Benefits of a lighter touch!

[Psycho]

I was always against using a lighter touch. I felt it was an "easy way out" of building endurance, an all too used method. Having to use a massive amount of attack to get more than a muddy toneless note out my Line 6 amp, I struggled and struggled with playing anything for more than a minute or two. Gallops eventually slowed to a halt, 16th notes became 8th notes, and my right forearm simply locked up.

After playing through a Genz Benz head and cab, and actually hearing what my bass sounds like (which is amazing, in my opinion) I realized a harder attack was not needed. I improved my posture, and the final step to endurance and this little rave was what I had first despised; a lighter touch.

I've worked more and more on letting my finger tips just brush the strings, a sort of gentle tap if you will, and can play on and on now! I'm a little amazed I hadn't figured it out earlier.

[billoetjen]

Lighter touch = professional tone.

[brndn123]

I too have made that transition recently. There are a few vids on youtube of the great Gary Willis and his approach/explaination of the importance of light playing through a loud amplifier. Congrats.

[Chrisk-K]

Steve Harris merely tickles the strings. I love a light touch.

[Wasted Bassist]

Aggressive playing = Aggressive tone. For me at least. I play with a soft touch when it's called for (Jazz, accoustic, soft parts) but for me, I have to dig in to get my bass to sound the way I want it to.

[rodl2005]

Originally Posted by Wasted Bassist

Aggressive playing = Aggressive tone. For me at least. I play with a soft touch when it's called for (Jazz, accoustic, soft parts) but for me, I have to dig in to get my bass to sound the way I want it to.

Exactly. I DO play with a light touch 80% of the time these days but If U really wanna grind the crud outta the roundwounds, I feel U GOTTA dig in hard, when it calls for it.

[Psycho]

Originally Posted by rodl2005

Exactly. I DO play with a light touch 80% of the time these days but If U really wanna grind the crud outta the roundwounds, I feel U GOTTA dig in hard, when it calls for it.

Yeah, for heavy parts in songs I kinda slam the string with the whole tip of my finger, there's a clank that's more of a "clank" than the usual "ping", if that made sense.

[JimmyM]

boy, oh boy, when did we all become wussies? yeah, ok, you don't have to kill the strings at all times, but there are times you have to play like a man. and i don't mean playing so hard you bang the strings into the pickups or clank all over the place. i mean playing with some cojones to it...getting a really strong fat tone with max volume and some depth to the attack. it really does make a difference to dig in and play harder when it's called for.

[billoetjen]

I used to dig in because I prefer the response or the "feel" of the strings (flats) that way. But I've been doing more recording and to a higher caliber lately and finally noticed what I hadn't all along - that my attack often clanked the strings against the frets. My more experienced bandmates noticed it too, and advised me to work on the "professional" tone. It was dead-on advice. For me. Now I let gain do the work for me.

[HolmeBass]

I agree with the benefits of a lighter touch, and have made good progress with it. The problem I am having is with louder, more intense songs. It's not a tone issue really, but a rhythmic feel issue. I can't seem to generate a rocking intensity when plucking softly, even if the amp is turned up. I find I need to turn the amp down and hit harder to really groove in a hard groove where the drummer is smacking the skins. Also with the amp real loud I have trouble playing quietly enough on ballads- my palm muting skills are zip (it sounds ok on the E and A but I get no tone at all from the D or G when palm muting...). I've been thinking maybe a volume pedal is what is called for, so I could "ride the seam" on being the right volume to be able to use a medium-hard attack when the groove-space seems to require it, but still avoid overly stressing my plucking hand.

[Burlington]

Awesome amp + awesome bass = only need to dig in occasionally for added effect.

[unclejane]

Originally Posted by Psycho

I was always against using a lighter touch. I felt it was an "easy way out" of building endurance, an all too used method. Having to use a massive amount of attack to get more than a muddy toneless note out my Line 6 amp, I struggled and struggled with playing anything for more than a minute or two. Gallops eventually slowed to a halt, 16th notes became 8th notes, and my right forearm simply locked up.

After playing through a Genz Benz head and cab, and actually hearing what my bass sounds like (which is amazing, in my opinion) I realized a harder attack was not needed. I improved my posture, and the final step to endurance and this little rave was what I had first despised; a lighter touch.

I've worked more and more on letting my finger tips just brush the strings, a sort of gentle tap if you will, and can play on and on now! I'm a little amazed I hadn't figured it out earlier.

It's ironic that past a certain point, harder plucking actually weakens the sound. Usually a muddy clop-clop-clop with less actual note, especially on a fretted bass.

The bass can really make a difference too. I've always had to dig in just a little more than I've liked on every bass I've owned until I discovered Carvin. On my bunny you hardly have to touch the strings and you get this really nice velvety note with a very audible initial attack. And I think it records better than anything I've ever played before.

Ditching the frets will also go a long ways towards cleaning up the sound and eliminating the need to hammer on the thing so hard. It also greatly reduces that awful click/clop/click that'll just absolutely drive you nuts. You'll still get some slap of the strings on the fingerboard, but not nearly so much...

LS

[dogbluedrummer]

I cradle a delicate monarch butterfly in my moisturized fingertips and brush the strings with it's feathery wings.

Othertimes, I smash that pretentious overgrown moth against the fretboard with a series of clanky thumb slaps that would make Flea cry out in fear.

[ksandvik]

PS: Don't mention this to Geddy Lee so he will suddenly start sounding really fuzzy.

[Floyd Eye]

Originally Posted by Burlington

Awesome amp + awesome bass = only need to dig in occasionally for added effect.

This.

[Psycho]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

boy, oh boy, when did we all become wussies? yeah, ok, you don't have to kill the strings at all times, but there are times you have to play like a man. and i don't mean playing so hard you bang the strings into the pickups or clank all over the place. i mean playing with some cojones to it...getting a really strong fat tone with max volume and some depth to the attack. it really does make a difference to dig in and play harder when it's called for.

I completely agree. But when you've got weak arms like me, you gotta distribute the mojo well, or you use it all up!

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by billoetjen

I used to dig in because I prefer the response or the "feel" of the strings (flats) that way. But I've been doing more recording and to a higher caliber lately and finally noticed what I hadn't all along - that my attack often clanked the strings against the frets.

well see, i wasn't talking about playing THAT hard some folks are looking for that sound, but i'm not a big fan of clank, either. you can dig in hard and still have what you referred to as a "professional tone." playing light is cool, though, and probably makes sense more often than not. got to have dynamics, and if you start out full on, where do you go from there?

[Music_for_life]

Rocco prestia don`t know what is a light touch and he is the best...but sometimes hard and sometimes light depends on the tone you want......

[TheBasicBassist]

Originally Posted by Music_for_life

Rocco prestia don`t know what is a light touch and he is the best...but sometimes hard and sometimes light depends on the tone you want......

What?! Rocco's got a CRAZY light touch, imo.
Could just be apples and oranges, though, all I know is
the man can play!

[sound of bass]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

well see, i wasn't talking about playing THAT hard some folks are looking for that sound, but i'm not a big fan of clank, either. you can dig in hard and still have what you referred to as a "professional tone." playing light is cool, though, and probably makes sense more often than not. got to have dynamics, and if you start out full on, where do you go from there?

What JimmyM just said.