Right hand pizz. pain

[bopfrog]

i have recently altered my right hand technique and am experiencing a peculiar pain in the big part of my hand.

formerly i principally used my 2cnd (middle) finger to swing untill really blazing tempi where i switched to alternating the 1st and 2cnd fingers. now after getting Rufus Reid's "The Evolving Bassist" video, i have switched to using the 1st finger almost always - the 2cnd finger only adding the extra color. I have also lowered my right hand to as low (close to the bridge) as i can get it without actually getting rosin on my fingers.

so, i am really happy with the sound i am getting, everything feels great and i feel like i am swinging from my gut

what is happening is a really curious ache just inside of the big bone in the hand going to the 1st finger (metacarpal). it doesn't hurt at all when i play or at rest, but within an hour after having played acousticly i notice that as everything cools down i have problems gripping things (because of the pain). when i try to play i curiosly do not have any problems but after about 2 hours the hand is rendered effectively useless.this ache persists for a few hours and gradually dissapates. the next morning it is almost gone and then i have no problems.

WHAT IS GOING ON.

is this just a growing pain because of a new technique or do i have something more serious to think about - i try to warm up everything before i play but maybe i am neglecting the right hand out of ignorance for how it really works.

[Cory Palmer]

Are you turning your elbow up when you are playing? Try keeping the inner part of your elbow facing out but not to the point of discomfort. The angle of the wrist should be pretty much straight.

[anonymous0726]

Two thoughts:

Without a picture, at least, or being in the room with most, which would be best, there's no way to really tell what's going on.

If it hurts, don't do it.

[mrpc]

Sounds like you are really hurting yourself. I'd think that you need to work on this new technique slowly.....bringing it in a little at a time. Maybe you will find a better way to achieve the end result, your own way, with your own sound.

It probably will take much longer to heal an injury than it will to create it, hurt yourself. Consider this if you desire to have career playing bass.

I'd take Rufus's technique suggestions as just that.......*suggestions* that may or may not work for your playing style. You also may be misinterpreting his instruction, it would be a good idea to consult with a teacher about this. Again, you can do alot of damage to your body in a very short time if you are using force. If you force your body to work in a robotic style, then you are risking your health in the long term.

If Rufus's DVD has a disclaimer, (it should) take some time to study that as well....could be that he doesn't expect that everybody has a body that works EXACTLY like his.

You are doing the right thing by asking for help, and I thank you for that.

[Karl]

Hmm. Sounds like too much tension in your hand to me. Are you sure you are using your arm-weight instead of your rh-muscles?

I'd also suggest bending your right hand when not playing. I had a similar problem in my left hand which hurt when I didnt bend it because some muscles on my arm were extremely much stronger than their counterparts (for the reason of bad habits in my BG-playing), which causes pain. But the hand-muscles of your right hand shouldn't be used at all for swinging.

Other than that, what Ray and mrpc said, get someone to have a closer look at it.

[bopfrog]

thanks everybody. i am going to look into all the aspects that were mentioned, but the comment about seeing my teacher is taken with due respect. unfortunately as he lives an 8 hour flight from me right now, and i haven't located or consumated the connection with anyone here, it is a little difficult.

the strangest thing is that what i see looks great from the mirror and above, and it feels great as well. i haven't exactly replicated Rufus' technique, but more adjusted my own.

the feel is great, the sound is nearing what i am looking for...

could a high string tension play a large role here? i play thomastic stark... the sound is wonderful on my bass but when i switched to the strings i really had to slow down. i am slowly working my self back up to the kind of runs that i was doing before with the softer strings.

and just again as emphasis - when i am playing things feel great, it is also not the playing motion which causes me pain but other completely different ones. well, thanks for your input. i will definitely go see the bass doktor about this.