Are You Plucking the Wrong Way? (Raking v. Alternating Showdown)
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 11. 09. 2024
- đ My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz....
Which bass plucking technique is the best - raking or strict alternating? Letâs battle âem out on 3 songs to find out. Hadouken! đđŒđ„
With all the online debate and confusion about âthe best bass plucking technique,â itâs time to settle the score.
In this lesson the Strict Alternating technique will battle against the Raking technique, AKA âeconomy plucking.â
Technique #1, Strict Alternating, means you ALWAYS pluck index-middle-index-middle-etc., regardless of note groupings or string crossings. (or middle-index-middle-index, you can start on either finger)
Technique #2, Raking, means that when you cross from a higher-pitched string to the next lower string (like from the G string to the D string), you can reuse the finger you just plucked with, since itâll be resting on that string after your previous pluck. Thatâs why itâs also called âeconomy pluckingâ - youâre reusing the same finger so you donât have to switch.
In this vid, weâll take both techniques through their paces by battling them out on three popular songs - âJust What I Needed,â by the Cars, âMy Friend of Misery,â by Metallica, and âJohnny Kick a Hole in the Skyâ by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Each roundâs winner will be awarded a point, and by the end weâll see who emerges victorious. Ready⊠Fight!
Did this lesson clear up some confusion? Subscribe so you can keeping getting more un-confused: yeah.bassbuzz....
#BassPluckingTechnique #Raking #StrictAlternating #Round1Fight
What do you think of my verdict? Do you think one technique is better than the other?
Timestamps for this lesson:
0:32 - Meet Your Challengers
1:21 - Round 1: Just What I Needed
2:56 - Round 2: My Friend of Misery
4:13 - Round 3: Johnny Kick a Hole in the Sky
5:37 - And the Winner IsâŠ
6:29 - Does Raking Slow You Down?
6:58 - The Big Bad Plucking Trap
7:45 - Alternating Pros & Cons
8:00 - Raking Pros & Cons
8:32 - How Do You Pick?
9:39 - Secret Character Unlocked!!!
0 finger technique is better than anything else đ
/j
I agree with you that alternating should be the standard and it depends mostly on the situation when to rake. To always rake would be more confusing than any helpful. Btw alternate plectrum picking on electric guitar is considered to be one of the most important techniques there.
But what about the 3rd option:
Use a pick for everything! đ
josh please make a video on hammer ons and pull of exercises and drills
You should check out Geddy Lee picking/plucking style. He uses what he calls Flamingo plunking
Man, I really appreciate how you managed to integrate the whole Street Fighter bit with the video without making it corny.
Glad you thought so Pjotr!
I love how much thought he puts into these videos. The strict use of Squiers in these videos reminds the viewer that cheap basses arent so bad.
Also he has one bass for strict alternate plucking, and a diffrent one for raking.
Not to mention how much work he puts into the animation and editing. We should really be paying for these videos at this point
Please send 457234 BTC to this address - đ
Josh, this was even funnier than your, âPlay scales like a humanâ video which was my fav until now. I used to play that game at the corner deli down the street after school like every day lol! Thanks so much for the helpful tips. As always, youâre able to deliver major practice technique advice in a concise and memorable manner. Best to you and yours.
Thanks Alexander!
I do both, not following any rules, just whatever comes naturally at the time. I don't know if that's good or bad. BTW nice shirt. RIP Cliff, tomorrow will be 35 years since we lost him.
I think it's okay, as long as you're not stumbling! Whenever you do, it's good to break down a clear plucking plan and then try to stick to it, sometimes habits get in the way of efficiency!
When I do songs like the third example, I usually do I M M I M M I. Any more than 2 notes in a row Iâll alternate.
I really appreciate how Josh incorporates humor into these videos, I find it helps make them more captivating
Thanks Seth!
My mom told me to stop these exercises because she says Iâm too self-centred. All she hears from me is âI am I am I amâ.
