Left hand strength.

[Admpres]

Okay, so lately I've been listening to a lot of Wooten and Claypool. And I was wondering if anyone has any tips for building left (fretting) hand strength for slapping? I already have most of the right hand techniques down that Wooten uses, so I'm set there. (Except for those damn harmonic-slides!)
I have huge dinnerplate hands and fingers, So any technique advice with accuracy and tone would be helpful too.

[makkE]

This video will tell you how to relax and only use as much pressure as possible to fret. That way you won't need to "build up left hand strenght" - you already have the strenth it takes (unless your action is insanely high, but I guess it's rather low since you slap).

I have been doing what gary willis suggests, just 1-2 minutes before playing/practice sessions and it helped me a lot.

[FrettyBassGirl]

Originally Posted by Admpres

Okay, so lately I've been listening to a lot of Wooten and Claypool. And I was wondering if anyone has any tips for building left (fretting) hand strength for slapping? I already have most of the right hand techniques down that Wooten uses, so I'm set there. (Except for those damn harmonic-slides!)
I have huge dinnerplate hands and fingers, So any technique advice with accuracy and tone would be helpful too.

Try just playing really simple stuff slowly concentrating hard on technique. Have your fingers at a right angle degree and press firmly, good luck.

[makkE]

Originally Posted by FrettyBassGirl

Try just playing really simple stuff slowly concentrating hard on technique.
.

That's the only part of your post I can agree with.

"Press firmly" is not a good advice for someone who wants to refine his technique. The key should be to only use the pressure that is absolutely necessary to fret the note cleanly.

I'm also sceptical about the "keep your fingers at a right angle" part. I have large hands and play a large neck, and if I followed your advice, I'd have a health problem really soon. Everyone's diffrent, so what might work for you might not work well for others.

[Raedwald]

I would say "consider investing in a Gripmaster hand exerciser", but if your hands and digits are generously proportioned I don't know how comfortable you'd find it to use.

[Snarf]

Stopping the strings with your left hand fingers requires no more pressure or strength whether you're playing finger style or slapping.

Don't buy a silly grip exercise machine thingy. If your hands are too weak, you've already got the only thing you need for practice: your bass.

I get the feeling you're tensing up and feel the need to exert more pressure. Just relax.

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by Snarf

Don't buy a silly grip exercise machine thingy.

+1.

Unless your hand is weak through illness or injury, you have had enough strength to fret a string since you were about five or six years old. It is not strength that you need to concentrate on but finger independence and dexterity...a completely different thing altogether.

[nordyboy]

Bass technique book by Alex sklarevsky excuse the spelling, excellent for working on left and right hand technique and strength, but it is v hard work and requires discipline!!
Hope that helps. Ian

[jacojbass]

it not strength you need.....flexibility and endurance are. think of it like lifting something heavy, can't do it for a long period, but lift something light, can do for much longer time before exhaustion. your effort on bass should be like that....

[conqr]

I find it takes a lot more 'strength' to fret for fingerstyle than slap since notes (and thus fretting times) are shorter with slap. The key to slap is not strength per se - it's a bit of treble/mids along with bass, a light bouncy touch and most importantly muscle memory that comes with repetition.

Once you're accomplished enough you can then play harder if you wish (like old thunder thumb Louis Johnson)

[grendle]

You don't need strength, just a good setup with low action. It should only take maybe double a mouse click of pressure? If you have to fight it its your set up not your hands.

[cire113]

how do you do those slide harmonics that vic does?

[Russell L]

Left hand technique does not require a lot of pressure, nor do your fingers have to be at a right angle to the frets, nor does your thumb have to remain squarely in the center of the back. It's all rather about coordination. If you press too hard you WILL get a "stone bruise" on your fingertip. Trying to do the other things will tire your hand and arm. Instead, just relax completely. Try pushing just one string down and notice how much pressure it takes to hold it cleanly against the fret. Do it again and think about it. That's all it takes. If you get rattles when playing it's not because you need to press harder, but that you need to get more coordinated.

That's my opinion, and I believe I'm right.

[jallenbass]

Originally Posted by Russell L

Left hand technique does not require a lot of pressure, nor do your fingers have to be at a right angle to the frets, nor does your thumb have to remain squarely in the center of the back. It's all rather about coordination. If you press too hard you WILL get a "stone bruise" on your fingertip. Trying to do the other things will tire your hand and arm. Instead, just relax completely. Try pushing just one string down and notice how much pressure it takes to hold it cleanly against the fret. Do it again and think about it. That's all it takes. If you get rattles when playing it's not because you need to press harder, but that you need to get more coordinated.

That's my opinion, and I believe I'm right.

Yes.

The other thing that I have noticed for myself is that you learn what muscles NOT to use when playing the bass. That also contributes to the ease of your physical approach.