Left Hand Technique

[bolo]

Originally Posted by MingusAmongUs

And though this may seem counterintuitive, it's been my experience that the left hand is much more critical than the right in getting volume and good tone.

Lynn, the post above appeared in another thread. I have read similar things many times including articles and videos featuring Ray Brown, Percy Heath, and Rufus Reid. I guess I am interested in any guidelines or suggestions you might have for left hand "How To's" or "Do's and Dont's". I am interested in anything related to left hand technique that you would suggest I focus on or conceptualize to help maximimize volume, projection and tone.

Thanks for any info you'd care to share.

[Lynn Seaton]

There is a lot of history and truth about left hand and sound relationships from the great bassists you mentioned. I agree. Classical bassists also agree on the importance of good left hand technique. I am a huge fan of the Rabbath stance and method of fingering. I would recommend you get with a good teacher that can help you with Rabbath and consider going to one of the summer camps that have Rabbath, Paul Ellison, or other teachers that teach his method. I do a jazz bass workshop at UNT that includes some introductory technique sessions that include scale and arpeggio fingerings based on Rabbath. The workshop takes place in June and is limited to 15 people. The UNT jazz webpage is www.jazz.unt.edu . The applications are usually updated around January or February each year for the following summer.

[bolo]

Thanks Lynn.

Off topic - I had the pleasure of doing a casual gig with Steve Anderson last year in Raleigh, NC. It was a humbling, rewarding and exhilarating evening. He mentioned you had recorded at least one CD with him. I would have been more relaxed if he had told me that after we had finished playing.

[bolo]

FWIW I came across this thread in another forum. I think it's pretty well in line with the kind of general information I was interested in when I started this thread. So I thought it might be something that would possibly be helpful to people who read this thread in the future.

[Lynn Seaton]

Thanks for the link to a great thread about left hand technique. There are some enlightening comments and descriptions by Chris Fitzgerald and others there.

[David Kaczorowski]

The best means for training your left hand for tone, clarity, and volume is to practice very, very slow arco. For example, practice whole note scales beginning at 50bpm and work your way down instead of up. In a couple of months or so you should be doing whole notes at 30bpm or slower. Practicing slow like this also improves your shifting.