(Credit to Minh Pham for the original comment)
Nice profile picture fellow Rush fan :D
@@epeli4585 Haha thanks! You too
Oh God oh fugg
that's funny, my mom tells me that I am alternate picking and I say "am I am I am I"
I love how basically every "technique fight" one way or another end with "choose what's better for you in each moment where it's needed", because that's what music is all about, it's not technique, it's feeling from song to song and part to part
I used to rake almost all the time. It changed when I started to play more metal, because I wanted a somewhat even clank on every note. Because of that, now I usually alternate.
Makes sense Marcos! Raking kinda *smooths* out the articulation, which is good for funky, bad for clanky.
Thanks Josh, what Iâve learned is that once I unlock the secret character, I should just use one finger for all situations!
Noooooooo I've failed as a teacher.... đ€
plane flies to final boss location: Motown
Currently on module 6 of your Beginner to Badass Course! Iâve learned so much and really see huge improvements of my skills in such a short time thanks to your step by step instructions. Iâm so glad I found you on you tube to teach me the bass! I canât wait to see my skills when I complete the course!
Glad you're enjoying the course Cameron!
I laughed my ass off at the "it's really tragic.." bid after showing Billy Sheehan! :D :D :D That was priceless :D
Oh and BTW I'm myself a guitar player for past 20 years and last week bought my first bass. Been training different songs (Tower of Power - Diggin on James Brown is a blast!) and I didn't even think that there would be a technique like raking! Have to say kudos to you! Your videos are a really big help! Keep up the good work!
Yeah, you'll need some big time raking for some of that Tower of Power stuff!
I think once you get both techniques down, you'll instinctively start to use the most appropriate move for a situation a lot of the time too. Sometimes that means switching it up - which can be a crutch, so you have to watch out for that, but it's a feel thing too. But you gotta practice both so they just feel natural and you don't need to think about it so much!
I've honestly never thought about this in-depth. I honestly go with whatever based on muscle memory, but now I know that there's more to it. :D
So basically; Depende todo depende. Lesson learned. Idea for a complementary video on this topic: Three finger plucking. As always, thank you very much for this video.
I have never thought about raking. I typically alternate, use the first finger if scared, or use first on the higher strings and 2nd finger on lower strings on stuff like the intro to Sweet Emotion... but sometimes I throw in the third finger when the index gets sore... sometimes I grab the pick... whatever feels good :-)
Ok Iâm back from the âare you fretting the right wayâ and it looks like he love this kind of video but I like it anyway because he put so much effort in it
I am currently in the, " The Big Bad Plucking Trap", and let me tell you, its not fun. At all.
I was self taught on the bass; so I never knew any of the do's and don't's of technique. I've been playing for 4 YEARS just wingin it on the plucking hand, and although I've managed to build a pretty impressive amount of speed, I often find myself stumbling around more complex lines.
I am now beginning the long, frustrating road of rebuilding my right hand technique. It sucks. I just want to bust out Rush and Jaco tunes and shred away, but here I sit playing major scales at 50 bpm. X0
So don't just wing it like I did; pay attention and care about doing it right; it will save you SOOOO much time and frustration. I wish I saw this video years ago, absolute GOLD! There's a place for both techniques, but definitely get your alternating down first!
My mans a legend for recording while wearing that ride the lightning shirt, rip cliff
I appreciate that you even got the audio to sound like Street Fighter in the Street Fighter bits.
TBH it never occurred to me that this would even be a question. When the song calls for alternate picking, I do that. When it calls for raking, I do that. It's not unusual to do both in the same bar of music. I am trying to think of a time where I stopped to wonder how to pluck a passage of notes and I can't. I just played what was most comfortable and sounded the best.
That's because you've built up your skills and developed an instinct for it though - people who are starting out (or people who just never realised raking was an option) might not know it's a thing, or that it's ok, or that there's a method to it. Once you wax on wax off enough, you start to think more about what you're doing and less about how you're doing it!
