Uneven alternate picking on triplets problem

[BassConvert]

Hey folks!

Been playing bass (upright in orchestra and jazz and electric in rock and jazz) for 20 years, with a few years of rhythm guitar and classical guitar. I subbed for a guitarist in a local big band and now I've got the fever. Just did our first gig and I listened to the recording. Everyone said I did great but I'm tearing it apart.

I have a million questions but the first one is this: how do you get even triplets while alternate picking on string crossing?

Maybe it's just the fact I'm mostly fingerstyle from playing bass and classical and I'm combining three hard things, but it's specifically the intro to Zoot Suit Riot, where you fill out the chord going down in triplets.

I can play it fine slow, but as soon as I speed up it ends up unintentionally sounding like the metal gallop rhythm.

Some thoughts:

1) I'm going from high to low so I start on an upstroke. Seems the way to do it so I never have to escape a string without picking it.
2) I'm angling the pick slightly forward in order to not get stuck between strokes.
3) I've tried a ton of picks but the dunlop jazz 3 in ultex (regular size) is my go to.

Any tips? I've been practicing with a metronome and can get it to about 3/4 speed but once I hit a just a little too fast it sounds like I'm trying to play megadeth

[pamosmusic]

Hey folks!

Been playing bass (upright in orchestra and jazz and electric in rock and jazz) for 20 years, with a few years of rhythm guitar and classical guitar. I subbed for a guitarist in a local big band and now I've got the fever. Just did our first gig and I listened to the recording. Everyone said I did great but I'm tearing it apart.

I have a million questions but the first one is this: how do you get even triplets while alternate picking on string crossing?

Maybe it's just the fact I'm mostly fingerstyle from playing bass and classical and I'm combining three hard things, but it's specifically the intro to Zoot Suit Riot, where you fill out the chord going down in triplets.

I can play it fine slow, but as soon as I speed up it ends up unintentionally sounding like the metal gallop rhythm.

Some thoughts:

1) I'm going from high to low so I start on an upstroke. Seems the way to do it so I never have to escape a string without picking it.
2) I'm angling the pick slightly forward in order to not get stuck between strokes.
3) I've tried a ton of picks but the dunlop jazz 3 in ultex (regular size) is my go to.

Any tips? I've been practicing with a metronome and can get it to about 3/4 speed but once I hit a just a little too fast it sounds like I'm trying to play megadeth

Im not sure I understand the megadeth thing …

Accents are too heavy? Just from context, I’d be inclined to think you probably are just tensing up a lot which isn’t really a guitar thing or a triplet thing, but rather something that happens on a lot of instruments as you approach your tempo ceiling.

My general advice would be to get out of the pick slanting escape motion weeds and focus on playing at a pianissimo volume with your hand relaxed. But a different description of the musical problem might be helpful.

[BassConvert]

Im not sure I understand the megadeth thing …

Accents are too heavy? Just from context, I’d be inclined to think you probably are just tensing up a lot which isn’t really a guitar thing or a triplet thing, but rather something that happens on a lot of instruments as you approach your tempo ceiling.

My general advice would be to get out of the pick slanting escape motion weeds and focus on playing at a pianissimo volume with your hand relaxed. But a different description of the musical problem might be helpful.

I'm definitely probably too tense! I hadn't thought about just playing it quieter to get my arm wrist fingers etc to relax, great advice!

Megadeth thing being that I'm not playing and even "trip-a-let" because of something in my mechanics, it's more like "jug jigga jug jigga" so the space between the first and second is bigger than the second and third. The starts of them are on the beat but the triplets themselves aren't even, does that make sense?

[pamosmusic]

I'm definitely probably too tense! I hadn't thought about just playing it quieter to get my arm wrist fingers etc to relax, great advice!

Megadeth thing being that I'm not playing and even "trip-a-let" because of something in my mechanics, it's more like "jug jigga jug jigga" so the space between the first and second is bigger than the second and third. The starts of them are on the beat but the triplets themselves aren't even, does that make sense?

ahh okay yeah. That's probably partly in the tension. The other thing is just that when you're working slowly you should probably pay triple attention to the downbeat accents. Those are tricky because of the alternation between downstroke and upstroke accents.

[JazzKatua]

Hey folks!

Been playing bass (upright in orchestra and jazz and electric in rock and jazz) for 20 years, with a few years of rhythm guitar and classical guitar. I subbed for a guitarist in a local big band and now I've got the fever. Just did our first gig and I listened to the recording. Everyone said I did great but I'm tearing it apart.

I have a million questions but the first one is this: how do you get even triplets while alternate picking on string crossing?

Maybe it's just the fact I'm mostly fingerstyle from playing bass and classical and I'm combining three hard things, but it's specifically the intro to Zoot Suit Riot, where you fill out the chord going down in triplets.

I can play it fine slow, but as soon as I speed up it ends up unintentionally sounding like the metal gallop rhythm.

Some thoughts:

1) I'm going from high to low so I start on an upstroke. Seems the way to do it so I never have to escape a string without picking it.
2) I'm angling the pick slightly forward in order to not get stuck between strokes.
3) I've tried a ton of picks but the dunlop jazz 3 in ultex (regular size) is my go to.

Any tips? I've been practicing with a metronome and can get it to about 3/4 speed but once I hit a just a little too fast it sounds like I'm trying to play megadeth

Do you mean you're playing 3 notes per string? Because playing triplets doesn't imply it on the instrument; you can play 1 note of a triplet on 1 string and the other 2 on different ones or otherwise. And for each case I apply a different picking.

Can you add a score example?

[Strat-itis]

I have a million questions but the first one is this: how do you get even triplets while alternate picking on string crossing?

You have to practice it slowly until you can get the right inflection.

Think about it: drums is the most fundamental rhythmic instrument. I play vibraphone, same thing. So with 2 sticks, you're alternate sticking.. Which doesn't naturally group triplets, you have to do the inflection yourself.