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Less fretting pressure - don't strain yourself. Also, play songs you know well very slow, making extra effort to reduce unnecessary finger motion. It just kinda sticks after a while - fixed my flying pinky after a month or so.
The only way to get faster is to practice with a metronome.
I had a similar problem when I first started playing. I really struggled to play faster basslines and as a result I had to simplify the bass parts which really took away from the song. My nemesis was Footloose by Kenny Loggins. I think it's played somewhere up in the 170 bpm range which for me is insane.
The only way I was able to get around this was to start slow with a metronome and gradually build up. I think after sitting down and doing this for about a week I was finally able to play at full speed.
Patience is key but you also need to be honest with yourself. What I mean is, can you play a song fast, or can you play a song right? Some people can play fast songs but with sloppy technique. If you can learn how to play fast and correct, then you're flying.
Hope this helps.
I had a similar problem when I first started playing. I really struggled to play faster basslines and as a result I had to simplify the bass parts which really took away from the song. My nemesis was Footloose by Kenny Loggins. I think it's played somewhere up in the 170 bpm range which for me is insane.
The only way I was able to get around this was to start slow with a metronome and gradually build up. I think after sitting down and doing this for about a week I was finally able to play at full speed.
Patience is key but you also need to be honest with yourself. What I mean is, can you play a song fast, or can you play a song right? Some people can play fast songs but with sloppy technique. If you can learn how to play fast and correct, then you're flying.
Hope this helps.
The first thing to ask is whether your technique is good: e.g., the positioning of your hands, straightness of wrists, plucking strings at the proper angle, etc. When you started, did you make sure to learn proper technique, or did you just start doing whatever seemed to work? If the latter, it might be important to clean up your technique before trying to develop more speed.
For the mechanics of playing faster, yes to what has been said. One other thing; to play faster you have to listen faster. If you can not hear each individual note you'll get lost in the blur. To play fast you have to hear fast.
Good luck.
Good luck.
If you're not sure if you have proper technique then you should consult with someone who does know and can show you. If you put your location in your profile I'm sure you could get recommendations on who to seek out for that advice.
Great advice above. I will add, don't be afraid to simplify busy/complex parts. If the song is 16th notes, try playing 8ths. If it is 8ths, try playing quarters. It generally sounds much better to play a simple part with good rhythm than a difficult part with sloppy rhythm. If you understand theory and have a good ear, then you should be able to figure out which are the important notes that you must play to outline the harmony vs. which notes are ornaments that can be simplified.
Do you know where you are going? It's difficult to move with speed and confidence if you have doubts. This is one reason to practice things slowly, so you know where you are going. Can you, in you mind, think one or several notes ahead of where you are playing? Know the neck, know the music, work it slow, increase the speed.
I know the question was about your fretting hand, but I strongly advise adopting a 3finger right hand technique. I think it will help.
Here's what I've been doing. Lately I've been working through a couple of different technique books, "Extreme Metal Bass" by Alex Webster, and "Shredding Bass Guitar" by Dave Overthrow. The first exercises in Websters book are 8th notes at 170 bpm. When I started I set the metronome to 84bpm and set a timer for 16 minutes to give me a few seconds to adjust to new tempos. Start the timer and play the part at the slow speed and once that is comfortable speed the metronome up 2bpm and play it until it is comfortable. Keep doing that until the 16 minutes is up. The next day start at 86 bpm and do the same thing. Keep doing that until you are playing it at your target speed for 16 minutes. That way you aren't only building up speed but you are also building up endurance.
Then there is a couple of psychological things about playing fast. First is the fact that the click can be intimidating. From a technical standpoint if you can play 16th notes at 85 bpm you can play 8th notes at 170. That click at 170 will freak you out a little and you will think that you are trying to play way faster than you think you can. The other is that there is a general tendency to want to really dig in when playing fast which will cause you to over move your hand and use way more effort than you need to. So you really have to fight that urge. I just read an interview with Jim Hall from years ago where he says that he only uses an amp so that he doesn't have to play hard.
After developing tendonitis in my elbow years ago from bad set up I reevaluated my playing and set up. I lowered my action, lightened my strings, changed my eq, turned up my amp and switched to active pick ups. Essentially I've shifted to what can bet be described as a "Shred" set up to get the most done with the least amount of effort. I've also gone from playing a 4 string to a 6 string bass. Before I did people were warning me that I would just make my hand and arm problems worse but I've found that isn't the case because now I can play some passages in areas of the neck that are easier get around and play more in position with fewer shifts. I know you are just a beginner so jumping up one or two strings isn't advisable at this time.
C/S,
Rev J
Then there is a couple of psychological things about playing fast. First is the fact that the click can be intimidating. From a technical standpoint if you can play 16th notes at 85 bpm you can play 8th notes at 170. That click at 170 will freak you out a little and you will think that you are trying to play way faster than you think you can. The other is that there is a general tendency to want to really dig in when playing fast which will cause you to over move your hand and use way more effort than you need to. So you really have to fight that urge. I just read an interview with Jim Hall from years ago where he says that he only uses an amp so that he doesn't have to play hard.
After developing tendonitis in my elbow years ago from bad set up I reevaluated my playing and set up. I lowered my action, lightened my strings, changed my eq, turned up my amp and switched to active pick ups. Essentially I've shifted to what can bet be described as a "Shred" set up to get the most done with the least amount of effort. I've also gone from playing a 4 string to a 6 string bass. Before I did people were warning me that I would just make my hand and arm problems worse but I've found that isn't the case because now I can play some passages in areas of the neck that are easier get around and play more in position with fewer shifts. I know you are just a beginner so jumping up one or two strings isn't advisable at this time.
C/S,
Rev J
The other thing is how your bass is setup. I find that the lower the string height (as low as possible without fret buzz) produces a faster platform.
Also the type of strings.
I like low tension but you can get where the tension is so low the strings are floppy and sloppy to play....which slows you down sometimes.
Low tension strings can be worse to play on some necks because of the radius. In my view, the more the radius - the worse floppy really low tension strings are to play.
Not all low low tension strings are like that. For me it applies to flats more than rounds.
On the other hand if the string is too stiff this can be a problem too.
Also the type of strings.
I like low tension but you can get where the tension is so low the strings are floppy and sloppy to play....which slows you down sometimes.
Low tension strings can be worse to play on some necks because of the radius. In my view, the more the radius - the worse floppy really low tension strings are to play.
Not all low low tension strings are like that. For me it applies to flats more than rounds.
On the other hand if the string is too stiff this can be a problem too.
In addition to all the great points above, one other thing I continuously struggle with is the tendency to literally tense my shoulders when I try to play fast. For whatever reason, I began to realize that trying to play fast would subconsciously cause my shoulders to tense, which then caused my arms to tense, which then went to my fingers, making speed impossible. The only things that have helped is practicing the parts slowly, gradually speeding up, while paying attention to keeping my shoulders loose. I still catch myself doing it, but less and less.