real problems with left hand...

the gimp · #1 08-18-2006, 05:50 PM

my fingers are naturally long and quite thin (and weak it seems) and when i press down on the strings my hand just feels so weak and movement is quite clumsy, this produses lots of string rattling and fluffed notes.

it just feels like my fingers just werent made for playing bass,

so i ask, is it possible to overcome a natural disadvantage and become a decent bass player?

Flintc · #2 08-18-2006, 06:06 PM

I don't know. What I DO know is that I've played many different instruments in my life, and all of them were damn difficult for a discouragingly long time. I came up with a rule of thumb: If you practice every day (don't skip ANY days) for at least one hour (two if possible) on an instrument for 3 years and you don't think you've got anywhere, you may have genuine physical problems with that instrument.

But roughly speaking, if you have put in less than 1000 hours of real practice (NOT sitting in front of the TV doing the same thing over and over), you just can't answer your question.

Personally, I just started the bass. I made a commitment like I did for a few other instruments (and marriage!): 2 hours EVERY DAY for the next 2 years. Including fun stuff like what I already can play (once I can play anything at all), boring stuff like scales with modes and arpeggios, and (when I reach that point) advanced techniques like hammers, pops, slaps, bends, slides, chords, harmonics, and the like.

This mindset and practice approach has served me well in the past on instruments you blow into, and I hope it works with the bass as well. Right now, after maybe 20 hours of practice, I feel like a total klutz. I expect to feel this way for AT LEAST six months (300 hours). You should too.

jasonheath · #3 08-18-2006, 06:15 PM

I would make sure to study with a good teacher--you can get some tips that will really make a big difference. Also, try squeezing a tennis ball with the left hand off and on throughout the day and take a lot of breaks during your practicing. You'll build up hand strength over a period of weeks and months.

Poop-Loops · #4 08-18-2006, 06:17 PM

You sure your bass is set up correctly? You really shouldn't need to press down hard.

Also, are you pressing down directly behind the fret?

wesker · #5 08-18-2006, 06:29 PM

How long are you playing mate?Cause i think that you are loosing your morale without any reason.

BrandonBass · #6 08-19-2006, 04:14 AM

Hey man you have to press on the fret, not the middle area between 2 frets.

Also, it can be your action.

As far as I know, bass/guitar playing doesnt require amazing strength and crap its all down to the technique.

vindy500 · #7 08-19-2006, 04:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flintc

I don't know. What I DO know is that I've played many different instruments in my life, and all of them were damn difficult for a discouragingly long time. I came up with a rule of thumb: If you practice every day (don't skip ANY days) for at least one hour (two if possible) on an instrument for 3 years and you don't think you've got anywhere, you may have genuine physical problems with that instrument.

But roughly speaking, if you have put in less than 1000 hours of real practice (NOT sitting in front of the TV doing the same thing over and over), you just can't answer your question.

Personally, I just started the bass. I made a commitment like I did for a few other instruments (and marriage!): 2 hours EVERY DAY for the next 2 years. Including fun stuff like what I already can play (once I can play anything at all), boring stuff like scales with modes and arpeggios, and (when I reach that point) advanced techniques like hammers, pops, slaps, bends, slides, chords, harmonics, and the like.

This mindset and practice approach has served me well in the past on instruments you blow into, and I hope it works with the bass as well. Right now, after maybe 20 hours of practice, I feel like a total klutz. I expect to feel this way for AT LEAST six months (300 hours). You should too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandonbass

Hey man you have to press on the fret, not the middle area between 2 frets.

Also, it can be your action.

no. you press between the fret bud

As far as I know, bass/guitar playing doesnt require amazing strength and crap its all down to the technique.

Alec W. Conway · #8 08-19-2006, 07:33 AM

In Québec, we francophones have a saying that goes :

PPPC

Meaning : pratique pratique pratique calisse

Translated, this gives

Practice Practice Pratice Damn it.

Hope this helps

PrimusNut · #9 08-20-2006, 06:33 PM

I am going to have to agree with Alec on this one.

Also, don't get discouraged fast. Every instrument takes quite a while to "get used to". For bass "getting used to" would mean building your finger strength (in your case this make take a while, as you say you have weak fingers), building callouses, and getting the correct technique down. When it all comes down to it, technique is the most important part of the getting used to the instrument. Once you have a good technique set, the finger strength and callouses come along after a while. Also play as muxh as you can per day, but take a break if you start to feel pain or your hands cramp up.

Flintc · #10 08-20-2006, 07:49 PM

When I first started on some instruments where my fingers had to cover holes, I thought my hands were "weak" because I had to squeeze so very hard to get the note. Later, I discovered that once your fingers know *exactly* where the holes are and don't miss them even by a 64th of an inch, you don't need any pressure at all.

I'm learning that this is also true of the bass. If I fret a string just behind the fret (NOT *on* the fret, but not in the middle between frets either. Right up against the fret), why, I hardly need to press down at all. Deja vu all over again, man. To play clean, without buzzing or fluffs and without pressing hardly at all, fretting-finger placement is critical. Perhaps as critical as on a fretless, for a good clean line played smoothly and quickly.

What works for me is to take one finger, one string, and one fret, and try pressing in slightly different locations, while picking or popping with different intensities. Find the sweet spot behind the fret, and learn it. Start slow. Put in the hours. Don't practice being sloppy.

Poop-Loops · #11 08-20-2006, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrandonBass

Hey man you have to press on the fret, not the middle area between 2 frets.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vindy500

no. you press between the fret bud

Both of you are wrong. Directly on the fret will cause you to muffle the strings.

Between the frets is not as efficient and precise.

You press down directly behind the fret.

bumpytrot · #12 08-20-2006, 08:12 PM

If you're just starting out, don't worry about it. My fingers are also long and thin, and I had that problem at first too. I'm a hobbyist, and play for only a little bit every day (rarely more than half an hour). Doing that, it took maybe nine months before it started to feel comfortable to play, but now it feels good. So I'd suggest giving it time and working on building finger strength. Also, there may be advantages to having long fingers when playing bass guitar.

cato · #13 08-20-2006, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bumpytrot

Also, there may be advantages to having long fingers when playing bass guitar.

i can say without question i wish my fingers were longer. having been playing bass for about 2 months now i've noticed my fretting hand is stronger and more dextrous than it ever was. my callouses are starting to build and with my short weak fingers and a grip excerciser (and a SMALL amount of stretching) i'm almost at OFPF: one finger per fret.

bass-icially practice some more