The hidden technique of the greatest bass players

Hadrien Feraud, Richard Bona, and Gary Willis All Use This Picking Technique. Do You?
You know all those bass players who seem to have that extra...sixth gear when it comes to playing the bass?
It turns out, all of those guys use a really specific technique with their plucking hand, and it's this that's the secret behind how they're able to play those blazing fast lines.
What's more, it's not just "jazz shredders" who use this technique. "Groove" players like Joe Dart also use it.
But the one guy who absolutely blows my mind every time I see him use this technique is the monstrous Hadrien Feraud.
In today's lesson you'll learn what that technique is...
...but also:
- The technique you need to know whenever you're ascending through a scale or a line
- 2 specific exercises to get Hadrien's picking technique into your playing
- How to practice to make sure you get this into your playing, even if you're a beginner
- And much more...
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[@monicamartinez6860]

my husband is a war veteran with severe ptsd he's. learning t play bass seeing your videos about your teaching has really helped him especially the slap lessons he has really improved keep up your awesome lessons thanks for helping

[@William30874]

Thanks Scott! Of all these years I have tried to do it based on hearing and I kinda struggled a bit. Today I have learnt something that will change my playing forever! ❤🇵🇬

[@SeanRickerd]

I've been using this technique for YEARS. As a metal player, it was the only way I could get those licks up to speed and clean. Great video, Scott!

[@SxSxG666]

Same here. Have you ever tried to play triplets or gallops like this? Middel, index, index again but with a flicking motion so you hit the string with your nail. I get very fast with this technique and I'm still wondering if anybody else using it.

[@Jeff-o-Lee]

I've been using this technique for 37 years. I wasn't aware until my bass instructor said I should alternate pick descending as well. I tried his approach for about a week & went back to raking or economy picking because as Jeff Berlin, my instructor at B.I.T., said: "What is the sole purpose of the bass guitar? To play notes"! To play with economy of motion and avoid anything that would hinder your playing.

[@wakajumba]

Happy New Year Scott! You’re awesome for sharing all this great stuff with us ‘tubers. All the best, dude!

[@sherissetheafropunkentrepr3127]

This is awesome. I’ve been playing 25 years. Self taught and I’ve never been able to get as much speed as I’d like cuz I trained my picking hand to always lead with the with middle and when i try to lead with the index I stumble. It’s gotten better. But i never even realized how limiting that was to my playing Gonna give this a try!

[@TobiasAhlstedt01]

I´ve followed you for some time now, and i learned so much. Tanks for the push you give me in my basplay :D

[@phatbassanchor]

I've been using this technique over forty years now and never even knew it as a technique. I was under the impression that I was just being lazy! Thanks Scott :)

[@samuelruz]

Increible video. Eres todo un maestro.

[@afalee]

So useful technique that I can use its when I'm playing my bass!!! Thanks!!

[@yonasnegassi9421]

thanks scott.. ur lessons helped me so much.

[@icebreakertech]

Loving the ergonomics tip :) Also, I am just staring at the fretboard, what a beauty.

[@badenpowel1928]

thanks for this exercices .

[@terrimac7993]

Thanks Scott. Some ppl here say they've always used rhis technique naturally and "what's the bug deal." But alot do not know about it so thanks for your FREE advice.

[@carll.negleyiii2414]

Great lesson Scott. Thanks.

[@devinebass]

Glad you dig it!!

[@johnmoser2689]

Great right hand technique thanks Scott

[@LeMotMista]

Thrilled to luck in here as an early commenter on one of Scott's videos… ALL your wicked guides boost my fretless, flat-wound, four-string game, Sir! Rock on with your stellar Bass Tutoring… 🎵

[@devinebass]

MotMista cheers bro! :)

[@ricardojmestre]

Wow. I have been doing this intuitively since I've started playing... and I had a teacher in 2010 that said it was wrong technique. Go figure. Great stuff, Scott!

[@Rwjudy48]

The waist strap idea is terrific. I prefer playing with the bass in that position and it’s easy to do while sitting, but much less stable when standing. Thanks.

[@CharlesRobitaille514]

Hadrien is it!!!!!!!! Unearthly player !! We are lucky to witness such splendid mastery of our beloved instrument.

[@OgagaOkwah.]

Wow! Thank you sir

[@fabiancamacho7061]

All of this is twisting, breaki5and blowing my mind all at once!

[@ericmarks2966]

As a pick player in a tech metal band, this technique mimiks economy picking like Rick Graham, who absolutely shreds. Always appreciate Scotts explanations, and am glad he drills the fundamentals over and over again in different presentations.

