left hand ache

[thunderbolt]

I'm sure this topic has been covered before, but none of the key words I ran through the search turned up anything.

I'm relatively new to bass playing, I've only been at it for maybe 6 months, but within the last week something happened that has never happened before. I was practicing scales as usual, and I noticed i could play them faster and more times than usual. Cool, I thought, all this practice is paying off! By the end of the practice session, however (which lasted no more than 30 minutes) I noticed a sharp pain all through my left hand (fretting hand) right where the fingers join the hand, around and behind my knuckles. This sharp pain turned into a dull ache for the rest of the day, and now whenever I play the pain returns. I've tried giving myself a few days off, but at this point I'm getting desperate. Are there any tricks to helping my hand heal, and what can I do to improve my technique so I don't have this problem again?

[Michael Henson]

Hmmm...

http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=proper+bass+playing+technique

[Michael Henson]

It might also help if you were to post a video of you playing so we can see exactly what you're doing with your left hand...Check out some of the videos on youtube and see how close you are to what they describe and go from there.

[fearceol]

This link shows good L/H technique.http://www.adamnitti.com/bass_player_03.shtml

Avoid using the "one finger per fret" rule (google it if you dont know what it is) on the lower five frets, unless you have large hands and can do it comfortably. Dont start head long into a practice session. Give your fingers a chance to warm up.

Also do some gentle finger stretches before and after a practice session. Search You Tube for "left hand warm ups" for bass.

Rest up your hand for a few days. When you resume, warm up, take it slowly, and dont over do it.

[Kevinmach]

http://www.adamnitti.com/bass_player_03.shtml

I am not the original poster, but thanks for that link. Always good to be reminded of what we should be doing and get back to basics.

[K2000]

Originally Posted by thunderbolt

By the end of the practice session, however (which lasted no more than 30 minutes) I noticed a sharp pain all through my left hand (fretting hand) right where the fingers join the hand, around and behind my knuckles.

It takes me 30 minutes just to feel like I'm warmed up, and I don't attempt anything too demanding (for me) until I'm ready. I'm probably older and creakier than you, but still, make sure you are really warmed up well before you start pushing yourself.

Just like any other physical activity, it's a good idea to ease into it, do stretches, take short breaks, and don't try to attempt too much, too soon.

One thing you'll probably realize... the key to playing faster is having excellent technique when you're playing slow (and build gradually from there). Don't worry too much about playing fast at this stage in your playing.

[tranceFusion]

Originally Posted by fearceol

This link shows good L/H technique.http://www.adamnitti.com/bass_player_03.shtml

GREAT link.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by Kevinmach

http://www.adamnitti.com/bass_player_03.shtml
I am not the original poster, but thanks for that link. Always good to be reminded of what we should be doing and get back to basics.

Fig.4
This position makes it much harder to play with curved fingers and contributes to a lack of reach because of the raised position of the thumb. To get a feel for a more beneficial hand position, try placing your fretting hand in a relaxed open handed position away from the bass

Above is a quote from the Adam Nitti link. I find players trying to justify this statement with position in the fretting hand technique. This position is just restrictive and thats all. If you play certain genres of music such as rock, blues, metal etc that work with, and in some cases desire restriction of movement, then this position is just fine. All it does is take some reach, span, stretch, access to the upper fretboard, call it what you want away. But the hand can move to adopt a new position to counter this i need be. Adam is quite right to make the statement from a bass players ultimate access to the fretboard
technique...but thats all. If you do not require such access the the position show in fig. 4 is fine as it uses more hand pad so less strain on the fingers. Many players including myself use this and incorporate it in as part of our technique when required. Check the link below as it shows great footage of a legend doing it with some great views of it from behind the neck, check his wrist positions. Even today on bigger and longer scale basses he still plays the same way, a credit to his longevity at playing. Again it is about application of technique not the technique itself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqh54...eature=related

[tranceFusion]

Originally Posted by Fergie Fulton

Fig.4
This position makes it much harder to play with curved fingers and contributes to a lack of reach because of the raised position of the thumb. To get a feel for a more beneficial hand position, try placing your fretting hand in a relaxed open handed position away from the bass

