Fretting hand position...

[stfspam]

Hello everyone,

I am a rank beginner, have been playing for a bit over 2 months, really started seriously past couple weeks though trying to improve.

I have checked out a couple books, but cant really find the info I am looking for (I realize a teacher would be the best bet, but it isnt in the cards atm)

So, my questions-

When I am fretting notes, I try to adhere to the 1 finger per fret rule, so far well...not so good but as I understand it, it should get better with practice.

Now I can do the 4 per fret BUT my issue is that, when I go from say, index to pinky, my index and middle pop off the fretboard very high. basically it is so that my hand can adjust a bit to turn to let my pinky actually have the reach to hit the string. I didnt think much about this untill past couple days and thought that perhaps this was bad form and would bite me down the line trying to unlearn this.

So last few days I have tried to keep all 4 fingers down onto the fretboard when I can, but this is actually quite painfull in my hand and wrist when I am doing it, which leads me to think perhaps I shouldnt be trying to do this and its abnormal!

Besides that, I'd really like to know if cranking my hand around the neck to reach notes/etc is ok as it seems impossible to hit the higher notes without doing so at this point.

[first inversion]

OK, I am not a pro, and not any kind of guru, but I can offer some thoughts:
1) Everyone uses a different hand/wrist position. We all have different size hands and fingers. The important thing is to be comfortable, and still reach most of the notes you want in any hand position.
2) It shouldn't hurt. It is natural for your hand to get tired, especially when you are just getting started, but actual pain means you should change something.
3) IMHO the first priority is to find a position for the neck of your bass where the wrist is as straight as possible, and the thumb is in the middle of the back of the neck. This is impossible if the bass is really low. what has worked for me, is to wear the bass higher than you might be doing, AND angle the neck UP toward the roof a bit. When your wrist is straighter, your fingers can work better.
4) A teacher would be a good idea, even if it is just for a lesson ot two.
5) Another reason for a lesson or two is to have someone who knows check the setup on your bass. If, for example, your strings are really high off the fretboard, it is hard for anyone to sound good.
Hang in there - with time it gets better

[JohnnyPustular]

RE:
1 finger per fret rule: First, its not a rule. However, there is quite a bit of debate about it. I learned from the first call bassist in Detroit and he recommended 124 on the low end of the neck and 1234 as you move higher. A lot of very good players in this thread don't agree with me:

Four fingers - 3 frets??

2. I try to keep my thumb along the center of the long axis of the neck and across from my middle finger. This gives me the ability to easily reach with my pinky or to form chords. Relax your wrist and let it move naturally keeping your fingers in good position. You should be able to reach comfortably with your pinky.

3. There are a lot of very good DVDs out that will provide you with a good visual of technique and are much cheaper than lessons (though I highly recommend lessons if you have competent teachers where you live. In Detroit, its not hard to find awesome guys.). You can find suggestsions for DVDs here:

Book list for GI Theory Links

String instrument playing is awkward at best, but you will be rewarded if you can push yourself through this beginning technique stage. Try to get the best bass you can (with better basses, you don't lose much when you sell them) and make sure it is set up well. Check the setup guides here:

ALL BASIC SETUP QUESTIONS ANSWERED HERE

A proper setup will save you much fatigue and frustration.

Good luck and stick to it!

3.

[PilbaraBass]

I do 1234 (one per fret) all the way along the neck...the thumb is planted on the back and moves anywhere across the back, depending on my reach...

the biggest thing to concentrate on, IMO, is keeping everything relaxed...you need to develop what I call "optimum muscle tension"...that's just enough tension in your fingers to get good clean pressure without hindering your speed...a good setup helps, here, too...

play, watch, experiment...repeat...

[CerealKiller]

Originally Posted by stfspam

Now I can do the 4 per fret BUT my issue is that, when I go from say, index to pinky, my index and middle pop off the fretboard very high. basically it is so that my hand can adjust a bit to turn to let my pinky actually have the reach to hit the string. I didnt think much about this untill past couple days and thought that perhaps this was bad form and would bite me down the line trying to unlearn this.

So last few days I have tried to keep all 4 fingers down onto the fretboard when I can, but this is actually quite painfull in my hand and wrist when I am doing it, which leads me to think perhaps I shouldnt be trying to do this and its abnormal!

Technique that I was given is to keep your thumb in the middle of the neck (pointing up) and behind the fret that your middle finger is using. If the stretch is too much between your index and pinky, use your thumb as a pivot point. Essentially you are rocking back and forth with your index and pinky. Just keep your free fingers in the ready (as close as possible to the frets they belong to).