Is my technique strange?

[Ahmrik]

Hi Everybody,
I've recently started playing bass (About two months ago) and I'm wondering if my technique is strange.

Instead of learning Bass Lines I have been learning Blues Guitar riffs. This has made it easier for me to learn my left handed technique, Hammer ons and pull offs.

Just curious as to whether anybody else has done this or am i just as strange as my guitar playing friends say?

-Ahmrik-

[AGCurry]

Well... hammer-ons and pull-offs don't have a lot to do with playing bass. They're okay in their places but not terribly important to the job of bass.

[slapcracklepop]

Sure they do. Alot of basslines use hammer-ons and pull-offs. It's a technique thats used on both guitar and bass.

[Ahmrik]

I think they add a bit of spice but they aren't something I'd rely on. Can do them well due to learning Paranoid-Guitar Version. Are there any bands that use them frequently in bass lines?

[wulf]

Blues riffs are fine and there are plenty of places where hammer ons, pull offs, slides, bends and more can come in handy. However, it would also be worth learning some basslines, even if you stick in a bluesy context (pick up something by an electric blues band and figure out what the bass player is doing) - otherwise you might just sound like a guitarist filling in on bass rather than somebody who understands how to support the whole song.

Wulf

[chaosMK]

It's just one technique of many. If it is a comfortable way for you to make progress at this point, take it as far as you can. You will probably want to learn other approaches down the line.

[beyondhairy]

Originally Posted by Ahmrik

Are there any bands that use them frequently in bass lines?

a lot of tool basslines use hammer ons and pull offs quite frequently.. and Justin makes them work so well