Above is a quote from the Adam Nitti link. I find players trying to justify this statement with position in the fretting hand technique. This position is just restrictive and thats all. If you play certain genres of music such as rock, blues, metal etc that work with, and in some cases desire restriction of movement, then this position is just fine. All it does is take some reach, span, stretch, access to the upper fretboard, call it what you want away. But the hand can move to adopt a new position to counter this i need be. Adam is quite right to make the statement from a bass players ultimate access to the fretboard
technique...but thats all. If you do not require such access the the position show in fig. 4 is fine as it uses more hand pad so less strain on the fingers. Many players including myself use this and incorporate it in as part of our technique when required. Check the link below as it shows great footage of a legend doing it with some great views of it from behind the neck, check his wrist positions. Even today on bigger and longer scale basses he still plays the same way, a credit to his longevity at playing. Again it is about application of technique not the technique itself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqh54...eature=related

Why, why, WHY is it that everytime someone comes on here and complains of a serious, physical, REAL problem, other players have to enter the thread to defend bad technique??

I really can't think of a reason I would want to restrict my movement when playing.. when exactly do you find this technique to be required?? The video exhibits horribly efficient playing. Look how his wrist is constantly rotating.. Look how his fingers are moving for every single note.. notes which could all be played from a single position! Not to mention that this technique causes you to use your finger pads rather than tips - a sure fire way to get lousy tone/intonation/sustain, and make it more difficult to move to an extended range or narrowly spaced instrument.

Sure, there are lots of bad bass players who get famous. Sure, there are also lots of players who started their bad habits decades before talkbass and youtube were around to correct them. And sure, there are those players that were able to use this technique as an exception to the rule to create a niche sound.

None of this really makes a good case for not promoting the best technique to beginners in a straightforward manner. Please just stop. Thank you.

[fearceol]

I admit to being a bit surprised at Fergie's remarks on this technique, especially coming from someone who does a lot to highlight the importance of looking after your hands. Bad technique is exactly that, no matter what big names use it. While it is agreed that nothing is written in stone, there are however, tried and trusted ways of playing the bass efficiently, at the same time avoiding physical injury. Finally, I'm completely puzzled by the final sentence in his post, i.e. "it is about application of technique, not the technique".

Care to explain Fergie ?

[tobie]

Originally Posted by tranceFusion

GREAT link.

Fantastic link! I was semi-worried because down here most of the guys I've seen on stage play with very flat fingers - which I have difficulty with. Thanks heavens - it appears that slightly curved fingers are OK after all!

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by tranceFusion

Why, why, WHY is it that everytime someone comes on here and complains of a serious, physical, REAL problem, other players have to enter the thread to defend bad technique??

I really can't think of a reason I would want to restrict my movement when playing.. when exactly do you find this technique to be required?? The video exhibits horribly efficient playing. Look how his wrist is constantly rotating.. Look how his fingers are moving for every single note.. notes which could all be played from a single position! Not to mention that this technique causes you to use your finger pads rather than tips - a sure fire way to get lousy tone/intonation/sustain, and make it more difficult to move to an extended range or narrowly spaced instrument.

Sure, there are lots of bad bass players who get famous. Sure, there are also lots of players who started their bad habits decades before talkbass and youtube were around to correct them. And sure, there are those players that were able to use this technique as an exception to the rule to create a niche sound.

None of this really makes a good case for not promoting the best technique to beginners in a straightforward manner. Please just stop. Thank you.

Thanks for you passion and your misunderstanding of what technique is. Technique is about what is required by the individual to play what he needs to play within his range. Not the teachers range or any songbook or videos range but the players range. I like the way you believe that the web "will cure bad habits" rather than confuse and promote injury to players that try to copy them.

If you have a problem with what i say, you don't understand technique. You may understand your technique but you don't understand technique.
You call these players, with bad technique, a niche player, the exception to the rule, , exception to what rule....your rule i would say.
From Jack Bruce to Billy Sheehan, Cliff Burton to Cliff Williams, Neil Murrey to Rudy Sarzo and most players that play a rock/blues scene use the technique shown by Jack Bruce with no problems.

Not to mention that this technique causes you to use your finger pads rather than tips - a sure fire way to get lousy tone/intonation/sustain,

Tone intonation and sustain, all objective to the person playing.
To put this in any reply shows to me you "don't get it" still. What i find good in these things someone else won't, so you are questioning Jack Bruce on his tone intonation sustain, and of course you know better than Jack what Jack wants of course?
Jacks hand moves. it uses the full range of motion as it should be, something else you clearly don't understand, good motion and bad motion, motion is good for you if used correctly, static is not, fixed is not if applied for long periods of times.

