Holding the bass

[Johnny L]

Every time I pick up my bass the first thing I do is the vomit exercise to review the motions necessary for getting in and out of thumb position, review the distances between the intervals on a single string, and review the bowing requirements for maintaining a personnally pleasing sound all over the register. Then scales, scales, bowings, scales, and then something I really want to play to reward myself.

But yeah, it sure does help to be open to change able to interface with the bass comfortably to begin with. When I started playing the bass I was standing, so I was learning to do both at the same time. Sitting, for me, is awkward. If one is a good player on the stool, I can see how learning to stand with the bass and not remembering what it's like to start at the beginning can be an eye-opening experience.

[Mike Crumpton]

Originally Posted by Don Higdon

An interesting discovery for me was less stressful body use and better access to thumb position by lowering the endpin, so that you drop (relax) your shoulders and lean forward from the hips, maintaining a straight line in the spine from tail to cervical vertebrae C1.

Yep, I found that thanks to your advice. I tried leaning the bass forward in thumb too last night. Interesting. I can see it working but will have to practise. I look for minimun movement of the body in and out of thumb and this may well be a good alternative method.

I like everything Mc Bass said about the benefits of the bent end pin but I ain't going to get a rod of steel and put a hole in my central heating system trying to bend it. And the thought of it moving around in the bass and trying to lock it... only for the brave.

Now I see in my minds eye a wooden, rubber or whatever very thick 'washer' the diameter of the wooden endpin with a hole the size of the endpin shaft. The side touching the bass would have some blue-tack on it(if you don't have this product US side its the tacky stuff that looks like chewing gum you put posters on the wall with), the side facing down would have a notch cut into it that would catch the angled endpin and stop in rotating. Hopefully no damage would be done.

[kurt]

I sometimes use a stance one of my teachers showed me to deal with the issue of using the strength of the arm to push the strings down instead of squeezing with the thumb.You stand with bass vertical with the nut at about eye level.The bass is turned outwards slightly so that you can hold the bass with your right knee where the back meets the side.Your weight should be evenly distributed between your feet,your knees slightly bent,and your feet about shoulder width apart.This way you can pull back with you arm and your knee stops the bass from spinning.I find with this technique my left hand does not cramp up as much.The drawbacks are you have to reach out further with your right hand and you can't lean the bass in to yourself for thumb position.Thumb position is possible however and in some way's it works well,such as you can keep a solid stance while shifting in and out of it.When I'm playing I find myself switching back and forth between this and a more regular stance,depending on what I am playing.I've never seen anyone use this technique other than my teacher so if you try it out or know someone who uses it Id like to hear your comments.

[LM Bass]

Yeah, I've done that stance myself.
I only use it once in a while as a break from my usual way of standing.
A great bass player here in Vancouver that recently passed away named Chris Nelson, used to stand with his right knee on the edge of the bass. He got the idea from Joel Quarrington.

[kurt]

Chris Nelson was my teacher that showed me the stance.I wasn't aware he had passed away.I'm sorry to hear that.

[LM Bass]

Sorry to have to bear that bad news.
RIP Chris. . .

BTW I learned a lot of good info at the Lethbridge University summer jazz camps, waaay back in about 1980. .. I really like that part of the world, rugged and windy and unique in that province.

LM