Right hand technique; go for what's "right", or go for what's comfortable?

[PerlNinja]

Lately I've been trying to get some right hand technique in during my practices (at least trying to break the "bad" habit of anchoring my thumb on my pickup), and I was wondering about what's in the subject. I tried the whole "thumb on E string" thing, tried the floating thumb, and none of it is actually comfortable. I'm a computer geek by trade, as such I'm hesitant to use any sort of hand position where my wrist starts b*tching at me after 5 minutes.

One thing I found that is extremely comfortable for me is as far away from what seems to be the "accepted" norm; I put my thumb on top (eh, side I guess) of the neck, and depending on what strings are being played at any given time, I mute the E with my pinky, and mute A with my ring finger. I tried this for a while and found that not only is it more comfortable, I'm getting much more consistant sound.

So, what to do here? Do it "my way", or figure out how to get comfortable with e.g. wandering thumb or something like that?

(this post brought to you by my wife telling me "i've never seen anyone play bass that way, double-joo-tee-eff")

[grendle]

Do it your way. Seen plenty of players do that. There is no "right" just your own personal expression.

[PerlNinja]

I was planning on it, but I've seen some threads around here where the importance of proper technique turned into a pretty heated debate. Considering I'm new at this, I'd rather not start off by learning a bunch of bad habits I might have to break later.

Then again, health > technique ... I think.

Thanks

[MuzikMan]

If you are not experiencing pain then your technique should be fine.

[Fergie Fulton]

Computers eh..... Is one of the reasons you feel comfortable doing the thumb on the neck because it brings you hand forward, so your wrist and forearm are straighter as they run along the front of the bass more, rather than the wrist bent over the top? If so stick to it you will find it more benificial in the long run.It is no more right or wrong than any other technique, but if it's right for you then it is right.

[hyp.spec]

I have a hybrid of what you do and the floating technique.

I generally float my thumb 2 or 3 strings lower than I'm playing on and use my pink/ring finger to mute those strings if need be.

[PerlNinja]

Originally Posted by Fergie Fulton

Computers eh..... Is one of the reasons you feel comfortable doing the thumb on the neck because it brings you hand forward, so your wrist and forearm are straighter as they run along the front of the bass more, rather than the wrist bent over the top? If so stick to it you will find it more benificial in the long run.It is no more right or wrong than any other technique, but if it's right for you then it is right.

Pretty much yes, I end up in a similar position to having your hands on a keyboard, maybe wrist a little more bent, but nowhere near 45 degrees. It's comfortable and unlike the floating thumb, I don't even have to think about muting the strings, it just happens naturally.

Guess I'll keep it up for a while and see if it stays comfortable

Thanks guys for the replies

[FretlessMainly]

I've almost exclusively used the thumb-anchored technique. But I do move it around. I've used the neck/body joint as you pointed out, the top of a neck pickup (e.g., for a Jazz or Jaguar or Warwick), or the top of the pickguard (Rick) or a small crescent-shaped piece of lucite that I had Jim Mouradian make for me (various basses).

The key here is to get your right (I'm assuming you're righty) arm up and away from the body of the bass. People complain about body binding being uncomfortable - that's because they're not getting that arm up and off the bass body. The only part of my right (plucking) arm that actually touches the bass itself (exclusive of strings) is the tip of my right thumb. Assuming you have a decent anchor point for the thumb (a good "stop" that you can leverage), it's extremely comfortable. And it gets your plucking hand on top of the strings for even attack across all four, five, or six strings.

This may not work for you, but it's worked for me for 30+ years.

[PerlNinja]

Originally Posted by FretlessMainly

I've almost exclusively used the thumb-anchored technique. But I do move it around. I've used the neck/body joint as you pointed out, the top of a neck pickup (e.g., for a Jazz or Jaguar or Warwick), or the top of the pickguard (Rick) or a small crescent-shaped piece of lucite that I had Jim Mouradian make for me (various basses).

The key here is to get your right (I'm assuming you're righty) arm up and away from the body of the bass. People complain about body binding being uncomfortable - that's because they're not getting that arm up and off the bass body. The only part of my right (plucking) arm that actually touches the bass itself (exclusive of strings) is the tip of my right thumb. Assuming you have a decent anchor point for the thumb (a good "stop" that you can leverage), it's extremely comfortable. And it gets your plucking hand on top of the strings for even attack across all four, five, or six strings.