[@malenky4057]

I learned economy picking on guitar before switching to bass, and this seemed like the most natural thing to do.

[@BlackRootsUNLIMITED]

I'm teaching myself to do alternate picking with the three fingers instead of two. Heck, Jamerson used only one finger! I'm no shredder, but the three kinda helps me play better.

[@pierreandrewt1347]

I've been going back and forth with 3 and 2 finger picking. I've found the 3rd finger is just a lot weaker than the other and I can't achieve the same consistency as with two. unfortunately

[@iqi616]

@@pierreandrewt1347 yep. I just use the ring finger for thrown-in triplets. A quick 321 then back to normal.

[@RadityoPramAdi]

what pattern do you use? I usually go with 3 2 1 2 (r m i m) pattern....

[@Ffwee]

Anyone who's interested in playing with 3 fingers should really check out some of the videos with Billy Sheehan. I can't point you to a specific video, but there are several on youtube where he explains his technique in detail. His finger order is 3,2,1 by the way. You'll likely find it very helpful.

[@BlackRootsUNLIMITED]

@@Ffwee I'm teaching myself 321 when going up the fret board, then 123 when playing the the reverse. Basically, I'm making sure the fingers get used to both patterns. For whatever reason, whenever I use my pinky on the fretting hand, naturally the picking hand 'sends in' finger 3 to pluck the string 😄

[@Chundynator]

i thought this is like the first thing bass players learn 🤔

[@devinebass]

Artem C. You’d be surprised - many bass players “kind of” use this technique... but the bass players who use economy picking with both middle and index in a controlled way are VERY few and far between. Thanks for watching, Artem! :)

[@magmarok8209]

I learnt this within the first week of playing.

[@iqi616]

@@devinebass Yep. Something about playing scales triggers the alternate picking yet riffs and arpeggios don't. I think it's because the fretting hand is stepping from first to third fingers so the hands are not just "falling" up across the strings in parallel.

[@SkateSka]

I'd guess some people don't figure it out and get stuck with bad habits. Nobody explained this to me but it still took me a year or so to figure it out naturally when I started playing.

[@Chundynator]

@@SkateSka i mean i think it's important to practice both alternate and economy since they are quite different in sound and feel and can be used in different situations... just like with the pick

[@Smittefar1]

Hey Scott, I made it here from Instagram 😁 I am a guitar player (mostly). I really can't do economy picking on guitar, but on bass. It's what I've always done - especially for decending lines.

[@oiramssab]

Nice bass you got right there Scott!

[@samueloluwadayomi7248]

Thanks buddy👌🤟🏻

[@ZenonFuse]

Thundercat is my favourite human

[@devinebass]

He’s a top dude!

[@Rastasskate2]

Thundercat was a very welcome surprise in this video

[@bethanyjanemascardo9473]

Amazing!

[@RisvoldTheGreat]

Yeah my first bass book taught me this 20 years ago lmao.

[@georgemickel6608]

Sniff right before the 1 (right nostril) then (left nostril) repeat..in addition...great lesson!

[@OfielPhillip]

My two favorite bass players; hadrien and thundercat, take my money scott.

[@talespin400]

Digging the glasses! Lookin' good!!

[@misilen24]

I made a belt like that in 1986. I have used it ever since and i has saved my back. It did not make me a killer player but it saved me from killing my back

[@mikeshouse2000]

Im sure I'm not the only drummer who really enjoys your channel!

[@shaolinzendragon4737]

Scott, that Sadowski is Fire, Bro. I was wanting to sign up for your lessons, but I only have my phone. So, I look forward for your KZbin vlogs. Thank you for giving me the heads up.. 😃👍🏿

[@devinebass]

Blazed Buddha all good brother, thanks for tuning in :)

[@OroborusLeFurieux]

lmao i didnt even know this was a technique, i noticed i already do this when i watched ur video. i started doing this naturally without even thinking about it and its cool because it looks hard to focus on this while playing fast

[@ch4tch4i79]

I had naturally developed and got used to doing this, thought it was a flaw in my technique and practiced my way out of it.. Got to try it again eh.

[@epserps5055]

A gift!!!

[@enricopenaglia8289]

I have just realized that I have always done this thing without even noticing it...

[@maxponsetis1948]

you bet my man

[@laraditzel]

The technique is explained in minute 5:00. Actually he shows it in minute 6:00

[@Thatguy-tm8xh]

Jesus christ. Thanks lol

[@lukea4572]

Thanks

[@semiprohooker]

Not the hero we deserve, but the hero we need

[@lordmyrann]

Thanks. Wish he'd just said that when you're going down strings you can just re-use the same finger again to be faster.

