Bad habits you had to unlearn

[jacojbass]

floating thumb..

[Rip Topaz]

Everything I played during the 90's.

[Nashrakh]

Originally Posted by jacojbass

floating thumb..

What's so bad about it and what alternative are you going for?

I find myself using various muting styles depending on what I play (like for fills up ascending strings I'll anchor but otherwise I float) and I kinda want to bring myself to using just one, it's like you're learning to play from the bottom up all over again sometimes...

[Matthew_84]

Originally Posted by sammyp

RAKING! .....compulsive raker here .....works great most of the time but really messes me up on some patterns!

+1 million!

I was reading all of the comments agreeing with nearly everything, had to relearn how to hold the neck/fret, still trying to learn to pluck lightly, but this is the toughest thing for me to fix. I can usually do fine when I play anything really slow, but as soon as I speed it up a bit the raking automatically comes back. Though after probably a year or so of trying to stop it, it does seem to be going away.

[CG Jones]

Practicing without plugging in, which I didn't even realize was a problem until I read this thread and put 2+2 together... (so that's why I'm playing too hard with my right!)

Curling my thumb over the top of my fretboard. Damn guitar background...

Drinking while playing. Well, we all have one or two vices.

[Matthew_84]

Originally Posted by CG Jones

Practicing without plugging in, which I didn't even realize was a problem until I read this thread and put 2+2 together... (so that's why I'm playing too hard with my right!)

To counter this, I actually found playing unplugged helps me to practice with a lighter touch, but to make this work, I purposely try to play quick passages as silent as possible, just tickling the strings so that the bass notes are just audible over the fairly quiet metronome clicks. This also makes unwanted noises a lot more obvious.

[jacojbass]

Originally Posted by Nashrakh

What's so bad about it and what alternative are you going for?

I find myself using various muting styles depending on what I play (like for fills up ascending strings I'll anchor but otherwise I float) and I kinda want to bring myself to using just one, it's like you're learning to play from the bottom up all over again sometimes...

It limits your RH range and is wasted motion. I play traditional anchored thumb on low string or pickups. I learned floating thumb before it was trendy, looking back it is limiting. I gained a better sound,technique and more facility by doing what I am now, also by direction of a very good teacher. ymmv

[Rageadon]

Normaly when i play i focus way to much on what i play (which i dont really need too) i try to look at a place in the room or something when i learn a new song or riff so i dont need to look at my bass whenever i play songs.

[FloatingHogs]

I almost always screw up when I improv more than a couple extra notes into the line. I just lose my bearings.

That, and showboating. Taking my hands off the bass has been the wreck of many of our performances.

And, just seeing how many people don't recommend wearing it low, I just changed to it after a year of playing it way up high. Is that a bad decision? I was going for the punk look...

[zachoff]

Still have a ton of bad habits but the last few years I've been fretting with my pinky way, way more than ever before. I also wrap my thumb about half the time, but have been working on that as well.

[jweber76]

I don't think wearing your Axe low is a bad habit.
Showboating on the other hand... Last gig I had my hands up with a beer in one of them, got caught on the wrong part of the stage with nowhere to put down my drink. Fortunately it was just one chord on an intro but there is video footage online of me strumming my bass with a beer can...embarrassing and unprofessional. Not to mention, I will never hear the end of this!

[jweber76]

Update... At our last practice both guitarists and the drummer started this song with a beer in hand... They are conspiring against me!

[Rockin Mike]

Originally Posted by henry2513

Playing notes on the tips is going to prevent you from barring intervals like 4ths.

Wait what? I play tips all the time and when I want to barre a 4th, guess what? I lay my finger down.

[Rockin Mike]

Wearing your bass low is a bad habit if it causes you to play with a bent wrist. Wrist needs to stay straight.

[Rockin Mike]

(one of) My bad habit(s) was anchoring the left thumb on the back of the neck.
Fixing it by ductaping little rock to the pad of my thumb. Now every time there's any thumb pressure on the neck I feel the rock and get reminded.

They say your left thumb doesn't have to touch the neck at all, but there are some things I haven't yet figured out how to do thumbless, like octaves.

[Maz]

Slapping.

I'm not just being snarky. Everything I used to slap on ( all original stuff) sounds better fingered over the top. Better tone, better control, more even volume.

[goldenglory18]

I use open notes as a transition way too much. Pure laziness on my part.

[Geroi Asfalta]

I do wrap my thumb around the top of the neck, but my wrist is straight as an arrow unless I need to fret the E, when it gets the lightest bend. I cant do the 1 finger per fret rule. I tried and my wrist and fingers began to cramp after only a few minutes.

Because I grip the neck like a bassball bat, my fingers tend to get shoved close together. Normally everything below the 7th fret I finger with index, middle, and pinky. Above the 7th I use all four. The thumb gets a little use on the E when doing various chords.

As for right hand, I used to pound the crap out of the strings, and anchor on a pickup or a string. Now I barely touch the strings. When I'm at work, I can't bring an amp. I've learned to lower my action to practically zero and lightly tap the strings with my finger tips. You can barely hear it unplugged, I've learned to feel the vibrations through the body and the neck.

[Liam76]

Originally Posted by BassOrdinaire

It's bad for your left hand, especially playing higher on the neck. Ideally, the bass should be the same position relative to your body while standing and sitting.

I started playing in the 80's, mostly in Metal bands. I used to laugh at all the Euro new wave guys playing armpit bass. I started getting into slap and finger funk later on though, and eventually started to hike the bass up via the strap.

Minus the 80's look of frosted jeans all cuffed up, high top sneakers and a mullet, Musicians like Scott Ambush make it look cool.

[StrangerDanger]

I need to stop smashing my fingers the day before a gig. Any help with that?