ouch

[lowEndRick]

I am fairly new to upright after many years of guitar and dobro. I find that when I start to play that my right hand often takes a while to get going. Sometimes it cramps up and sometimes its just plain hard to pull on the strings with authority. After about 2 or 3 songs and some stretching it usually eases up. The other day I switched basses and used my friends bass with medium Eurosonics and higher action. Man, I had a rough time with the E and A strings. I felt like I barely had the strength to slap at all, but even simple plucking felt like it took too much effort.

Any suggestions? More stretching? Strength exercises?

Also, I am going down to Upton next week to change out my old thin steel strings for something like a synthetic gut. Will this help these problems?

[bassame]

Originally Posted by lowEndRick

I am fairly new to upright after many years of guitar and dobro. I find that when I start to play that my right hand often takes a while to get going. Sometimes it cramps up and sometimes its just plain hard to pull on the strings with authority. After about 2 or 3 songs and some stretching it usually eases up. The other day I switched basses and used my friends bass with medium Eurosonics and higher action. Man, I had a rough time with the E and A strings. I felt like I barely had the strength to slap at all, but even simple plucking felt like it took too much effort.

Any suggestions? More stretching? Strength exercises?

Also, I am going down to Upton next week to change out my old thin steel strings for something like a synthetic gut. Will this help these problems?

You might find these links helpful:
Left Hand Cramping
endurance/stamina/strength training?

[hdiddy]

I came to DB from playing jazz guitar too. Despite how much strength I built playing big jazz chords of the 6-stringer, it still wasn't enough and my endurance wasn't very good initially. Bar chords and jazz chords don't hold a candle up to how much pressure you have to put on a bass, much less the right hand. I'd say make sure you're going to a teacher for the proper physical technique and keep practicing. It'll come with time, it did for me. My right hand gets stronger every day. Also it's not neccessarily about strength either, I think it's about finding that right "finesse" technique that gives you a big sound at the tempos you need them.

I used to play fast tempos using two fingers and now I've found that just walking with the index finger is the best for me, even at fast tempos. It seems/feels more efficient.

[jfv]

Yup this instrument just keeps offering new and
exciting varieties of pain

You talk about straining your right hand, I'm just
discovering that holding down a low Bb on the A
string while bowing thru about 15 bars of tied
whole notes can make my left first finger SORE
for days after Now try to do that AND put
in a bit of subtle vibrato as well... OWWW

Ya, makes me feel like a real cream puff