[@KM-px8cs]

Thanks! Lol I was not trying to sit through all that.

[@NDRWCHNNL]

I did not expect Thundercat!!! Greetings from Mexico my dude.

[@tommello88]

You're the best!

[@selcukkurtulus]

Economy picking does help you speed up at the fretboard when you pluck equal number of times on each string, but other times it's the opposite! Those times are for instance when you pluck two times on the same string and then three times ascending the next string and go back to pluck the previous string two times again and do it all over again... If you use economy picking in this case, you have to use different finger every time and it makes it so much harder than alternate picking. Also economy picking sounds different than alternate picking; when you do it right, alternate picking always sounds right. I think we should devolop both technics for different purposes, just use economy picking only when we really need it.

[@sergioibarra3461]

I started doing this instinctively (because I didn’t have to move my fingers as much) but I see people are amazing with it wooow, it works really well for ghost notes, you mute the 1st string you play while pressing on the second and play the two string one after another, that way you can play the 1st a ghost and the next a normal fretted note, if the line is descending it gives it a cool feel and it’s very easy

[@devinebass]

The Afenogaster yeah - it’s great for ghost notes too!

[@ethanlocke3604]

Since I started on upright I kinda suck at alternating, but I know I have to work on it

[@labacostoys]

Nice video

[@daniiltimin5396]

I can't watch more than 3 minutes of any of your video because I can't wait when you get to the point.

[@mattedjon-veryaccuratetabs]

Love the channel, love the videos, love the guests and love you but.... ... It seems to me that you've already talked about this technique in 17 others videos 😬

[@anthonypittman9791]

Thundercat one of my all time favorite you have to get him on here by himself!

[@bobasquid3339]

Hadrien Feraud is a beast. One of my fav newer bassist.

[@thomasavanti]

That six string is beautifulest bass that I've ever seen!!

[@nicolasmellon3342]

Hi Scott! When will we be able to see the seminar with Hadrien & Thundercat in the academy? Cheers!

[@liammusik]

What a beautyful fretboard you have in your Bass,? IT Looks amazing. 😍👍

[@nickconcepcion2847]

Awesome.. Thank you.. not hoping to win a bass from you.. u cant send it to the philippines anyway.

[@vecernicek2]

3:14 Strap and instrument position for tendon relaxation 5:00 The point (alternate picking descending)

[@nicolaschartier1653]

What is the fretboard wood of the bass Scott plays when showing the exercises?

[@RRDF]

Haha as long as that bass can go here in PH . Btw God bless . thanks to those tips and idea you gave to me .

[@MJTbreww]

Turns out I have been doing this to a certain extent despite never really looking into others techniques. Only now am I starting to as I’d like to progress.

[@seanskrobarczyk398]

I wish these guys got more love from the mainstream

[@E6963]

Show !!! 👏👏👏

[@RaulDittohead]

Nice work!!! Ps: 0:10 it is Ed Motta music?!

[@Mikes67Chevy]

Hey Scott, I saw a video of yours a few months back with the same technique, raking. Any real changes between these two videos?

[@PabloUliver-Bass-Guitar]

Many bassist all over the world play that way. First lessons technique. Regard for taking it apart anyway, for someone who may not know.

[@Jonas-gs2dq]

Omg I just discovered Thundercat yesterday and been listening to him for 12 hours straight and now he's in your video. That's such an amazing coincidence.

[@devinebass]

Jonas lol - awesome!

[@zombiemachinery4868]

Two words: KZbin Algorithm.

[@Jonas-gs2dq]

@@zombiemachinery4868 I'm a subscriber of SBL and discovered Thundercat through an Instagram Channel I'm a follower of. But good guess haha

[@Barry101er]

I first saw Thundercat on Tiny Desk, great, great, great-kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJm5mJWQmbKXmJI

[@Antman3820]

Scott - Noticed the SBL signs hanging on the wall. Is there a Hadrien Feraud class coming in the future ?

[@brentcobbbuttslapp]

Love ya scott

[@mrbungle7586]

Seems like Scott forgot his raking leeson from a year or so ago. Still good for players who didn't see or know about that.

[@CecilioJCirre]

La primera vez que veo un video subtitulado.

[@gabrielmartinsanunciacao6542]

Hey Scott u send the basses to other countries?

[@PanzerRoCK123]

So can you watch that workshop with Mr.Feraud and thundercat afterwards somwhere?