@@cactustactics Well, I still have to think about stuff like which finger to play a note with so that I have my other fingers ready to keep it going. Hand shifts, all that boring stuff. But even when I was first starting out, it seemed intuitive enough to pluck or strum based on basic economy of motion principles and what sounded the best.
Never really noticed until you uploaded this video because it has always just been my play style, I use both plus some other techniques depending on what I am playing.
It's interesting that my brain has just figured this stuff out without my having to consciously pay attention. I've just picked up on it through necessity I guess. I certainly didn't have a structured way of practice though, I just played a ton with other people and listened to even more. I feel like this learning through osmosis is so powerful.
I always use raking playing Pink Floydâs Money and wasnât sure if it was âproper techniqueâ or not; this was a huge help đ đ
Bass and Street Fighter at the same time? No wonder this is one of my favorite channels
Personally, I feel like the alternating feels like a bass drum while raking feels like an instrumental slur.
Both? Both? Both. Both is good.
đ This video reminded me why I choose beginner to badass as a first course to do.
Editing and funny bits are definitely the thing for me.
This was timely. I'm finishing the Fender Play course before starting yours, and I'm on the section for raking, and it's been bugging me for seeming to be more complicated than alternating. Thanks for confirming.
Also, there's no justice in the world when a pretty boy like John Taylor comes up with a line like Girls on Film.
Yeah, not a fan of how early they introduce raking! It's hard enough just to learn good alternating early on.
Hahahaha the level of effort to get the street fighter theme integrated is very very much appreciated. This was excellent đđ
Thank you very much, it was so much more effort than necessary lol
as a 90% pick player with poor plucking technique i found this vid pretty interesting
I love Josh Illustrating a point scenarios!
Those are always brilliant! :)
"BRO! What about The Hook?! " haha, I'm glad you ended the video with the greatest of all styles! ;-)
Intetesting... I was taught to strictly rake when i learned and had lessons... after years i still rake but sometimes alternate depending on the bass line & technique, sometimes i find raking faster, if it is slower i will try alternating or use a combination of both depending on where I'm going to next in the bass line/song.... raking was the old school way coming from raking on a double bass, many players used only 1 finger on the upright... James Jamerson to name but many..
i do have to think which is the best for what song, every song.... Interesting.. đ
I never even realised that these two techniques had a name. I always used them kinda intuitively.
Still the best Bass instructor! You rock Josh!
Thanks Judi!
I started playing bass 2mo ago, and last week I intuitively used raking while playing some EW&F.. this video is timely (: techniques should facilitate our playing and make it more natural, so your final remarks were absolutely spot on!
Just use a pick.
This is great. Loved hearing the SFII end credits theme in the video. That track is so sick.
Josh what an important Lesson! I think you could add those informations into the course lessons- or maybe you did and I just missed ;) I will focus more on proper plucking technique cose I think I already get trapped :) Regards and CU on the course!
Thanks Josh. Working on this all week and found this vid in my YT feed. Appreciate the info and the insights. Cheers from Canada!!
Man, perfect timing, today when I was practicing, I was struggling changing between the I and the M haha, as always awesome video and really dig the street fighter theme đȘđ
That's always my goal, launch a video right between plucks. :)
Josh's use of Street Fighter II clips and sound effects was glorious. SHORYUKEN!!!!!
Great video Josh, I see you were feeling a bit "plucky"! Great. Love your videos, keep up the good work! đâ€ïžđ
Thanks Mr. Anderson!
What if you use three fingers on your picking hand? A bit harder to rake, but what I'm currently working on.
Also, you win the bonus round by mentioning Girls on film, very cool.
Wow, this One-finger-Josh in the outro is a true ninja beast! But, joking aside, this video is very good advice and is sooo entertaining.
Thank you!
Thanks! This video came along at the perfect time. I'm learning to play bass fingerstyle after playing with a pick for years.