If you have to play for example a rock song rooted in G you will find it better and easier on your hands to have the thumb over the top, the pads on the string, than fingertips only and classic position for access. What access there is none... if you are holding a G for the song then access is not the problem, its about holding a G.

If we were to look at player that have the most complaints in their hands they would be players trying to follow what other people say, rather than what is best for them. Adam is right in the statement, but wrong for not explaining clearly its application, which is access to the neck.

"it is about application of technique, not the technique".

If i tried to play latin lines this technique would not work, it would not allow me the access to play where i need to be, but it's not it's rock, so the technique is fine, the hand is safe, access is good, all is well. I use many techniques and would never, never try and play an AC/DC song without my hands being on the neck and thumb over the top for most of it. As said it's about the application of the technique, not the technnique.
If i tried to play Slap bass funk using this technique it also would not work, get the idea it's the application of the technique, not the technique.

So think about what i say... understand it..... come to a conclusion, explore and research that conclusion,...re-avaluate, apply if need be, or dismiss rather than condem something you clearly have not thought about.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by tobie

Fantastic link! I was semi-worried because down here most of the guys I've seen on stage play with very flat fingers - which I have difficulty with. Thanks heavens - it appears that slightly curved fingers are OK after all!

They sure are remember its about you, if you play well and have no problems...... its for you, at this moment in where you are. You can always apply new techniques.
As for the flat finger players where you are, make sure to tell them how bad their technique is for a bass player, and if they get rough about it, you tell them "but for a niche player it's OK" LOL

[thunderbolt]

thanks everyone. I'm reading the adam nitti technique and I'll give it a shot tonight after I get off of work. I haven't played bass in 4 days now, so wish me luck in resisting the temptation to make up for lost time and play until I just have wrist stumps.

[tranceFusion]

Originally Posted by Fergie Fulton

Thanks for you passion and your misunderstanding of what technique is. Technique is about what is required by the individual to play what he needs to play within his range. Not the teachers range or any songbook or videos range but the players range. I like the way you believe that the web "will cure bad habits" rather than confuse and promote injury to players that try to copy them.

So we want to stifle the future of beginner players by giving them habits that will impede their playing to some predetermined range based on the genre they are interested in today? terrific! I am sorry I called that a "bad habit"

If you are holding a G for an entire song, again, this is an exception. I think you will be hard pressed to find even the crappiest of bass players who play a single note for the entire song.

Your argument is made by some idealistic "creative free thought" bs and mine is made based on physics and human physiology.

I am a programmer and often spend 10+ hours a day at a keyboard. I would like to be able to play bass when I get home. Economy of motion is real, and it prevents repetitive motion injuries.

What percentage of famous musicians are smokers (not sure myself but the general population is close to 25%)? Should I follow their lead on that too?

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by tranceFusion

So we want to stifle the future of beginner players by giving them habits that will impede their playing to some predetermined range based on the genre they are interested in today? terrific! I am sorry I called that a "bad habit"

If you are holding a G for an entire song, again, this is an exception. I think you will be hard pressed to find even the crappiest of bass players who play a single note for the entire song.

Your argument is made by some idealistic "creative free thought" bs and mine is made based on physics and human physiology.

I am a programmer and often spend 10+ hours a day at a keyboard. I would like to be able to play bass when I get home. Economy of motion is real, and it prevents repetitive motion injuries.

What percentage of famous musicians are smokers (not sure myself but the general population is close to 25%)? Should I follow their lead on that too?

My argument as you call it is based on anatomy, proven documented facts on what the human body can do. Not what anyone person or group but what the individual it applies to. It is based of physical application. if you want to debate the human body and physics, and how it affects playing then i am your man, i have 30 years of research to fall back on.
For some reasons musicians believe they are imunne to these constraints.
As a programmer you have to undo the days work your hands have done before you can even think about picking up a bass, so what i ask you to think about applies to you more than most.

Fact 1/ Bass guitars in some form have been around since the 1940s, Fender mass produced the instrument in the early 50s.
So injuries would have be rare as the instruments themselves would not be readly available to all.

2/ The bass guitar was built for a purpose, certain ergonomocs were used in its design, therefore technique was developed to handle this. Technique not for the human physical side but for the playing of that design.

