I need to clarify and clean up my technique in 4 months...

AttitudeCastle · #1 10-02-2009, 03:51 PM

Hey guys,

I'm going on my first tour in 4 months,

so before i go on tour i want to ask some (in all honesty, noobish) questions

What exact part of the finger should you fret with, when you take barring into account?

i use the pad more or less toward the finger tip. what exact part should i use?

On my attitude, i just can't for the life of me, get my thumb in the 'right' position, the ones feel good for the E/A string and the one for the D/G string are so far apart, as i like to play sheehan like, but my fingers aren't as long as his....

How do i build endurance?

and how do you wear a moodly leather strap? i can't figure them out!

I basically forgot how to play bass i'm so nervous!

AC

Back'N'Black · #2 10-02-2009, 04:01 PM

As long as the rest of the band sucks too you should be fine.

Dont feel bad, I'm going to be doing some some songwriting jamming this weekend with a metal guitar player thats been at it 24 years, I practised on the bass 5-6 times so I'll be fine.

PBass101 · #3 10-02-2009, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AttitudeCastle

Hey guys,

I'm going on my first tour in 4 months,

so before i go on tour i want to ask some (in all honesty, noobish) questions

What exact part of the finger should you fret with, when you take barring into account?

i use the pad more or less toward the finger tip. what exact part should i use?

On my attitude, i just can't for the life of me, get my thumb in the 'right' position, the ones feel good for the E/A string and the one for the D/G string are so far apart, as i like to play sheehan like, but my fingers aren't as long as his....

How do i build endurance?

and how do you wear a moodly leather strap? i can't figure them out!

I basically forgot how to play bass i'm so nervous!

AC

Seriously...

Seriously...

GET LESSONS.

NOW.

Mayers · #4 10-02-2009, 04:07 PM

`well repeate the same part as long as you can ... jamming for 5hours will build your endurance and you will find many thing to keep your stamina and the tip of your fingers alive.

For the thumb thing well don,t know ... I learn on a 5 strings and now I play only 6 strings basses so I'm used to play with a floating thumb to mute all the strings I don't play.

And you know that you can come up with your own way to play. One of my friend and I went at the same college to study music , we had the same bass teacher, but we don't have the same way to pluck the strings nor the same way to do a cord or anything else.

So if it sound good, play the way you want. If it buzz then you don't do it right, you will have to figure out an alternative

I know I'm not very helpful but many stuff in music can't be learn with a teacher

Back'N'Black · #5 10-02-2009, 04:08 PM

Just do what my dad did, practise 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, you got 4 monthes man, do it!

**garmenteros** · #6 10-02-2009, 04:10 PM

Just download some instructional videos... theres a stu hamm video out there thats very good... i downloaded it thru rapid share. The first thing Id check for is how he holds the bass and positions his arms. Thats a good place start. Check posture. Then get into the playing thing. Dexterity comes with practice and patience. Thats it. And better playing will be easier to achieve with the right techniques. Hit the bass strings lightly (amps should take care of volume, not your playing technique) for finger style or picking and take it from there...

Back'N'Black · #7 10-02-2009, 04:13 PM

Make sure the bass is set up correctly. Much easier to play..

MarkTAW · #8 10-02-2009, 04:31 PM

AC - chill. If you've gotten this far you'll be fine. Just remember to listen to the drummer and everything else will follow.

AttitudeCastle · #9 10-02-2009, 04:32 PM

the bass is very well set up and the thumb thing is to do with my fretting hand

and Thanks MarkTAW i think i just need to relax

fearceol · #10 10-03-2009, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Back'N'Black

Just do what my dad did, practise 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, you got 4 monthes man, do it!

Not good advice IMO.

If you over do it, especially if your technique is not up to scratch, you could do some damage to hands or wrists. This could absent you from the bass for a while. As "garmenteros" said, there are lots of instructional videos on the web. Check them out and see what works for you.

Also (again IMO ) endurance is acheived through regular practice, with the time built up g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y, rather than 6-8 hours at a time.

Febs · #11 10-03-2009, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mayers

One of my friend and I went at the same college to study music , we had the same bass teacher, but we don't have the same way to pluck the strings nor the same way to do a cord or anything else.

What music college did you go to that didn't teach you how to spell "chord"?