[@TheWinstonConnor]

you gotta make some content with thundercat! he's the reason I bought my first bass this year - a six string

[@m.edwardburton6247]

Tried to enter the contest and chose the yearly trial but the process hangs perpetually on the credit cart page. No ad blockers etc. on Firefox (is up to date) What's up?

[@pabloescobar6284]

thnx for the content! love it

[@devinebass]

pablo escobar cheers bro!

[@jaidillon1790]

El Patron De Mal!

[@thijs199]

I guess the Economy is a bit more reliable. But because I didn't know I've already kind of mastered alternate. But good to learn both

[@ItsRyan265]

It's kinda like James Jameson's "hook," with a second finger added.

[@Dellerss]

I didn't know this had a name, but then again I never really did anything but listen to other players when I learned to play the bass. I just started doing it naturally without really thinking about it.

[@markdaniels7174]

Dellerss Most people call it “raking” the strings (dragging the same plucking finger across two consecutive strings while descending). It sounds more like the intentional, desired technique it is if we instead call it “economy picking” as Scott does here.

[@sergiocardenas2870]

Where can i buy the bass strap?

[@easyyyg]

i have a question scott have you ever had a wal bass or got the chance to play one if so how was it?

[@rodfredericks]

Got here from insta. Richard and Gary scare me!

[@devinebass]

Rod Fredericks hey Rod, cheers for checking it out! :)

[@abranti3groove782]

wooow nice how can I get one of your bass guitar

[@RodrickLodowica]

I want that Alpher bruv ahaha

[@lemuz37]

Bass family!!

[@michaelmosley1385]

Wish I had a bass to practice on

[@matosjorgemiguel]

5:36 Hadrien does the Jaco thing: he uses the ring finger and pinky of the right hand to mute the strings.

[@tobiaswolf6630]

I'd like to know how fast those players can get. I once measured the tempo of a Hadrien Ferault bit and figured it was around 180 BPM, four notes per beat. Is that the tempo I should strive for if I want to be up in those hemispheres?

[@Ubu987]

Flamenco technique. Classical guitar players bring in the ring finger, i, to cross strings going down the scale. This allows for a more even tone, especially if you are playing the scale free-stroke. It means you don't get rest-strokes, with their greater volume and different timbre, jumping out at you, emphasising the wrong part of the beat.

[@gbusa55]

Low slung basses for less wrist fatigue. However , compromises neck height. It's a matter of preference

[@devinebass]

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

[@CharlesBautistaMusic]

great lesson! but would appreciate if you tuned the bass at 440 :) cheers!

[@brianjenks3864]

I just use three fingers. Start with your ring finger then middle then index

[@ShangoDC]

Haven't bass innovators like Stanley Clarke and Jaco been doing this type of stuff since the mid 70's.

[@trenken]

Shango Taha yes, then geddy lee started doing it like crazy in most rush songs.

[@trenken]

But realistically it was probably done even before those guys since its just a natural way of playing quick descending notes. Probably impossible to trace it back to the first people that ever did it. I actually learned how to do this on my own in my teens without ever getting any lessons or aware that anyone else was doing it, so id imagine theres bassists going back to50s rock n roll at least that were doing it. Maybe even back to 20s and 30s jazz on the upright. Upright players do this technique a lot.

[@KenetixComp]

What he meant to say is that when you’ve been playing long enough it’s just something that happens naturally while playing descending lines. Not magic. It’s like saying “How adults can say their R’s with this hidden trick”. Over time, your hands will naturally find ways to play faster. Unless of course your destined to be an average player the rest of your life. At that point sell your gear and take up curling.

[@KenetixComp]

Tim Renken, or when they run out of things to say and teach it sounds good to newbs. 😂. His lesson site is overdone. It’s daunting to navigate. And if Scott wasn’t so GD long winded I might sign up again. By the end of the first hour on his site I wanted to put a gun to my head. Just sayin.

[@EzyRider177]

And upright bass players before then. Although that’s a bit different I guess

[@Chad_Sandridge75]

Is that Josh Greenburg in the front roll of that workshop?

[@ringostarzz2409]

Pick player here. Can i benefit from this ?

[@vanessarae4746]

my invention does the same job of that extra strap and a whole lot more...

[@shooz4unme]

Abe Laboriel uses his entire right hand to pick. Q: How is this so amazing?

[@Robert_1939]

Will that glove help my dead finger? Trigger finger left hand no feeling, hurts.

[@nobro5809]

YO THEY GOT THUNDERCAT TOOOOO 🔥🔥🔥

[@Lukronius]

0:12 Chumlee is in the front row. Prove me wrong. 😆