Pissed off over technique

[fenderlover77]

I'm getting really sick of trying to learn the bass. It's just coming to me so slow. The technique. Music theory. Playing standing up. Learning songs. I've never played in a band and at this rate I doubt I ever will. 34 years old and still can't get it. My hand cramps up after three minutes of playing.

Gear: Fender Highway 1 Jazz bass
Galli flatwound strings
Basic Hartke combo amp
Studying bass books level 1

I know the fretboard from first position. I know all the note positions on the bass clef. Know 8th notes, whole and half notes. My technique sucks standing up cause I can't get the right leverage and my hand cramps. Technique is ok sitting. I know how to mute the strings with my fingers. I know proper hand position. I use my fingers.

I'm getting really frustrated. The process is too slow. I want to play out but not until I am capable. Very aggravating and I'm about to give up.

[stflbn]

Solution: An Instructor

Other things that will help:
A good setup on the bass (This will help the nut and strings to be lower and easier to play)
Lighter strings (Flats can require more hand strength to play, especially paired with a poor setup and high strings)


Depending on what you're wnating to play...
Spend more time playing what you like, or intend to play with others. Technical aspects are important, but feeling like you're progressing and enjoying what you play is most important. There's slews of capable bass players who do not know theory, etc, yet "know" how to play bass.

Play bass.


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[kreider204]

How long have you been at it?

[guroove]

When you pick up an instrument this late in life, it helps to be realistic about it, and not get too frustrated and goal oriented. Put the books down, and try to learn a tune by ear. Start with something simple, where you can clearly hear the bass parts, and you can hum the lines to yourself. In all likelihood, you're not going to be a big rock star, or do this for a living, so it's important to enjoy yourself. If you find that you just can't learn anything by ear, sell all your bass gear, and pick up a didgeridoo.

[Rockmusician]

How long have you been trying to play?

[Rockin Mike]

Find a song you like that only has 3 notes, and play along with it.
It's supposed to be fun, take a break from the hard studies and just jam a bit.

If you think it might be fun, get a screw driver and adjust the height of your bridge saddles. See how low you can get the action before it starts to buzz. That's just an adjustment, you can always reverse it if you don't like it.

Don't play with the truss rod, you can hurt your bass with that. Let a pro do that if needed.

[fenderlover77]

I just want to play in a cover band. I can learn covers if I know what songs they will be and have time to learn them. The problem is I keep messing up when I try and play them along to cd's.

I've been trying to learn off and on for about 13 years. If I add up all the time I have devoted trying to learn over the past 13 years is a year practicing 1 to 2 hours a day. Got real serious about it the past few months. I get frustrated and walk away from it because of the difficulty I have playing standing up.

I don't know where to find a quality instructor in the St. Petersburg/Tampa area. I had an instructor at a community college for a semester about a year ago and he never could remember what was being practiced for the week or really seemed to care about my progress. I barely learned anything from him.

I know the beginning of the song "Wildchild" and "My Eyes have seen you" by the Doors. That's it. Can't seem to get past a certain part cause of the speed I need to get to the next part. My hand cramps and I have a hard time relaxing my hand and body while playing. I enjoy playing but the lack of progress over these years is getting to me.

[skychief]

You dont state how long youve been playing. If not long, I would agree with stflbn "Solution: an instructor" One thing the basic bass books cant teach (effectively) is technique. A live, breathing instructor can, and will prevent you from getting into catastophic bass habits. I played bass for 20 years before getting an instructor. Took another 2 years of intensive schooling to unlearn all the nasty habits i developed over those 20 years! If i had a chance to do it all over, Ida got the instructor the day after i bought my 1st bass.

[stflbn]

It sounds to me like your bass has a horrible setup which makes it tough to play, and the fun of playing it is compounded by higher tension Flatwound strings.

You should be able to fret a note with your left hand essentially without your thumb touching the back of the bass guitars neck. Most newer players feel they need a death grip to accomplish fretting, which is not needed. I often force myself to practice some without my thumb around the back of the neck just to remind myself how little pressure is actually needed. At least with how my basses are set up... and they're not setup as low as they could be.


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[BassBrass]

For any artist of any kind in any media: if you HAVE TO do it, you will do it. If you don't have to do it you will give up because needing to do it is the only way you'll put yourself through the pain and self doubt. (see R.M. Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet) Not having started as a child makes this doubly true. Children can gain some technique and then make an informed decision as an adult. Much harder for an adult starting at point zero. (Unless you don't have a choice)

[Lobster11]

It sounds to me like you are trying to learn to many things at once. One thing at a time. (I say this as someone who took up bass, as a very first instrument, when in his early 40's.)

Of all the problems you mentioned, the first one you need to solve is physical position. If you are finding that playing standing up is much harder than sitting down, you've gotta fix this before you do anything else. Your strap should be adjusted so that when you are standing, the bass sits right where it does when you are sitting. Are you doing that?

Getting your physical positioning right might also be the solution for your cramping. Either hand will cramp if your bass is in such a position that you have to severely bend the corresponding wrist to pluck or fret notes, respectively. If your bass is too high, you might be bending your right wrist too much; if the bass is too low, you might be bending your left wrist too much. It shouldn't take long to solve this problem, and then you can start working on the others....

