Talking Technique: String Jumping Exercises
Bass grooves often have lines that move across strings on the same fret. To keep a smooth and legato feel, we need to focus on the technique of jumping from string to string. Here we’ll dig in on a few exercises with plenty of variations to get all your fingers in shape.
Today’s tip is on getting an even attack while playing.
Austrian-gone-Californian Ariane Cap is a bassist, educator, blogger and author. In her book Music Theory for the Bass Player and corresponding 20-week online course, she teaches music theory, bass technique, bass line creation and fretboard fitness in a systematic, practical and experiential way. She just released a brand new course on ear training for the bass player: Ear Confidence - 6 Paths to Fearless Ears. Contact her via her blog or website.
Love your exercises so far. I am still getting my fingers through the permutation exercise.
I have the best cure for even right hand technique and sound.
That is to use a pick. I have my most consistent attack with one. That being said I have progressively gotten myself to the point where i can play a few songs with fingers. Nothing to the skill needed to do this session.
Thank you for these great sessions. The one for fret skipping between notes was a god send. It identified a problem with how i was doing it before and allowed me to correct and improve. Please keep up the great lessons.
JJ from Canada.
That’s great JJ! Happy fingers :)
Ariane thank you so much , you make it look easy when really it’s hard. Like your other exercises I will get this down and be a bit better.
Is it shed or shred my left hand.
Cheers Mark, most important is to stay relaaaaaaaaxed :) Go slow. All good. Little bit at a time has big apyoffs :) Shred in the shed!
I’m an upright player, but this translates well. Thanks.
Totally does, David! Great exercising that with a bow to get smooth legato going across strings. Cool!
Very interesting lessons Ariane, thank you very much! I found all of them very helpful.
The string jumping exercise isn’t straight forward for me, i will have to do quite a lot of work for this one, but I can definitely see the benefit.
Hi Ariane, thank you so much for your video lessons, I found all of them very helpful.
The string jumping exercise isn’t straight forward for me, I will have to put quite a lot of work in it, but I can definitely see the benefit.
fau77b, thanks for commenting. Happy practicing!
Hi Ariane! Great tip, so thank you! I remember such exercise from my violin lessons as a kid. I hated both exercise and violin lessons back then but it’s a different thing now with bass ;)
Cheers from Poland!
Hi Kacper, haha, go for it!! Have fun!