Clark Dark · #12 10-03-2009, 06:31 AM

^ LMAO

Mayers · #13 10-03-2009, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Febs

What music college did you go to that didn't teach you how to spell "chord"?

Sorry but spelling error can happen. English isn't my mother language. It doesn't mean that I don't know what I'm talking about.

Billnc · #14 10-03-2009, 12:03 PM

What I do not understand, there are guys on this forum who are good enough to land gigs, then think they have no technique. You landed the gig! Two weeks practice isn't gonna change that much (Now learning the tunes is another story) You landed the gig! Enjoy the ride.

Fergie Fulton · #15 10-03-2009, 12:15 PM

Hi AttitudeCastle, playing is the easy part of any tour, because thats what you do...play. In any day you have 24 hrs, and it is what happens in the 22 hours when not playing that will affect the 2 hrs on stage( figuring a 2 hour show). As any tour progresses you will find these 22 hrs the varable in your days and on stage the constant. Learn the songs in set order, and make sure that set orders builds easy and gets to demanding songs later rather than sooner. Follow each demanding section of the show with down sections to allow recovery and build again in to the demanding section, with the final up section the finale.
Then repeat night after night. Play the songs in your set to build up stamina between now and the opening night, use warm ups, exercise, and diet to build stamina, and warm down after shows. Pasta is a great food to eat before stage time but eat light, and you will store energy for the shows, bannana are great as well and stay hydrated with water, all these things will give you slow release energy and help ward of cramp.

Needless to say sleep and relaxation are the big things to watch, as is diet and injury. When i tour i like to use about 75% of my playing and never, i mean never let it fall below that mark. If i feel a bt run down or the day has presented problems i still have 25% in store to fall back on. Tour is about consistancy and keep up the standard for all shows. Its no good have a brillant show followed by a bad one, by a good onw then an OK one. Keep the standard achievable and the shows and the reviews will be good, you don't want a bad review from one of your "down" shows

Above all enjoy and take the time to enjoy and meet the people that come to your shows. These days most mobile phones have cameras so take lots for the memories.

As for your questions, your playing will decide what is for you to achieve what you want to play, find some links to right hand techniques and experiment, find some to left hand and experiment, its up to you to apply what is best for you.
Remember playing for hours is not always a good thing, so listen to your body and take care of injury, the no.1 problem for any player on tour.
Good luck and have fun.

MarkTAW · #16 10-03-2009, 01:23 PM

Good advice all around Fergie. Especially diet, it's difficult to eat healthy on the road. Bring earplugs & try to get a good nights sleep. Fatigue can be a killer - literally if you're the one driving.

RAM · #17 10-05-2009, 01:36 AM

First, make sure you adequately stretch your fingers and keep them warm before going on stage!

Next, I agree with the earlier post that said to take lessons. These are very complicated-to-explain-via-chat room types of questions. If fretting properly your thumb shouldn't need to move vertically regardless of what string you're fretting on

As far as the strap, the tail-piece fits through the slots. I don't know how else to explain it, other than to tell you not to wear your bass too low. Wearing your bass too low will force your fretting hand into unnatural positions which will cause fatigue faster in the short-term and potentially cause injury in the long-run. It'll also inhibit your dexterity.

Of course, wearing your bass low *looks* cool!

AttitudeCastle · #18 10-07-2009, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAM

First, make sure you adequately stretch your fingers and keep them warm before going on stage!

Next, I agree with the earlier post that said to take lessons. These are very complicated-to-explain-via-chat room types of questions. If fretting properly your thumb shouldn't need to move vertically regardless of what string you're fretting on

As far as the strap, the tail-piece fits through the slots. I don't know how else to explain it, other than to tell you not to wear your bass too low. Wearing your bass too low will force your fretting hand into unnatural positions which will cause fatigue faster in the short-term and potentially cause injury in the long-run. It'll also inhibit your dexterity.

Of course, wearing your bass low *looks* cool!

Thanks!

thanks to every one! i feel much more confident, i've done everything here so thanks!

also no danger of it too low, i play with it just below my stomach, centre of the bass around my navel

Kuchar · #19 10-07-2009, 09:06 PM

Some would argue that is to low T_T

But I play it even a little lower then that :P

becker4567 · #20 10-07-2009, 09:39 PM

Ahhhhhhhh, the 'Stu Sutcliff' school of rock.......been there/done that!