This may not work for you, but it's worked for me for 30+ years.

Hmm, I might give that a shot; I do have my underarm lightly touching on the bass, but that's similar to how I have my arms on my desk when I type, makes sure my wrist doesn't move much. Doesn't bother me at all though since my Cort has a pretty nicely contoured body that sort of encourages the position I'm using.

I think I'll experiment a little with the advice received so far and see what works, I guess my main "thing" is that it's comfortable and doesn't wreck my wrists in the long run... being a keyboard warrior I already have increased risk of RSI, and the last thing I'd want is to finally have it happen due to playing bass... that's not part of my plan

[Oobly]

Originally Posted by PerlNinja

I don't even have to think about muting the strings, it just happens naturally.

You lucky "#¤%&!

Personally it's the thing I have had the biggest struggle with. I tend to play a bit further back, between the pickups and have found floating thumb to be pretty easy to pick up, but I still struggle to mute the strings sometimes. One thing I realised is that when I have the bass on the strap, I tend to press against it with my right arm, to tilt it enough to see the frets. This was messing up the angle of my wrist and causing it to ache pretty quickly.

When I realised this, I changed the strap length, got some advice about finding my own way to mute and have been enjoying playing again since then.

In other words, DO IT YOUR WAY, it seems to be ergonomic for you and it works.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by PerlNinja

Pretty much yes, I end up in a similar position to having your hands on a keyboard, maybe wrist a little more bent, but nowhere near 45 degrees. It's comfortable and unlike the floating thumb, I don't even have to think about muting the strings, it just happens naturally.

Guess I'll keep it up for a while and see if it stays comfortable

Thanks guys for the replies

Sounds good to me, if it works for you...use it.
I'd like to point out that you and only you carry the responsibility and burden of what you do.
Proper techniques will cause damage and injury in many players, not because of the technique alone, but because we all use or bodies in different ways each day.
Our bodies are not exclusive to playing an instrument, so adding to its burden, for some may mean finding a different way from the "norm" to play.

The problem comes down to responsibility, and on a forum or the web that is very very lacking. If you follow the proper techniques and years down the line end up with permanant injuries or wear and tear because that is the advice of others, then who lives with the decision? Who can you go to to complain?

I see all sort of injuries and problems associated from playing, mainly they are long term injuries that are showing because the body is getting older. In this situation the body is breaking down because its ability to repair and protect itself is slowing down, joints are wearing out, old injuries are showing through, and physical work related tasks are becoming the jobs of younger fitter people. Computer related hand injuries outweigh playing related hand injuries. Without even playing a bass, people that work with computers that require a lot of imputing will develop the keyboard injuries that typists used to suffer with, even those that have heavy home use may find if affects their hands and wrists.

I have written before about how the hands have an important role in modern life. If you were born before the eighties then your ands would have had a reletively easy time of it. Their use in growing up would have been very different to it is now. In an age of push button and keypad technologies that range from mobile phones to computer games, remote controls to home computers, the hands role in life has become a very over used thing. People forget the hand was never designed for such use, it can cope and adapt to use such things but there will be a price to pay at some point.

So for me you do what is comfortable, and always do what is comfortable for you own personal hand use.

[Jools4001]

I never really worry about the 'right' technique. I find that my right hand position varies depending upon what I'm playing. Sometimes my thumb is anchored on one of the pickups, sometimes on the lowest string (E or B), sometimes on the end of the fingerboard, sometimes floating, I also use it to pluck the string and on very rare occasions I've even used it for slap...just do whatever feels right and sounds right... as long as it doesn't hurt.

[PerlNinja]

Originally Posted by Oobly

You lucky "#¤%&!

Tell me about it

Personally it's the thing I have had the biggest struggle with. I tend to play a bit further back, between the pickups and have found floating thumb to be pretty easy to pick up, but I still struggle to mute the strings sometimes. One thing I realised is that when I have the bass on the strap, I tend to press against it with my right arm, to tilt it enough to see the frets. This was messing up the angle of my wrist and causing it to ache pretty quickly.