3/ In the 60 years or so of electric bass guitar the human body has not adapted to this design. The human body was not intended to play bass guitar, so its design in that sense is not fit for purpose. It took millions of years of evolution for us to develop the design we have now, the opposable thumb and that's not perfect. (if you are a creationist and believe that a higher power created us then this will have no relevence.)

4/ So ask ourselves where did all this research and study for what you call "proper technique" come from?
Did medical profesionals and musicians sit down a work this out?
Did musicians just do it and the more successful the musician, the more that used that technique regardless of concequence.

5/ With technology and what we know now about physical problems, there causes, treatments, preventions, should that not now be incorporated in with new designs to make it easier and safer for players.

Many beginners would get more from their hands if the start by never going below the 7th fret and using a plectrum in the first few months of starting. This will let there hands develop safely and surely. Then when the are strong enough, start them down the neck building strengh and technique as the go till they are physicaly able to play all the neck. Then if they wish develop a plucking hand technique and all that is involved in building that.
But the reality is they see something on youtube and jump right in and start at the top. They might see Jaco and jump from a to z missing out all in between, copy his hand positons, regardless of their own hand make up. They then push and push till it breaks down. That's is no different to me watching Tiger Woods playing Golf and deciding "i'm going to do that". The damage to my body would take its toll and unlike Tiger i can't take time off to have my knee rebuilt in a million dollar operation that was done to sort out his physical toll.

Economy of motion has nothing to do with RSI it is repeditive motion in one plain that over strains the function being used. This is because were were never designed to use these motions in such away. Is it not strange that manipulation and stretching, the opposite of economy of motion, is used to relieve such conditions by re-introducing the full range of motion that was missing, which helped promote such complaints as RSI?

As for smoking if you and that 25% believe that makes you all better players then on you go and smoke. But let me tell you of the physical damage you will do in doing so. Lung cancer, is the main problem you will devel.....oh but you know that anyway as that is now been proven by doctors.

Here is some more bad technique, look at the fingers all bunched up on the fretboard, the thumb over the top, the many positions his hands take, that lack of economy of motion. I hope people don't try and copy this as this is terrible technique

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9bG8hwZ9Bo



and here a great design

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLi8pOa6zYk

[tranceFusion]

Originally Posted by Fergie Fulton

Economy of motion has nothing to do with RSI it is repeditive motion in one plain that over strains the function being used. This is because were were never designed to use these motions in such away. Is it not strange that manipulation and stretching, the opposite of economy of motion, is used to relieve such conditions by re-introducing the full range of motion that was missing, which helped promote such complaints as RSI?

I don't disagree with any of your post except this, and yet nowhere in your post do you really try to present any valid reason for teaching a beginner to wrap his thumb around the neck, which was the initial argument.

RSI is an umbrella term for any sort of repetitive strain injury. This includes strains that occur in gamers, golfers, ravers, and many other injuries that occur from repetitive overuse that involve movement in more than one plane. It all boils down to one thing - if you make any repetitive motion over and over and over again, it is gunna hurt. That includes rocking your wrist back and forth continually so you can get access to the E and G strings like the Cream bass player in your first video.

Economy of motion doesn't mean you can't move fluidly and naturally. It just means you don't do things you have no good reason for doing. I don't buy your argument about every individual being different. The Cream bass player could certainly benefit from placing his thumb on the back of the neck. Most all of us have fairly standardized muscular and skeletal systems which don't require complete reinvention of technique.

Honestly, I think there are much worse things you can do for your technique, such as placing your thumb on the back of the neck and then SQUEEZING with your thumb. At least with the thumb wrapped around, you don't have to worry about squeezing. But, this still doesn't mean there is any reason what-so-ever to teach it as an acceptable technique to a beginner.

[Phil Smith]

More fuel for the fire:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGuoY...eature=related

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by tranceFusion

I don't disagree with any of your post except this, and yet nowhere in your post do you really try to present any valid reason for teaching a beginner to wrap his thumb around the neck, which was the initial argument.

RSI is an umbrella term for any sort of repetitive strain injury. This includes strains that occur in gamers, golfers, ravers, and many other injuries that occur from repetitive overuse that involve movement in more than one plane. It all boils down to one thing - if you make any repetitive motion over and over and over again, it is gunna hurt. That includes rocking your wrist back and forth continually so you can get access to the E and G strings like the Cream bass player in your first video.

