my left hand hurts. oh the pain...THE PAIN!!

[paperdoll]

hi hi! this is my first post

everytime i play scale-like stuff, after a couple of minutes my left hand begins hurting, and as i try to keep playing it hurts more and starts slowing down and getting like kind of stiff (and sloppy of course) till i evertyhing goes to ****

i don't *think* it's a bad position, i took some lessons a while ago and my teacher did point some things but nothing to do with my left hand, not that i remember anyway

if i play simpler stuff it's not really a problem. and yeah, i know it's supposed to hurt, but after a minute? it's getting really annoying and i want to know what the hell does it have something to do with weak hands or something? i'm a girl btw.


note: the neck is a little bent (or whatever is the right word) so the strings are a bit high, but i don't think that's the problem.

HALP!!

[Nick Kay]

Pain should never occur anywhere except your fingertips when playing bass (and that should be after quite a long set). Where exactly in your hand does it hurt? How high are the strings, and what gauge are they? Are your wrists straight? Are you using proper technique for the height that your bass sits at? We'll need some more detail to help you out, mate.

[Rune Bivrin]

The most common mistake is usually pressing down the strings (fretting) much too hard. Unless the strings are incredibly high above the fret board, the force required to avoid string buzzing is a lot lesser than you might think.

And whenever you try something difficult it's common to press harder out of sheer concentration.

As a practice it's a good idea to vary the force applied with the fretting hand to see just how little is required. It is also good practice to try and play without touching the back of the neck with the thumb. It sounds weird, but should actually be possible.

And get that bent neck fixed. Take it to a tech for a setup, or do it yourself; it isn't really that hard. You'll need to tighten the truss rod and lower the bridges. I think there's a sticky on that.

[sound of bass]

How long have you been playing? Are your finger and forearm muscles still being "trained"? If its not new muscle use, its usually an ergonomic thing, or pressing harder than necessary. Try altering bass position, when I held my bass just below my chest with the neck slighty up it hurt constantly, I knew something wasnt right. Now I wear my bass right at my belt buckle with the neck more level. Its much easier for me, no straining my fingers or forearm muscles, and it was a very slight, simple adjustment, but made all the difference. Let us know.

[paperdoll]

it hurts around the wrist and palm.

i do play in a comfortable position
and yeah the strings are, well, a bit high and i DO have to press harder, but is that enough to make my hand so useless?

what do you mean with straight wrists? and i have no idea about the gauge, sorry
btw are there like softer strings? lol. i know **** about bass gear

thank you guys i'll try to figure it out. and also get my bass fixed as soon as possible


edit: no they're not being trained :P there's been 2 years .... but i don't practice that much....

[blowabs]

Hi Guys

I have CTS and havent been able to play for 4 months now.
I had it for a year now...but lately it really hurts, even typing this my whole left hand goes numb.
It came from learning to play a 1 1/2 ago, in which i was playing wrong and long, without breaks.

Have any ideas...tried everything...thinking of a lil surgery at The Brown Hand Center (www.thehandcenter.com)....2 very small incisions.

thanks for your help

ps i know now i should play with a strap, at a 30 degree angle, and fret lightly...cant wait till i can start doing that again...

pps good luck Paperdoll...take care of yourself- NOW....i waited....and, i wouldnt wish this on the devil!!!!

[Nick Kay]

Originally Posted by paperdoll

it hurts around the wrist and palm.

Danger, Will Robinson. The wrist is a problem area for a lot of bassists. Usually means you've got the bass sitting at an angle that your wrist has to strain to reach what you're playing. Palm pain, especially around the base of the thumb, usually means you're fretting too hard.

i do play in a comfortable position
and yeah the strings are, well, a bit high and i DO have to press harder, but is that enough to make my hand so useless?

Surprisingly, yes, depending on how high is "a bit high." I've got my strings a little less than an 1/8th" above the last fret and I should be going a little lower, but I just pluck too damn hard. Anything above that and I would tire out in less than half an hour of busy lines.

what do you mean with straight wrists?

Exactly as it sounds. The wrists should line up with the lines formed by the bones in your forearm, with as little deviation as possible. This is especially problematic on lower notes with a bass that is sitting too low. Just take a look at your wrists while you're playing and make sure that they aren't bent more than 30 degrees. Preferably much less (ie: no bend at all).

and i have no idea about the gauge, sorry
btw are there like softer strings? lol. i know **** about bass gear

Yeah, there's softer strings, and there are more flexible strings. For softer, as in less rough on the surface of your fingers, go for nickel-based strings or flatwound strings. For a more flexible feel, go for a lighter gauge or round cores. You can ask about string choices in the strings section.

