Finger bleeding from playing slap..?

natselection · #1 05-10-2006, 01:45 PM

Hey, I was playing some slap yesterday and the part where my nail meets my skin on my first finger got torn up and started bleeding...this happened from it scraping the strings while going town to pop them. is my technique wrong? what can i do so this won't happen again?

Tony G · #2 05-10-2006, 01:51 PM

overtime your fingers will build up the calouses needed, but it sounds like you may be a little too agressive. Usually just a gental pluck will do. It is not nessecary to yank the strings off the board. You will figure out what feel right in time.

natselection · #3 05-10-2006, 02:14 PM

ok cool, yeah i'm really digging into the strings heh..i dont think its an issue with getting used to it cuz i dont think your finger is supposed to bleed..i'm probably playing too agressive

Tony G · #4 05-10-2006, 02:17 PM

That would simply be my first guess. That is the most common problem among people learning to play slap. A tighter, more focused approach to slap will yield a better tone, and will do less damage to your hands.

chaosMK · #5 05-10-2006, 02:29 PM

I do a lot of aggressive and fast slapping (basically using my thumb the way a metal bassist would use a pick, for certain types of complicated rhythms). After one show, I noticed a tiny hole/chip in my skin where my bone was. I generally slap the string with the part of my thumb where the bone bumps out a little, but sometimes use the middle-tip of the last joint for certain sounds.

spindizzy · #6 05-10-2006, 03:41 PM

What's the string spacing on your bass? I see you have a Cirrus but I don't know much about them. The reason I ask is that even if your technique isn't completely up to speed you shouldn't be having problems like this unless your string spacing is particularly tight or your fingers are incredibly large (you lucky bastard).

When I started playing ERB's I had similar problems as I adjusted to the tighter spacing on my Conklin and actually gave myself a silly millimeter more on my new 7 string so that, even though I had gotten use to the tight spacing, I wanted to have the freedom to abuse my axe and slap it occasionally like it was a red headed step-child.

If your spacing is tight and you love your bass then practice will eventually solve the problem. Just as you have to be very aware of how you perform your fretting you will need to teach your fingers how to slip in and out of small spaces. Believe me it can be done.

Now if your bass has string spacing like a classic Fender which will allow you to fly a small aircraft in there to pop...well then you probably ARE slapping a red headed step-child and need to control your...ok enough.

natselection · #7 05-10-2006, 05:50 PM

oh, i don't havea cirrus, i have a skjold 5 string. my fingers are long for my age but i dont think it should be a problem that it would make them the skin peel off where it meets my nail...my fingers have bled before from playing bass (mostly from upgright) but this really hurts the most cuz its RIGHT where the skin meets the nail..its pretty painful..

Worshiper · #8 05-10-2006, 10:37 PM

haha. The same kinda thing happened to me today. I just started the victor wooten school of slap, much different from how I was originally taught, and the upstroke of the thhumb on the string is killing my skin. Calluces will build though. although I am not bleeding, but I must be brief. Hitting the space bar reminds me of the pain I'm in...I'lllive..haha

natselection · #9 05-10-2006, 10:54 PM

lmao what sucks is my short memory. i cut my finger yesterday from playing slap...i forget about it..play again today and it re-opens and bleeds all over. i just did it now again after about 5 hours of the 2nd incident..