Economy of motion doesn't mean you can't move fluidly and naturally. It just means you don't do things you have no good reason for doing. I don't buy your argument about every individual being different. The Cream bass player could certainly benefit from placing his thumb on the back of the neck. Most all of us have fairly standardized muscular and skeletal systems which don't require complete reinvention of technique.

Honestly, I think there are much worse things you can do for your technique, such as placing your thumb on the back of the neck and then SQUEEZING with your thumb. At least with the thumb wrapped around, you don't have to worry about squeezing. But, this still doesn't mean there is any reason what-so-ever to teach it as an acceptable technique to a beginner.

Please note this post went on a bit as it is a hard subject to skirt by without some explanation.

I don't disagree with any of your post except this, and yet nowhere in your post do you really try to present any valid reason for teaching a beginner to wrap his thumb around the neck, which was the initial argument.

Give anybody a bass guitar and the first ay they hold it is with the thumb over the top, it is a natural way to hold. But we need more than a hold we need access. The muscle groups that will give us the dexterity we need in the fingers are in the forearms. The muscle groups that will give us the stamina to carry out this dexterity are in the forearms.
The muscle groups that give us the strength to carry out these movements are in the forearms. So if you did not know already your fingers are the results of movement not the cause.

This is like a glass shafted hammer with a steel head. The glass is strong enough to do certain tasks, but if you force it, or use it wrong it is the shaft that will give way before the head. The shaft has to be equal to the head of the hammer.

So the reason for letting a thumb come over the top and letting the pads do the work is because it is a natual and reletively safe position to assume. After a few months of carefull instruction these position should now be refined to suit the students capabilities and needs. After a year or so we can consider the forearms now strong enough to facilitate other aspects, some of which you talk of. That has taken a year to get to this stage, as i said before i would advise a begineer to not go below the 7th fret, but after many months of practice and training i would assume there arms and hands fit enough to handle such extremes. What we are encouraging is the gradual build up of strength and technique together, each supporting the other.

You talk of squeezing the neck, well we agree there and at no point is that ever mentioned. Having your thumb in any position does not mean it has to squeeze.
Everything your hands do comes from you brains understanding of the situation, if you want to squeeze you will. That's why i said in the previous post you don't understand technique. Technique is not an in-voluntary response, you make the desision to do it, you make a concious decision to play the way you do. Its just whether you have understood what is being asked of you and its conciquences to you?

You talk of repeditive motion hurting, so to understand what muscle controled motion is, you have to have a slight understanding of what and why muscles do what they do.
The easiest way to do this is to remove what it is you are talking about from the argument, in this case a bass guitar.
So now all movement is based on the body and the muscles ability. I am right handed so if i sit at a table and strum my left hand fingers on the table, and the fore, middle and ring finger of the left hand to make the sound of horses galloping, soldiers marching, drum rhythms etc.... what is happening?
That is a physical activity as far as my body is concerned, take the passion of music and instrument out and that is a physical activity, so the laws of anatomy apply. The blood must flow to give the muscles oxygen, the blood need to be oxygenated, the muscle needs nerve stimulus, the joints must be supple, the ligaments need to be healthy, all this needs energy from water and diet, vitamins and minerals must be correct in the right balance, waste product like lactic acid , carbon dioxide, sweat etc must be carried away, its goes on and on..
Just because we have a bass in our hands all these things don't suddenly "NOT APPLY"
Blinking, heart beat, breathing, etc are repeditive motion that we need to make our bodies work better for us, so not all repeditive motion produces injury.
As for the gamers golfers etc, usually when they stop the first thing they do, in the gamers situation, is use more movement to counter the lack of movement they have been experiening, they will shake their hands extend their wrists, and fingers, side bends of the wrist, stretches, shoulder shrugs etc, all manner of things to counter the one plane motion they have been using.
One plain motion would be for players the fingers short backward and forward motion. They never get to experience the full closure or extention of the fingers, the side ways movement, or the tension, rexlax movement that muscles desire, it is always tension till they stop playing.

Most all of us have fairly standardized muscular and skeletal systems which don't require complete reinvention of technique.

It is the layout that is the same, but the functions capabilities that are totaly different as are the bodies they use. I am Scottish and red headed so let me work in the sun for a few hours with say a native of Trinidad and see who come off worst, after all we are pretty standard as human beings.