[sound of bass]

I was just going to suggest alternate possibilities.... carpal tunnel, arthritis, bersitis, etc. Im in medicine....I cant help it.

[JtheJazzMan]

yeh, im always telling my students to straighten their wrists and get their palms perpendicular to the neck. carpal tunnel aint no good!

[Electric_Spank]

I have had a little bit of a hand pain issue myself. It's a sharp pain inside my palm. About an inch below where my Ring+ Pinkie fingers connect to the palm. I think it was from me stretching too far/fretting too hard. I have been trying to lay off the bass to give it more time to heal. If this pain goes away soon should I need to change anything about my playing?

[sound of bass]

The best left hand position for me is keeping my thumb as perpendicular to my index finger as possible. They're exactly "across" from each other on the neck. I used to keep my thumb in the "hitch hiking" type position (thumb pointing towards the head) as some do, and many recommend, but I was always stretching unnaturally and having discomfort. It was a simple adjustment, didnt have to "relearn" with a different hand position and now my left hand can really move up / down the neck much faster with no dicomfort. It could be someting that simple. But dont forget it might not be playing related, what do you do for a living? Manual labor where you may have injured it and it only flares up when playing? Tendonitis? If not just try a different technique to where theres less stretching, either hand position or angle of the neck. Good luck.

[blowabs]

thanks Sounds of Bass

I have had CTS for a year now.

I have had questions about my positioning and this might just do it. That is when i can play again, which will be soon (Feb.17th), b/c i will getting surgery on my fretting hand here:

http://www.thehandcenter.com/patient...own-procedure/

It is better than the single cut endoscopic surgery...

[Human Bass]

A little tip...dont try to go all Jaco playing one finger pre fret all the time.

[BluesyCat]

My wrist will seize-up too when playing Further on up the road by Clapton / The Band version. That style really hurst my wrist. It's only that song so far. I guess it is a bit of a stretch for my small hands. Maybe more practice is needed to get the hand/wrist in shape!

[blowabs]

Originally Posted by Human Bass

A little tip...dont try to go all Jaco playing one finger pre fret all the time.

What do you mean, H. Bass?

[Marley's Ghost]

I had recurring trigger finger a few years ago. Couldn't play for a month at one point a PT showed me some weight training exercises to do. Haven't had a problem since.

[Sandvich Hero]

Originally Posted by blowabs

What do you mean, H. Bass?

I think this guy explains just what Human Bass meant :

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=eXkxu_...eature=channel

It helped me get rid of some completely useless stretches (depending on the song/pattern) that we do for the sake of "right technique".

[sound of bass]

Originally Posted by blowabs

thanks Sounds of Bass

I have had CTS for a year now.

I have had questions about my positioning and this might just do it. That is when i can play again, which will be soon (Feb.17th), b/c i will getting surgery on my fretting hand here:

http://www.thehandcenter.com/patient...own-procedure/

It is better than the single cut endoscopic surgery...

Yes, although my field is in emergency I have heard of that procedure through literature and by patients that have had the procedure. Its the one I would choose also. How did you first suffer cts?

[blowabs]

Originally Posted by sound of bass

Yes, although my field is in emergency I have heard of that procedure through literature and by patients that have had the procedure. Its the one I would choose also. How did you first suffer cts?

Sorry it took awhile SOB....

I heard about it after doing a carpal tunnel search on Google for the 50th time and it showed up -- I have a Feb. 17th surgery date- i can let you know if you want, how it goes.

It is a two portal endoscopic cut as opposed to a one cut or even poen cut surgery. Much safer as it is not near the median nerve. I have done a lot of research.

SOB ....if you know someone who had the experience i'd like their thought- give'em my email if you can..thx.

Cant wait to play again- Its been 3 1/2 months...

[Fergie Fulton]

There are many outside forces that affect you hands in day to daylife and only show up when you try and do certain things like play guitar, type, use sissors etc. Your bass playing may not be the cause just highlighting the problem, go and see a profesional, doctor, physio, osteopath etc for a diagnosis, if you had chest pains you would not look for answers here.