bad habbit or correct?

[Cz93]

ok so i have found ive been doing this a lot lately. when i am playing on the low e string of my bass (the lowest string on my bass) and if i switch strings i put my left thumb (fretting hand thumb) over the e string. is this a bad habbit or am i doing it the right way? keep in mind im playing with a pick

edit: ok i didnt mean let it stay there but put it there just to mute the e string then return my hand to normal position

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by Cz93

ok so i have found ive been doing this a lot lately. when i am playing on the low e string of my bass (the lowest string on my bass) and if i switch strings i put my left thumb (fretting hand thumb) over the e string. is this a bad habbit or am i doing it the right way? keep in mind im playing with a pick

edit: ok i didnt mean let it stay there but put it there just to mute the e string then return my hand to normal position

Not a problem if it does not inhibit what you want to play. You share it with many famous and legendary players so don't sweat it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0cTwy_p8fU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0YNehAz7FY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9bG8hwZ9Bo

[Cz93]

ok thanks man

[Gearhead43]

Habbit? Rabbit, babbit, crabbit, dag-nabbit!

[JimK]

...sounds a little like the floating thumb technique. Vary valid for muting...as you mentioned.
For fingers players, floating the thumb assists in keeping the angles the same for the plucking fingers...whether they're playing the E or A or D or G...blah.

[Ewo]

I play 5s, and use the floating thumb technique to mute the lower strings.

It keep a nice angle in my wrist (no break-over going on there) and gives me good leverage for my picking fingers (index and middle).

[Alun]

Sorry, but "floating thumb" would be the picking hand thumb, not the fretting hand as CZ93 mentions.

I would personally recommend making sure you can play with your thumb in the back of the neck too as, while having your thumb over the neck helps mute the E string, it does restrict your fretting hand's natural stretch.

Cheers
Alun

[stflbn]

A bass with a wider neck will cure a player of trying to hook their thumb over the top of the neck.

:-)


.

[JHorstmann]

I don't know if I'd consider it a bad habit, but I think there are more practical ways of muting the E string. Really interesting though!

[ysand]

Bad habbit imo.
As the person above said, there are more practical ways of myting the e string, without hurting (or restricting some moves from) your hand

[Johnny Crab]

Correct = you can play whatever you want without physical problems.
If it works for you, do it!

[lolaviola]

It's okay in my book, but you want to watch the bad habbit of "hanging" your left hand by your thumb: it can cause fatigue. Just try to keep the thumb opposite the 2nd finger.

[Frettage]

Habit, people. Seeing it once was OK, but this is getting ridiculous.

[Deathblade Eric]

Originally Posted by Fergie Fulton

Not a problem if it does not inhibit what you want to play. You share it with many famous and legendary players so don't sweat it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0cTwy_p8fU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0YNehAz7FY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9bG8hwZ9Bo

Preachin' to the converted here, Fergie!

Here's another player with a shocking technique:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_mKy-a6d1I

In my opinion there's a lot of smoke 'n' mirrors bandied about on this notion of "correct" hand placement, along with the non-issue of how high or low you should wear your instrument.

My tuppence?

Does it feel comfortable?

Yes = Carry on then. No = Stop doing it & change something until the answer = Yes, then carry on as before.

Pete.

[Deathblade Eric]

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

Habbit? Rabbit, babbit, crabbit, dag-nabbit!

A new verse for this methinks

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by Deathblade Eric

Preachin' to the converted here, Fergie!

Here's another player with a shocking technique:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_mKy-a6d1I

In my opinion there's a lot of smoke 'n' mirrors bandied about on this notion of "correct" hand placement, along with the non-issue of how high or low you should wear your instrument.

My tuppence?

Does it feel comfortable?

Yes = Carry on then. No = Stop doing it & change something until the answer = Yes, then carry on as before.

Pete.

I see more injuries and problems because players go against there instincts in playing. Yes there are certain conventions but nothing is written in stone. Check out this bad wrist position in the plucking hand LOL.
He will never have a career.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm7l7XfV_Pg

[dvh]

Originally Posted by ysand

Bad habbit imo.
As the person above said, there are more practical ways of myting the e string, without hurting (or restricting some moves from) your hand

Such as floating thumb... (on the plucking hand as noted correctly)

[donut]

Originally Posted by dvh

Such as floating thumb... (on the plucking hand as noted correctly)

He's using a pick. Unless it's one of those picks that attach to a finger then I'm guessing his thumb is in use already.

[dvh]

My bad...

[donut]

I've just tried playing with a pick to see what I do (I'm never quite sure), and I seem to do one of the following:

- Use my thumb when I jump to either the D or G strings
- Rest either my index or middle finger across the strings behind where I'm fretting
- Fretting with the ball of my finger instead of the tip in such a way that the tip is muting the string below and the rest of the finger mutes the one(s) above.

No idea how correct all that may be but it works for me and I don't get any discomfort or pain from playing.