Left hand finger tips sticking to strings

[Rocks]

I was watching Jeff Beck live at Ronnie Scots for probably the 20th time and watching Tal on bass during her solo in "cause we've ended as lovers" she does this sliding vibrato (I'm guessing its vibrato) where she'll hit a note and very fast slide up and down a fret back and forth. I've tried to do this and no matter how hard I try my left hand finger tips just seem to stick to the strings too much to accomplish what she is doing.

That being said, I'll give you some basic info. I play with medium gauge Chromes (have same problem but worse with round wounds) I've tried things like fast fret and finger ease and they don't seem to help much. I've been mainly a rock player for most of my life and never really tried doing this technique before. I play with clean hands, maybe not freshly washed but certainly washed after doing anything that would get them dirty. I don't recall ever seeing a rock bassist do this before but it seems like it is probably big in Jazz bass playing.

Is there something I am doing wrong? Something else I can try to help stop the finger friction? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[LaklandBass]

Sweat. Works for me. I was going to say your strings but Chromes play great so I dont think its that.

[Rocks]

Originally Posted by LaklandBass

Sweat. Works for me. I was going to say your strings but Chromes play great so I dont think its that.

I don't really sweat when practicing at home, nice and cool in the house and I sit down to practice. And yes, I love the Chromes too, really sound great in the mix with the band and feel much nicer on my fingers, less/no blisters and easier to finger pick.

Maybe lowering my action would help reduce the friction, its not really high, but not super low either.

[Tampabass]

You don't by chance get jacked up on maple syrup before you play, do you?

[Rocks]

Originally Posted by Tampabass

You don't by chance get jacked up on maple syrup before you play, do you?

My basses neck has asked for maple syrup, but to answer your question, no I don't.

[Skitch it!]

Originally Posted by Rocks

I was watching Jeff Beck live at Ronnie Scots for probably the 20th time and watching Tal on bass during her solo in "cause we've ended as lovers" she does this sliding vibrato (I'm guessing its vibrato) where she'll hit a note and very fast slide up and down a fret back and forth. I've tried to do this and no matter how hard I try my left hand finger tips just seem to stick to the strings too much to accomplish what she is doing.

That being said, I'll give you some basic info. I play with medium gauge Chromes (have same problem but worse with round wounds) I've tried things like fast fret and finger ease and they don't seem to help much. I've been mainly a rock player for most of my life and never really tried doing this technique before. I play with clean hands, maybe not freshly washed but certainly washed after doing anything that would get them dirty. I don't recall ever seeing a rock bassist do this before but it seems like it is probably big in Jazz bass playing.

Is there something I am doing wrong? Something else I can try to help stop the finger friction? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

09-08-2010, 08:48 PM
Skitch it!

A little thing I used to use for a reminder of fretting finger pressure, put your index (or other) fretting finger on the string hovering above the fret you want to play (don't fret it), play 8's/16th's with your picking hand on that string, now increase down-pressure (slowly) with your fretting finger until the string frets the note cleanly and it's clear....it's surprising how little fretting finger pressure it takes to sound a note cleanly and allow you to skip around. Just a thought.

Try gliding through not gripping for train track vib, just a thought.

[totallyfrozen]

Originally Posted by Skitch it!;9706329 09-08-2010, 08:48 PM

A little thing I used to use for a reminder of fretting finger pressure, put your index (or other) fretting finger on the string hovering above the fret you want to play (don't fret it), play 8's/16th's with your picking hand on that string, now increase down-pressure (slowly) with your fretting finger until the string frets the note cleanly and it's clear....it's surprising how little fretting finger pressure it takes to sound a note cleanly and allow you to skip around. Just a thought.

Try gliding through not gripping for train track vib, just a thought.

+1
Sometimes having a low action can make this a bit easier too, IME.

[Rocks]

Originally Posted by Skitch it!

09-08-2010, 08:48 PM
Skitch it!

A little thing I used to use for a reminder of fretting finger pressure, put your index (or other) fretting finger on the string hovering above the fret you want to play (don't fret it), play 8's/16th's with your picking hand on that string, now increase down-pressure (slowly) with your fretting finger until the string frets the note cleanly and it's clear....it's surprising how little fretting finger pressure it takes to sound a note cleanly and allow you to skip around. Just a thought.

Try gliding through not gripping for train track vib, just a thought.

I have been trying to lighten my grip and fret the string very close to the fret. I have lightened up my grip quite a bit and now fret right at/on the fret. I used to fret strings so hard you'd think I was trying to push them through the fret board. It has really helped with pain in my left thumb..

[Bassist4Life]

how hard are you pressing the string against the fingerboard? i believe there are a lot of people that play with more "muscle" than necessary. a player like tal probably plays very relaxed and fluid.

i slide around a lot when i play, mostly ascending. i wish we could she a short video clip of your technique. do you have a cheap digital camera where you can record a 10 second clip, post it on youtube and give us a link to see it?

your finger doesn't literally stick, does it? it drags in a rough way across the top of the string, right?

i wish we could see this happen. it would help us help you.

joe

[Skitch it!]

Originally Posted by Rocks

I have been trying to lighten my grip and fret the string very close to the fret. I have lightened up my grip quite a bit and now fret right at/on the fret. I used to fret strings so hard you'd think I was trying to push them through the fret board. It has really helped with pain in my left thumb..

+1, IMO the exercise in is releasing fretting tension and developing.... 'touch' .

[IconBasser]

I always wash my hands before playing. Even if I haven't been doing anything to dirty them, I always notice that it is much easier to play after I wash my hands.

[Rocks]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

I always wash my hands before playing. Even if I haven't been doing anything to dirty them, I always notice that it is much easier to play after I wash my hands.

Thats odd, when I wash my hands right before playing it seems to make them stick even more. My finger tips never have an oily feel to them, even if they haven't been washed in a few hours.

[Skitch it!]

Originally Posted by Rocks

Thats odd, when I wash my hands right before playing it seems to make them stick even more. My finger tips never have an oily feel to them, even if they haven't been washed in a few hours.

IME they will, you've softened your pads/tips in water, they soak it up, when they dry out they become harder again and even sound slightly different, the reason why Steve Harris uses talc on his hands IME is because sweat softens your pads up, softening your attack and your tip doesn't reform/rebound as quickly as when dry, on hot sweaty gigs IME I can feel the slack in the tips and the sound change...it's a pain

http://www.pluckandplayguitar.com/to...ingertips.html

Or and I prefer this....Spike Lavender Oil, brush it on the tips of both hands and let it dry off.

[Rocks]

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

how hard are you pressing the string against the fingerboard? i believe there are a lot of people that play with more "muscle" than necessary. a player like tal probably plays very relaxed and fluid.

i slide around a lot when i play, mostly ascending. i wish we could she a short video clip of your technique. do you have a cheap digital camera where you can record a 10 second clip, post it on youtube and give us a link to see it?

your finger doesn't literally stick, does it? it drags in a rough way across the top of the string, right?

i wish we could see this happen. it would help us help you.

joe

Joel,
I'm playing Chromes, very smooth. What it feels like to me is friction between my finger tips and the strings.

[Bassist4Life]

Originally Posted by Rocks

Joel,
I'm playing Chromes, very smooth. What it feels like to me is friction between my finger tips and the strings.

It sounds like too much finger pressure to me.