Left Hand Questions From A Newbee

[jifdeng3]

OK, I have been playing for a little over a month now, and I have a couple of questions that I have not been able to find an answer to. The first is when you are playing 2 eighth notes on the same fret but different strings, how do you do this? The second question is, I have having trouble with speed and accuracy on the low part of the neck, mostly on the e and a string. My hand always wants to cramp, and not stay in the proper position with the thumb in the center of the neck. How can I improve this? I plan on seeking lessons, but all the instructors in my area are booked until April, so I wouls appriciate any help you can give. Thanks alot,

Andy

[ole Jason]

1. You can "bar" it with just one finger such as playing the A string with the pad of your finger and the D string on the first knuckle or just below it. You can also use two different fingers, which usually sounds cleaner and also allows you to mute each string independently. You may have to alter your hand position a bit from conventional form but it is accepted practice to do so.

2. It's hard to tell what the problem is without seeing your hand. Any way to post a picture? It could be that your hands just aren't used to playing yet. Make sure you stay relaxed and maintain a nice round hand shape to keep bloodflow at a maximum.

[Bruiser]

In response to your first question, I prefer to use two different fingers, because as Ole Jason said, it allows me to mute the string not being played. It does force you to rotate your hand out of the "ideal" position, but it sounds cleaner to me.

There's a good book that focuses on improving your speed and finger strength, called "Bass Fitness, an Exercising Handbook" by Josquin des Pres.

Regarding the second question, how high do you wear your bass? If it's too low, you have to strain your wrist to get around to the E and A strings.

Bruiser