I've just started trying to put triplets into some of the songs I'm learning and I'm just really clumsy.

My first challenge was in my head; reading the notes that quickly, but I soon overcame that because I realized most triplets are just 3 sequential notes (right next to each other), so it's now pretty simple for me to recognize the first note and know I've got to play the next two notes that immediately follow, as quickly and distinctly as I can….

That's now my challenge,,, with 57 yr old fingers, "as quickly and distinctly as I can" is my challenge.  For the past two days, whenever I drive, I practice triplet finger movement on my steering wheel, until my hand gets fatigued (oh you know there's a joke there, ala Seinfeld, haaaaaaa).

My problem seems to be that my second & third fingers want to go down at nearly the same time (not much distinction).  I have a great reverse trip; 3-2-1,,, it's my 1-2-3 that is jacked up.

But, similar to Naska's "squish the bug" technique of limbering for vibrato,,, do you know of any effective techniques to get "quickly and distinctly"???  Are there any great tips for playing triplets???

I'll give that a try too Tony, thanks; I feel like the Tin Man,,, hey, maybe that's it, but my oil can might better be a can of Bud Light, lmao!  I probably should try triplets after a little libation!  At least I'll sound good,,, to me, haaaaa!

trip-e-let, trip-e-let, trip-e-let,,,, I'll remember that Diane and try it.

FM said, "When playing triplets you need to focus on down – up, on the beats.
IOW – Down up down Up down up Down up down Up down up
Time your fingers with the beat as well. Sometimes if you have trouble with fingering you focus on the bowing and it works better."

FM – I wish I knew what that meant because I know it would be useful…..  and I am starting out at a slower tempo and repetitively picking up speed until it's where it needs to be.  That does help.  My fingers just feel so GD stiff!

Pierre, I'm not sure that I'm talking about the same thing then.  The ones I'm trying to play (see them on the music below) are ALL sequentially higher and I'm playing them all slurred and all need to be fast (like an accent).  For some reason I thought all triplets were slurred and not individual bow strokes.

I've been working hours on them and I think I'm finally getting them (most of the time), sometimes they come out as two notes (1-23, instead of 1-2-3) but often times three.

FM, now that I know you're talking about bow strokes (up/down) what you've said makes perfect sense to me, if I was playing each note as a separate stroke.  I was talking about my left hand problems though.  So your explanation is sort of like the bowing pattern of a shuffle except uniformly played.

I'm going to trying what you said too in case I run across triplets that are not slurred.  Or maybe I'm just playing these trips incorrectly, maybe they're all supposed to be played as separate strokes, but whenever I hear the song played, they are slurred.

Thanks Pierre!!!!!!!!! Haaaaaaaa!!!!!!!  Yeah, I WILL have trouble with this TOO!!!!!!

Jim!  Thanks so much!!!  I think this is exactly what I need.  I will work my way through lessons 1 – 5 and try to master each one.

I appreciate it, thanks!!!