough! I actually find it's now easier to use all combinations of fingers after getting this technique down. It's really important to ingrain one set sequence and not err from that in practicing. Ironically enough the BEST way (I've found) to nail this technique is to run scales. Why? You're using 4 fingers but with 3 notes per string. This way you go through the sequence on each string starting on a different finger. It's great! Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KennysFord Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 great stuff,thanks for sharing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey D Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 [quote name='mcgraham' post='242548' date='Jul 18 2008, 11:34 AM']Fair enough! I actually find it's now easier to use all combinations of fingers after getting this technique down. It's really important to ingrain one set sequence and not err from that in practicing. Ironically enough the BEST way (I've found) to nail this technique is to run scales. Why? You're using 4 fingers but with 3 notes per string. This way you go through the sequence on each string starting on a different finger. It's great! Mark[/quote] Agreed. I practice it using 3 different scale forms. Standard box type position (2 octave), 3 notes per string (2 octave) and 4 notes per string (3 octave, of course with two lots of 3 at the end of the run). I also practice all my arpeggios and inversions with this technique. I can't watch the actual video as my audio has broken on my computer, but I'm sure its great Mike. I will watch it when I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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