If I play any other way than what I described, I can't mute worth a damn with my right hand, I mean, I can get the E muted just fine, but then it's mostly my left hand doing the work. Also found that I had to lower my bass a little bit so I wasn't pushing on it and it's literally just hanging on the strap with no strong contact from my arms or so on.

When I realised this, I changed the strap length, got some advice about finding my own way to mute and have been enjoying playing again since then.

In other words, DO IT YOUR WAY, it seems to be ergonomic for you and it works.

That does seem to be the general idea

[PerlNinja]

Originally Posted by Fergie Fulton

The problem comes down to responsibility, and on a forum or the web that is very very lacking. If you follow the proper techniques and years down the line end up with permanant injuries or wear and tear because that is the advice of others, then who lives with the decision? Who can you go to to complain?

I totally agree; although the goal of my post was to see what other people would think, and whether or not my new-found "comfortable" technique might have long-term nasty effects. I basically take everyone's advice under consideration, but am going to do it "my way" anyway, with a few slight tweaks perhaps due to the given advice

I have written before about how the hands have an important role in modern life. If you were born before the eighties then your ands would have had a reletively easy time of it. Their use in growing up would have been very different to it is now. In an age of push button and keypad technologies that range from mobile phones to computer games, remote controls to home computers, the hands role in life has become a very over used thing. People forget the hand was never designed for such use, it can cope and adapt to use such things but there will be a price to pay at some point.

1977 to be exact. I got an early start though, I got my first computer when I was about 12 years old, and have been a professional geek since I was 14. Since then I guess I've averaged 200 words per minute of typing an average of 60 hours per week for the last 20 years. Back when RSI started becoming a "hot topic" I paid attention to it and altered how I type and sit at my desk.

So for me you do what is comfortable, and always do what is comfortable for you own personal hand use.

(Side note: when taken out of context, this can sound *so* incredibly wrong... I'm sorry... the pervert in me came out)

Aaaanyway...

I did find that my hand position is eerily similar to how I have my hands when I type; looking at it a bit more, the spacing between my Cort's strings is also incredibly like the spacing between rows of letters on a keyboard, give or a take a centimeter. I guess my brain convinced itself that plucking strings == typing == instant muscle memory. That's where the string muting comes from, because when I type my ring finger and pinky float on the bottom right side of the keyboard to hit shift/ctrl. Coincidentally the same position required to mute E and A strings.

Coincidences aside, it's just comfortable to play like this, and I'm going to keep doing it Maybe later I'll post a pic or something, I'm currently not fully dressed so I'll avoid posting my man-boobs for all to see ...

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by PerlNinja

(Side note: when taken out of context, this can sound *so* incredibly wrong... I'm sorry... the pervert in me came out)

LOL point taken, i will make sure future grammer reflects your observation that double entendre may be present.

[LAPetrarca]

If it works for you......it's "right"!

[PerlNinja]

Originally Posted by Fergie Fulton

LOL point taken, i will make sure future grammer reflects your observation that double entendre may be present.

No worries, I uh... just have one of "those" minds. It's got it's own mansion down in the gutter, with a few sub and sub-sub basements.

Anyway, took some pictures. Warning: my cave/office walls are a really yellow shade of... yellow. My wife is the one that figured this colour would work, and being a properly trained husband, I just yes-deared... So yeah.



^ that's basically what it looks like; pinky and ring muting, and using index/middle for plucking. Thumb stays where it's at all the time.



^ for plucking E/A, D/G muted by fretting hand.

And yes, this is also a shameless test of my recently fixed macbook webcam. :P

[grendle]

yeah what ever works for ya without pain is best I would say. Personally i'm all over the place, thumb on the neck, bridge, pickup, strings, floating, what ever works for the song and tone.

[JimmyM]

I wouldn't say give up on floating thumb, but maybe you want to try to figure out why it hurts instead. Floating thumb is a great technique for playing and muting, and I know tons of folks who do it painlessly, so there's probably something you're doing that you shouldn't, and that's the source of your pain. That said, it's not going to kill you to anchor your thumb if it helps you stay pain-free.

[navitatl]

To me, RH technique is something that will correct itself with time. As long as you pay attention to how you sound and try to improve it, eventually you'll figure out something that works for you.