pweller - Posted - 02/28/2007:  22:12:10

Now that I've found out what a triplet is, how exactly do you execute one? I've been looking over Mike Keyes' website section on it, (great site, by the way) and Gerry O'Connor's book, but I want to make sure I've got the technique right. Is the right hand movement during a triplet down, up, down, or is it more like a hammer-on? I've gotten past the jigs in O'Connor's book and I'm into the hornpipes, and these are vital for hornpipes.

mikeyes - Posted - 03/01/2007:  00:07:39

There are two ways to do a treble/triplet, with the wrist only (the GO'C way) or with a combination of wrist and fingers (the McTwist) or you can use both the way most of us do. The trick is to do them slowly and in a relaxed manner. If you try to force a triplet, you will just lose the beat and be lost in the tune. They have to come naturally.

It took me about three months of intense practice to make a decent triplet and I still have some problems if I think about them. But they will eventually come. The best way is to see someone do them up close so you can tell how little it takes to make a triplet.

The triplets in hornpipes are the musical time, three equally spaced notes in the time of two. they are down-up-down usually and are part of the tune. The rhythmic treble is not always int he same place and is used to emphasize the feel of the tune. I think I mentioned that it is best to listen to a lot of banjo music to get it in your head before you really try to use trebles/triplets.

Mike Keyes
http://www.banjosessions.com
http://www.mikekeyes.com

pweller - Posted - 03/01/2007:  00:18:00

So let me see if I get the McTwist correctly, it's an angling of the pick a certain way when you strike the note? I've started doing this because it's much easier and there's less resistance than when striking the string with the pick directly. And yes, even though I've only been practicing triplets for a day, (wow, three months, that's discipline!) I do find they come more easily when I don't think about it and just "follow through".

Wurzel - Posted - 03/01/2007:  00:24:53

I used to have major problems going from single not w/ triplets and tremolo picking to chord strumming...come to think of it I still do!...have I learnt them wrong if I have to hold my pick a completely different way for each?

mikeyes - Posted - 03/01/2007:  10:18:27

You hold the pick the same way for both. Look at the Roger Landes tape on my web site that explains how he does a triplet. He uses the same "natural" hold that almost everyone else does and is able to do both kinds of triplets (although he only uses his version of the McTwist.) GO'C uses the same grip to so wrist triplets and, in fact, thinks that the McTwist should not be used.

I have found that I can do both interchangeably if I think about it but tend to use the McTwist most of the time I am going to Ireland this week, but when I get back I will post some more video.

Mike Keyes
http://www.banjosessions.com
http://www.mikekeyes.com

diarmaid - Posted - 03/01/2007:  21:08:25

i had a lot of problems at the start with triplets, just remember to keep your wrist as loose as possible and your grip of the plectrum as loose as a pen and try not to think too much about it, or to put too much force into it...the more loose and natural feeling the better...i'd say this also goes for putting them into tunes as well ,otherwise they tend to be over emphasised and out of rhythm.

pweller - Posted - 03/01/2007:  21:42:04

Single note triplets I get, it's the ones with multiple notes that can throw me. I can get the brrp sound, but it comes out pinched towards the end of the movement, because as I angle the pick, it deadens the sound a bit. I suppose all it takes is a lot of practice. The right-hand movement doesn't change though, right? It's the same for all triplets, right?

diarmaid - Posted - 03/01/2007:  21:57:08

yeah i try to hit the strings with the plectrum as straight on as possible (i use my right hand anchored lightly with the heel of my hand on the e string side of the bridge and use this as a pivot point) and usually just lightly touch the strings quickly (for a single stroke each of the triplet) with the left hand fingers for multiple note triplets (for the ones with dead sounding notes) it takes a bit of practice but you'll start to get them within a few days or so...then its just a matter of putting them all tastefully into tunes...hornppes are a good speed to start with. i usually start with a downstroke

mikeyes - Posted - 03/02/2007:  09:25:06

Dairmaid and pweller,

Remember there are two distince techniques for triplets. One angles the pick during the second and third note of the triplet (the McTwist) and the other keeps the same pick angle trhoughout the triplet. GO'C likes the wrist triplet because it keeps the same tone and if you A/B the two techniques, you can hear a distinct difference in tone.

The McTwist requires a momentary hard grip on the pick while the wrist triplet continues with the nearly falling off grip that you should have most of the time anyway.

I'm off to Ireland, right now, bye.

Mike Keyes
http://www.banjosessions.com
http://www.mikekeyes.com