Jump to content

Guitar/Bass Technique Thread


brian KEEEEM

Recommended Posts

I think kitntab is one of the only forums that only has a core group of threads that people post in.

 

Anyways. I thought maybe we could add one more.

 

When you guys first started out playing guitar, did you guys work on finger independence exercises? I find it pretty hard to get my fingers down where I want them, especially my pinky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Every year or so I have a major rework of my whole technique it seems

 

I remember I used to hold the pick with my thumb and two fingers which suited me fine but then stuff became too difficult so I had to change my whole style to the proper way to hold a pick which, once I got used to it, was so much easier

 

then for chords like

b--5

G--5

D--5

A--3

I always used to use all my fingers rather than barring it

 

I've never really had any exercises. I've never really had any lessons either

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think kitntab is one of the only forums that only has a core group of threads that people post in.

 

Anyways. I thought maybe we could add one more.

 

When you guys first started out playing guitar, did you guys work on finger independence exercises? I find it pretty hard to get my fingers down where I want them, especially my pinky.

 

Anything in particular you're trying to play that's difficult?

 

I never worked on anything like that. My fretting hand was pretty weak at first and would be all over the place though, but it eventually just got stronger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At the point I started playing bass, I had already been playing viola for 5 years so independence wasn't a big issue for me. Others I know played around on the piano to get the left/right hand more separated.

As for the pinky, it is the least used finger, it's gunna be a bit weaker than the others. A good way to strengthen it is to play riffs/songs/ whatever using only the ring/pinky fingers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For bass, it was scales, scales and more scales. Combined with proper picking/plucking technique, finger positions and to a metronome. You cover most points in one hit.

 

I've never done any formal lessons for bass but did a few with guitar, I will probably go back to learning from someone in the new year. Lessons are a godsend as long as you follow them and do your homework :LOL:

 

This thread will be interesting, seeing where it all goes :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Honestly I've been learning guitar terribly. I just kind of picked it up and started playing songs, but at the same time I was able to do a lot more than most people I knew could in a few weeks, and form wasn't too bad either.

I still have trouble picking across the strings and making the notes even.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I never tried anything to help finger independance specifically. I think most of that came from chords changes. You know how when you start playing guitar you're always out of time 'cos you can't change chord quick enough? Then you get used to it, but then you find a new peice which challenges you again in that regard.

 

I think with anything, if you find something that's challenging your technique, keep doing it until it's not challenging anymore, then find something else that's challenging.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Batman.

I think with anything, if you find something that's challenging your technique, keep doing it until it's not challenging anymore, then find something else that's challenging.

 

This, so much. Works for pretty much any instrument.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alternate picking is the most useful technique I've ever come across.

 

Yeah, i remember when i started i wanted results fast so i choosed the easier way in everything, so i was a downpicker only for about 1-2 years and when i realised that this will limit me on the long run i started forcing alternate picking. But then i became a shittier player for more than a year. Thank god i sticked to alternate picking despite that. It was almost like relearning guitar for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alternate picking is the most useful technique I've ever come across. When I learnt it, everything clicked. It's what most of the people in The Horrible Cover Thread is doing wrong.

 

I definitely agree with you. A short while after I first started playing I just forced myself and sat down every night and practiced alternate picking and it just made playing everything much easier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah' date=' i remember when i started i wanted results fast so i choosed the easier way in everything, so i was a downpicker only for about 1-2 years and when i realised that this will limit me on the long run i started forcing alternate picking. But then i became a shittier player for more than a year. Thank god i sticked to alternate picking despite that. [b']It was almost like relearning guitar for me.[/b]

 

Yeah, learning alternate picking was a bit difficult after all that time of doing it like GSK.

 

I don't think my left hand technique was ever as... "impressive" as his though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't tend to enjoy tremolo picking, don't get much satisfaction out of it.

 

It's extremely irritating when people who don't play assume I'm a bad player because of this though. Honestly, I played this one girl a little bit of Hendrix-y improv. and a bit of flamenco-esque stuff which I considered to be pretty good and she said "That's ok. My boyfriend's really good, he can play really fast". :facepalm:

 

Luckily, my cooler friend clapped and said thank you :cool:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alternate picking seemed kind of natural to me when I first started playing guitar. Downpicking would give me hand cramps. I started doing rhythm guitar a lot initially, so the up and down thing kinda just translated over when I started playing single notes.

 

Actually, to be fair, when I first picked up a guitar I started playing it like a bass with my wrist resting on the body. Don't know if that has anything to do with the fact that I favor the bass a lot more now. :LOL:

 

Where are all the bassists? :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just read the definition of alternate picking on wikipedia. Isn't that just how you use a pick? Who would use ALL down strokes? Yeh, it does sound good if you can do it, but some stuff is just too fast. (Hetfield doesn't do EVERYTHING with downstrokes. I checked this the last time it was spouted)

 

I developed this technique which is basically "alternate strumming" where i'm constantly strumming down and up on the on and off beats, and I just mute every string i'm not playing. It gives a cool percussive tone, and when I switched to bass the ability to mute everything I wasn't playing was really really useful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who would use ALL down strokes?

 

GSK, Pear, me, and probably every 'guitarist' on youtube.

 

I didn't learn alternate picking right away as no one told me it was wrong. I did have trouble playing certain things that way though - you're right about some stuff being too fast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...