Too true... I so need to get my alt pluck tech into shape. This just points out my flaws in the faster songs. Love watching your tutorials.
Thanks David!
Fully agree.
I've been using both raking and alternating techniques to learn Cliff Burtons Orion bass line. The real trick is to use either consistently throughout every practice to avoid the which one to use when jamming confusion.
For that Ive resorted to super sloth speed.
p.s. Ive also found it easier/better to use M finger 1st and then follow up with I finger.
With the occaisional use of the R (ring) finger for the triplet patterns.
In Museâs Hysteria, I found it very difficult before I learned raking, and even that didnât save me from having to discipline myself, but it did open my eyes on how to use both techniques properly
I have the same problem. I watched seems Josh use alternative and racking in the similar riffs. Maybe he can add some advice? Joooosh! Please help us!
An interesting technique is what I heard is called 'flamenco plucking or strumming', where you pluck with your finger on both the way up and down / in and out (similar to double thumb in slap bass)
Yes! Doesn't get you the same sound as a normal plucking motion, but it's cool!
Very instructional *and* entertaining video, as usual :)
Gotta say; as a beginner, I had found "raking" to be surprisingly intuitive, which made the video conclusion a bit unexpected.
(Of course, it's important to do whatever you choose properly and consistently.)
Hey Jason! Yeah sometimes raking is much more natural, depending on the line. But can also lead to THE BIG BAD PLUCKING TRAP, as described. :)
excellent video! loved the production and little skits
Thanks! :)
Youve helped me so much in my bass journey so far, im in the 6th grade and i went from knowing just how to pluck and fret on bass, to now playing nirvanas smellslike teen spirit, gorillaz's feel good inc, and 7 nation army, and a few other licks idk the name of, AND the bass i got, it was a glarry from one of your videos, so i just wanna say, you're awesome! and a great teacher!!
Thank you and you're welcome!
Great video! This is something I think about all the time. It's equally relevant when playing with a pick. I alternate between alternate picking and economy picking. If a part requires accents while skipping strings I find alternate picking works best. Otherwise it's just whatever works.
Was just practicing bass and saw this upload!
Iâm with ya! I guess it also depends on personal preference and your ability to make it flow and sound nice
i *love* all the vid game stuff you tossed in this one. (and lol'd how you slid in the like n subscribe. so far you've been creative with those, and the timing and such makes it really entertaining. (vs people asking for it before you even get in the vid, and taking forever about it. yours i almost look forward to cause it's funny)
LVL 1 bass
started today. finally got the thing setup proper. finally plugged in. *ready to chug!*
Thank you, I appreciate that! I spent so much time on the Street Figher intro alone lol.
@@BassBuzz dude, your channel is like THE channel. instruction/content alone - blown away. editing - blown away. hell, even just the sound quality - blown away.
how the hell long have you been doing this? because i think you've attained masterpiece status. super PRO. (hope to god you got this making you enuff money to be your full time thing because the effort and care earn that.)
---------- total sidenote: you ever play that old game on sega genisis called "toejam and earl"? i always loved the music, never heard anything like it at the time. i believe now that it might be *funk* which is one of the things i like most on bass (i'm super new, which is why i didn't say play. i'm not there yet.) i'd love to play these things on bass from that game. could be a cool ep? i mean it would be a mindblow seeing you do an episode on that topic. one, seeing someone cover it. two, seeing you specifically do it.
(totally didn't mean to throw out content requests. oops. anyway, let me know if you have seen/played it. i think it's one of my favs. it's so fkkn weird. and aliens. hula girls. swarms of BEEssssssssssssss.) :)
Wich is best ?? The technic that fits the song....... Thanks to you, now i can rake.
New on bass from guitar. Makes me think of alternate vs economy.
Outstanding And Incredibly Creative - Well Done - Hopefully A Tutorial Of Those Last Few Tunes Is On The Way - Again, Fantastic Episode Brother Man
Cheers
Thanks Travis!