[aaronhutson]

Try just learning a few easy songs that you like. Something to just spark things up a little.

[Col Pruse]

Definitely get an instructor. At least just to show you proper technique. from there you can do what ever.

I started lessons about a year after I started playing. First thing the teacher did was adjust my fretting style and right hand...

[Hutzbordello]

the guitarist for king crimson always sat down when he played. so really just do whats comfortable

[paganjack]

Get a decent teacher. Then take things one at a time. It admittedly takes a lot of patience to learn an instrument, but some guidance may help you.

Your hand shouldn't cramp up instantly, are you keeping your wrists straight? If they are super bent over it will probably hurt quickly. It really should not take much pressure to fret notes or pluck them either. A setup may help with that end too.

[skwee]

have a few lessons--getting a real person's eyes and ears on your playing will help immeasurably, and get you off on the right track.

[Raymeous]

Quick question on the standing up bit...

How low is your bass? If you are doing the stereotypical low slung punk bass thing, your wrists and hands are going to hurt, and it will be harder to play overall. It physically shifts how your hands can reach around the neck of the bass. You know those geeky guys with their basses way up high? There's a reason for it. It's easier to play it because you're not reaching down to their knees to play it. Generally speaking my guitars and basses tend to rest about "belt buckle" height. Probably 2/3's above the belt, and 1/2 below. If you're going to play at this spot just make sure you're wearing a smooth topped buckle and that your shirt is hanging over it.

As far as getting better and playing with a band, there is a lot to be said for jamming with your buddies. Even if you think you suck, there is no better way to learn than by doing. You WILL mess up. EVERYBODY screws up a change or misses a chord. It happens all of the time. Even the pros do it.

I remember an interview with Iron Maiden back when I was in high school and the magazine was asking something to the effect of "How is it that you guys never mess up?" and the bands response was perfect "Are you kidding me? We **** up all the time! We just don't make a big show of it by rolling our eyes or throwing a temper tantrum on stage, so you simply don't see it. Make a mistake and just keep goin'"

[makkE]

You sound to me like you are thinking too much.

Once in a while, pick up you bass and just play! Enjoy the nice deep thumpin boom-boom-boom, and make some music.

Don't get too worked up about technique. It's great to focus on improving your technique while practice, but it's not all there's to it.

Like others said - if you are comfortable sitting down, adjust your strap height so it's the same - then give yourself some time to adapt to it. Also, your hand cramping up after three minutes sounds to me like either: Your setup/action is bad, or you're worrying too much about it, getting mentally tensed up about "playing right". Like others said, a good instructor will probably be able to help you.

If your goal is to play in a band, go for it! It will teach you a lot of things that you can't learn practicing alone. You'll learn how to mess up but keep going. You will learn how to relax if things go wrong or you get the cramps, and that you simply can't play perfect 100% of the time.

Applying proper technique is, as far as I have experienced, a thing you can not force. You can concentrate on it during practice, but it's just as important as simply getting the line down and have fun while doing so. Eventually, it will all come together. There's time to practice, and there is time to just play.

[HugeInJapan]

I'm going to say it as well, because it is great advice. Get an instructor. Check your local music stores, see if they offer instruction or maybe the have fliers hanging up. Also don't be afraid to switch instructors, I went through 3 or 4 before I found one that I really liked.

Also don't wait until you are "ready" to join a band. I've been playing in bands 15 years and sometimes I still feel like I'm not really ready. Just get out there and do it. Nobody will notice the mistakes if you keep smiling and play through them.

[bassmeknik]

Originally Posted by makkE

You sound to me like you are thinking too much.

Once in a while, pick up you bass and just play! Enjoy the nice deep thumpin boom-boom-boom, and make some music.

Don't get too worked up about technique. It's great to focus on improving your technique while practice, but it's not all there's to it.

Like others said - if you are comfortable sitting down, adjust your strap height so it's the same - then give yourself some time to adapt to it. Also, your hand cramping up after three minutes sounds to me like either: Your setup/action is bad, or you're worrying too much about it, getting mentally tensed up about "playing right". Like others said, a good instructor will probably be able to help you.

If your goal is to play in a band, go for it! It will teach you a lot of things that you can't learn practicing alone. You'll learn how to mess up but keep going. You will learn how to relax if things go wrong or you get the cramps, and that you simply can't play perfect 100% of the time.

Applying proper technique is, as far as I have experienced, a thing you can not force. You can concentrate on it during practice, but it's just as important as simply getting the line down and have fun while doing so. Eventually, it will all come together. There's time to practice, and there is time to just play.

1+

Play for fun...

If your hand is cramping I am thinking the set-up is less than optimal. Get a professional set-up and have the playing action/neck relief, etc. dialed in and you should notice the next plateau seems closer... I have recommended lighter strings and lower action on many a students instruments as a method of advancing technique. Teaching how to play on light strings makes a lot of sense as strength comes from practice and the quicker you can master a piece the more motivating it can be.

As a beginner or intermediate student I recommend a easy to play instrument as a motivator. Spend some cash on new set-up and lighter strings (for now) and see how much easier your lessons/practice works are to master.