So what's your weak link(hand)... ?

Suckbird · #1 08-08-2005, 07:12 AM

So wich of your hands is your weak link? The plucking hand, the fretting hand?

For me, the plucking hand.

How about you?

Jazzin' · #2 08-08-2005, 07:34 AM

Speed-wise, it's my plucking hand.

HotTubesGrooves · #3 08-08-2005, 07:43 AM

Definatley my plucking hand. I play with 3 fingers but have never really developed any kind of set patten, I just seem to randomly alternate.

Its causing real problems now I'm working on playing Teen Town... it sounds a mess!

Suckbird · #4 08-08-2005, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotTubesGrooves

Definatley my plucking hand. I play with 3 fingers but have never really developed any kind of set patten, I just seem to randomly alternate.

Its causing real problems now I'm working on playing Teen Town... it sounds a mess!

Try 3-2-1.

PaulF · #5 08-08-2005, 10:43 AM

My Left Hand

I'm having real problems with cramping - and I'm sure it's to do with a bad wrist angle but I can't seem to figure out how to resolve it.

I'm almost exactly like Figure 7 in this Adam Nitti lesson:

http://www.adamnitti.com/bass_player_03.shtml

but I'm not sure what to do about it. It mentions raising the bass higher, but I have had it 'Mark King' high in the past, but this does tend to give me problems with my right hand (I don't slap, I play mainly finger style with my thumb resting on either the strings or the pickup).

I try to keep the neck angled up (45-60 degrees) which seems to help a little, but the only way I can releive the tension is to revert back to playing with my thumb along the top edge of the neck (which reduces my fret span considerably).

Anyone got any simple suggestions?

Squidfinger · #6 08-08-2005, 11:55 AM

My fretting hand. I'm developing trigger finger because of some bad habits I used to have, namely pressing down too hard and always playing the root with my pointer finger. I don't press down too hard anymore but I'm still trying to get in the habit of playing scales in different positions.

**Vorago** · #7 08-08-2005, 01:02 PM

Probably my plucking hand, I rake a lot, and I get away with it most of the times.However, I'm trying to play the solo of "Used to be a cha-cha", which contains speedy plucking and fast arpeggio's, and if I don't strickly alternate I can't pull it off..

Both hands are far from perfect btw

jenderfazz · #8 08-08-2005, 01:20 PM

Plucking. My fretting hand is very able to do what I want it do, but my plucking hand is sometimes out of sync on faster passages. Also, when playing pickstyle, my picking hand is once again the weaker link as I'm not 100% proficient with the pick.

Suckbird · #9 08-08-2005, 02:04 PM

Well, my biggest issues is speed and stamina...

i guess my right hand technique is pretty good otherwise, strict alternation and a good muting technique(floating thumb).

Jeff Martinez · #10 08-09-2005, 11:39 AM

Definitely my fretting hand. I think the reason it gets worn out so often is because I use a lot of chords in my playing, and...damn that's a lot of string to hold down in a 7-minute song.

rashbeep · #11 08-09-2005, 12:39 PM

both arent great for me.. sometimes my fretting hand is not on the frets properly so i get an annoying buzz, and my plucking hand sometimes gets stuck on a string just for a second and im lost in the rest of the piece

. but if i were to choose one it would be my fretting hand

briand · #12 08-09-2005, 12:53 PM

hmm. I didn't vote. There's no choice(s) for "neither" (or "both").

I'm right handed. I had surgery several years ago on my right wrist (while working as a computer programmer), and had my arm, from elbow to fingertips in a cast for 9-1/2 weeks. Learned to do a lot of things left-handed, including type fairly proficiently. End result (other than, of course, the actual objective of the surgery in the first place) was that my left hand was significantly more nimble than before.

A few years ago, while enrolled in the academy, I ended up getting three ribs cracked on my right side on the first day of Defensive Tactics training. So, I completed that training (mostly) left handed, which (at the very least) increased the strength on my left side to approximately the same as my right.

No, I'm not truly ambidextrous, but I don't think I have a 'weaker' side. ...not that I would recommend either of these particular methods to others here to increase either their weak-side agility or weak-side strength.

- briand

Suckbird · #13 08-09-2005, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by briand

hmm. I didn't vote. There's no choice(s) for "neither" (or "both").

...because if both your hands is at the same level you have no weak link...

chasfr · #14 08-09-2005, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suckbird

...because if both your hands is at the same level you have no weak link...

Or you have two

Chas

briand · #15 08-09-2005, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chasfr

Or you have two

Chas

...amend that to at least two! We haven't even gotten to my highly superior averageness or what, if anything, goes on with that muscle between my ears...

Monomer · #16 08-13-2005, 09:46 AM

left/fretting hand.

it has some odd problem where it always dis-locates itself from it's socket during playing.

and it hurts. badly.

Andy3825 · #17 08-13-2005, 03:19 PM

Plucking hand, i'm just not fast enough with it.

oldfclefer · #18 08-14-2005, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulF

My Left Hand

I'm having real problems with cramping - and I'm sure it's to do with a bad wrist angle but I can't seem to figure out how to resolve it.

I'm almost exactly like Figure 7 in this Adam Nitti lesson:

http://www.adamnitti.com/bass_player_03.shtml

but I'm not sure what to do about it. It mentions raising the bass higher, but I have had it 'Mark King' high in the past, but this does tend to give me problems with my right hand (I don't slap, I play mainly finger style with my thumb resting on either the strings or the pickup).

I try to keep the neck angled up (45-60 degrees) which seems to help a little, but the only way I can releive the tension is to revert back to playing with my thumb along the top edge of the neck (which reduces my fret span considerably).

Anyone got any simple suggestions?

My only suggestion is to keep playing and reslinging your bass until you find a comfortable angle, but mostly keep playing. I've found that most discomfort works itself out after awhile.

el_Kabong · #19 08-14-2005, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaulF

My Left Hand

I'm almost exactly like Figure 7 in this Adam Nitti lesson:

http://www.adamnitti.com/bass_player_03.shtml

Well if you don't want to raise your bass how about adopting the evil 'flat fingered' approach mentioned in figure 1? It'll help sort that wrist angle. I find it the best way to play funk stuff with lots of ghost notes (muted notes) and it stops sympathetic ringing on the higher strings. Also allows things like raking across muted strings before landing on a fretted note, makes it easy to mute the next string lower than the one you're playing by touching it with the tip of your index finger... lots of good stuff. Horses for courses imo.

**Vorago** · #20 08-14-2005, 07:51 AM

Well, I'm working now on SA, and I have to say, it's paying off. It felt totally awkward in the beginning, and I lost some "flow", but it offers more speed and precision, plus my plucking speed has increased, and the flow is coming back as well

I have the most trouble with alternating something like this:

--------9-----------------
------9---9---------------
----7-------7-------------
--0-----------0-----------

I'll get there.