This reinvention of technique, who invented it in the first place and what was the reasoning behind it?


Lets talk injuries for a moment. Your right that is an umberella so lets sort a few out for players to seach on;
Intersection syndrome, extensor carpi ulnaris tendinitis, trigger finger, scapholunate ligament sprain, triangular fibrocartilage complex injury, gymnast's wrist of the radius, Kienböck's disease of the lunate, and scaphoid or hamate fractures, the list goes on. De Quervain's tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), two of the most common hand/ wrist overuse conditions seen in hand problems. In CTS it is the palm and wrist area that is the problem not the fingers. Can you see the pattern?
If the fingers are at fault the problem is seen in the fingers as a rule most others are related or refered, its that glass shafted hammer again.

In de Quervains and CTS ( de Quervains tenosynovitis is associated with CTS and trigger finger problems) it is never the fingers that are the problems, but they suffer. In de Quevains it is the thumb that is the culprit, not its over use but its missuse, usually using to much pressure on it. This is why if you think back to the glass hammer it is much the same way to view it, the head is fine it is the shaft that is the fault. So change the shaft for on that will take the strains and forces asked of it and it will last you a life time. Few good quality hammers fail because the head broke.

Economy of motion, great phrase but what does it mean? What is it wanting us to to? Motion enacts motion, by that i mean some motions which look the opposite of whats intended actualy are desirable. Why do we start some motions with a slight motion in the opposite direction? Why do we add motions where realy there should be none? Next time you play pool in a bar, just follow through to the shot, or just draw the cue back once and follow through to the shot. That is just one example, and yes there are many other benificial reasons in cueing they way it is dong, but there is an economy of motion in it, no motion is wasted, it is all used to make the cue go straight.

So economy of motion for me is what makes fingers job, the point of contact, easier. In other words do the fingers have the right height from the fretboard, are they working in the correct order, do they have all the access they need at this point in playing etc. not about where the thumb is and what the thumb is doing, as i would not worry about the position of my feet.
If need be i could play without my thumb touching the neck as can many if shown and pacticed at it, so that shows that its position is not as important are the pressure, that unseen force that no book or video will show you, that is the real culprit.
Pressure and the over use of it is what causes many hand problems, along with the lack of opposite plain motion and stretching to relieve these things.

As for the Cream video and Jack Bruce a clasical trained cello and up-right player whose jazz and blues playing is second to none, who has beem an inovator and inspiration to thousands, and in that respect maybe millions by an indirect route.
You suggest that Jacks playing could benifit from better technique....based on what? The clip shows his using one technique for that song and that time in his career.
Like i said your are basing what is best for you on to someone else, and what a someone else...Jack Bruce LOL
I think i know what Jacks reaction to you would be, and that could be anatomicaly impossible lol

Once again i have not seen any evidence to suggest that a thumb or flat finger techniques are harmfull all they are are restrictive. In being resritictive the use bigger or bundles of muscle groups, and that is strength, and strength is restrictive as it is a slow twitch response. I would explain more but this is going on and on, it is not as simple as just technique. Preform seaches on key words and get back if anyone need more info.

If you want a bit more there are a number of blogs on my myspace page about such things, these are extracts from a book that i am putting together on issues like those above. Feel free to talk to doctors and medical pofessionals about any of the stuff, you will find for the most it is verified medical facts where appropriate, and please leave any opinions or question to be considered, all welcome

http://www.myspace.com/vintageprecisionbass

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by Phil Smith

More fuel for the fire:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGuoY...eature=related

Again a great show but why can Stanley Clarke do this?
Look at all the elements of his technique with what he is achieving in doing so. Remember one song one place in time. I love the flatness of his wrist to the frettboard, great position, he lets the fingers do the work. In 78 i done some damage trying his stuff on my P bass. With no footage available just sound i worked on what i knew he was doing. I then stayed up to watch him on a program with George Duke, saw the technique, more imprortanty saw the bass, a short scale Amblic, which when i later found out a couple of days later had very light stings... i stopped and that was it for me.
I became a listener and fan of his work because for me what he was doing was un-atainable and un-realistic to my make up and budget.LOL
Back then footage of a player was rare, because if it was not on TV you never saw it. That was about five years from hearing him originaly play on an LP around a friends and getting to see him in action. Different days completely to now, what with the web and youtube to view, but monkey see, monkey do is not the same a monkey understand.