Love the video, no E. Honda toe plucking? We are learning "Just What I Needed" and I find myself going between alternating and then single plucking the staccato notes.
Oh, my technique is very similar to alternating, but instead of alternating index and middle finger I alternate between knowing what I am doing and letting my fingers figure it out by themselves đ
Yeah, I need to pay more attention to it, I tend to favor index too much without noticing it.
9:35 - "In that case, just _pick_ your favorite."
Lemmy Kilmister, Chris Squire, Jason Newsted (et al) liked it.
Great video as always Josh. Thanks. Gotta go stumble to my doom now.
Thanks Laurie!
Guitar: "You gotta have the pick between that notch where the knuckle is and the tip of your thumb in the middle and the pinky and ring finger need to be crossed at all times, with your middle finger resting right inbetween the index finger and the ring finger."
Bass: "Whatever gets the sound you want man."
Damn I've been doing it right all the time I came here cause I thought you had to do only one of them
i really enjoy this vids, thanks for making all of this so fun
Sweet video josh!!đđ»
Super helpful tips!
Word on the street is the One Finger unlocked character is a real stud amongst the ladies.
Just gotta find which street that is...
i like how many of these are originally played with a pick
Iâm using both techniques
My friend of misery, always found it smoother to use the thumb with index and middle
I'm mainly a guitar player. That said, when play a scale or something up, it feels natural to start with the index finger, but when I play a scale down or something down, it feels natural to start with the middle finger and rank to the lower string. Is that wrong?
Would you be able to make a video about 3 finger technique?
đGood job, Josh !!đšđ»
Thank you!
I have learnt about 10 basslines in a few months then realised.. i'm in a badddd plucking habit and not even plucking right. So back to basics for me
yoga flame was the power move with two index finger: one finger plugging and one finger threading
But what if you use three fingers for plucking?
Great video as always
Thanks Phil!
Fun video! I finished your course, when is the next one coming out?
Congrats on finishing the course Joe! No release date currently scheduled for the next one, sorry!
Great lesson ! Can you tell me about any Racking method/s that has been published you know ? Thamks 4 all !!!
It's surprising how these finger plucking techniques can be directly translated to other areas in one's life. My wife says thank you!... lol
đ
Ken ! Ehm, rake! đâïž
I always thought that you would use index for on the beat and middle for off beats. So 1-2&3 would be I-IMI. Of course quarter notes need the same idea twice as fast. So, 1-2E&A3 would be I-IMIMI.
That works *sometimes* for specific repeated figures, like how Steve Harris does a gallop, but not a good general plan.
man this is so entertaining!
Wow these videos are helpful! Thank you
You're welcome Erin!
You had me at Street Fighter 2
FIGHT!
The set of all things 'technique' is a toolkit. There's no single tool that's better than all the others, you simply put in what you need for the job in front of you.
You neglected the "sometimes use your thumb" option đ
I just do whatâs most comfortable in the situation. I also pluck with three fingers, because itâs a lot faster.
Great. I always used both. It depends by song.
Totally agree Paolo!
How much time and money did you spend on those Ryu and Ken costumes? Also, which one are you going as for Halloween this year?
Haha, more than zero dollars...
Thanx
Sometimes I throw a thumb in there like some guitarist!
But really I like the pick best đł
I just tried some of these examples and found myself doing a real mixture, sometimes bringing in a 3rd finger without thinking. Bad news technique?
Tbh i expected to see the intro of Killers here, since it alternates between strings every 8th note
Homage to street fighter 2?
10/10, the lesson was kinda helpful I guess..
U are funny đ đ it make learning "a want to!"
I was thinking of mastering alternate, raking, hybryd, classical PIMA style and Flamenco style picking, I mean plucking, but i guess I'll have to get me a 5 string bass for the flamenco style '-)