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06-13-2006, 12:26 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Arizona | | | Fretting side shoulder pain
I'm a beginner at upright bass - barely 3 years and as I progress to learning more pieces I am noticing left anterior shoulder pain that seems associated with my habit of tensing my entire fretting hand and arm while immersed in a piece. I am also just starting vibrato technique and find that quite difficult to sustain. I know that I must focus on relaxing the hand and arm for fretting and vibrato and wonder if anyone has any advice to share. I'm in my 60s so am a lot slower than younger players. Thanks
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06-13-2006, 02:33 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA | | | You might be pushing your shoulder forward while you are playing which can cause that kind of pain. Make sure your shoulders are parallel to you torso. Also, try to use your arm weight to hold down the strings instead of tensing up to hold them down. |
06-13-2006, 05:26 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Arizona | | | Cory,
Thanks so much. As I read your post I realized that I indeed have my left shoulder extended a bit when I play and when I consciously try to relax, it becomes a bit more symmetrical with my right side. I will work on allowing the weight of my arm to assist in string pressure instead of tightening the hand. |
07-10-2006, 04:20 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by jaff I'm a beginner at upright bass - barely 3 years and as I progress to learning more pieces I am noticing left anterior shoulder pain that seems associated with my habit of tensing my entire fretting hand and arm while immersed in a piece. I am also just starting vibrato technique and find that quite difficult to sustain. I know that I must focus on relaxing the hand and arm for fretting and vibrato and wonder if anyone has any advice to share. I'm in my 60s so am a lot slower than younger players. Thanks | I'm in my 60's too and am in the process of making a come-back after having laid off for 4 years. Although a highly successful 50 year jazz playing stint preceeded this, I can understand what you're going through.
This is gonna take some time. Just the physical demands of our instrument is enough to intimidate you. You have to slowly build callouses and trying to relax in the middle of a bout with pain separates the men from the boys  Remember to throw away words like: " fretting hand " since we have no frets.
Hang in and take as much time as you need. At our age,I can't think of a better way to spend it.
__________________
Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
07-10-2006, 06:35 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Austin, TX | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by jaff ...tensing my entire fretting hand and arm while immersed in a piece. I am also just starting vibrato technique and find that quite difficult to sustain... | Hello jaff,
I've suffered from this problem myself since I began learning to play too (off and on for 5 years now).
Jeffrey Eckels the man saw me play and asked me if I suffered from shoulder pain and I replied, "Yes." He then said, "Drop your elbow and let your shoulder relax it's as simple as that."
Other than the just breaking the silly habit of raising my elbow unnecessarily, I personally have had great success with the change Mr. Eckels recommended. Hope it works for you too man good luck! 
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Technically, no. Practically, maybe.
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07-12-2006, 05:53 AM
| | Banned
Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd. | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Perkasie, PA USA | |  Fretting side ??
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Originally Posted by Johnny L Hello jaff,
I've suffered from this problem myself since I began learning to play too (off and on for 5 years now).
Jeffrey Eckels the man saw me play and asked me if I suffered from shoulder pain and I replied, "Yes." He then said, "Drop your elbow and let your shoulder relax it's as simple as that."
Other than the just breaking the silly habit of raising my elbow unnecessarily, I personally have had great success with the change Mr. Eckels recommended. Hope it works for you too man good luck! | Ok, you're new to the Bass. By the way, the DB doesn't have frets so it's the 'fingering side' or for righty's, the 'left side'.
Get a teacher that plays professionally. He should be able to help with that as well as other things you are not even aware of hat are going wrong and getting worse.
Last edited by KSB - Ken Smith : 07-13-2006 at 05:05 PM.
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07-12-2006, 08:55 AM
| | | | Check out some Alexander Technique. One of us, at least, is an AT teacher -- Don Higdon. Look him up and give him a call -- he'll be able to help you out. |
07-13-2006, 02:52 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by KSB - Ken Smith Ok, your'e new to the Bass. By the way, the DB doesn't have frets sp it's the 'fingering side' or for righty's, the 'left side'. | Is there an echo in here? I already whacked on the poor cat about the 'frets'
__________________
Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |
07-13-2006, 01:50 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Houston, TX | | | Oh, did you know that the bass doesn't have frets? |
07-13-2006, 02:04 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Austin, TX | | | What if his bass does have frets?
__________________
Technically, no. Practically, maybe.
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07-13-2006, 05:06 PM
| | Banned
Owner: Ken Smith Basses, Ltd. | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Perkasie, PA USA | |  lol
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Originally Posted by Paul Warburton Is there an echo in here? I already whacked on the poor cat about the 'frets' |
Ok Pauly, You 'whack the cat'. "I'll walk the dog".. |
07-20-2006, 04:13 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Pennsylvania | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Johnny L What if his bass does have frets? | Dude...I've been SOOOOO Tempted!!! |
07-20-2006, 04:51 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Austin, TX | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by ZuluFunk Dude...I've been SOOOOO Tempted!!! | 
__________________
Technically, no. Practically, maybe.
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07-20-2006, 06:34 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Mexico City | | FRET not, my brothers! 
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When I was a lad I was a little bit shy. Something came along and caught my eye. When I heard the jazz band strike up, I swear I had my mind made up. Boy, gotta do that thing!
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07-20-2006, 07:42 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | | It's simple BG terminology; one's the "fretting hand", and the other's the "drink-holding hand". |
07-23-2006, 11:19 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Arizona | | | Whew...definitely playing to a house here. Thanks to all of you, Ken, Johnny L, Paul W., etc for concrete suggestions. Thanks to the rest of youse for the news...especially Paul Cannon...do you guys have day jobs as car polishers? You really like to rub it in...
I do have a teacher and he commented that 'you're standing like Gary Karr instead of Francois Rabbath.." Sure enough, I did relax, step back and let the bass lean at a really comfortable angle..and guess what..? Shoulder pain disappearing!
I like the guy who's in his 60s and coming back to the bass. Would enjoy chatting with you..
Last edited by jaff : 07-23-2006 at 11:31 PM.
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07-24-2006, 03:27 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Denver, Co. | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by jaff I like the guy who's in his 60s and coming back to the bass. Would enjoy chatting with you.. | Are you talkin' about me, jaff or?
__________________
Oh, no.....have we gone OT yet again?
"The opportunity was there...but it never presented itself." Phil Urso, 1980. :atoz: |  | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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