BaSs FInGeR !!!!

[colroyd]

Hi folks,

Anybody know Anything about Bass Finger..... ?
(I might just have made that up).

People that use jack hammers and power tools for long periods at a time get white finger / power tool finger or what ever its called. Well how about the bassist is there a funky finger disease for us too?

Recentley I`ve been wearing my creative socks more than normal! So lately I`ve been hammering n grooving with Bertie Bass a lot more than usual and for long periods at a time.

My fingers have always ached to different degrees after a good seession, doesnt everyones? But tonight when playing I lost feel in the fingers. 3 of them and they felt floppy & numb & cold its a ****** up sensation. After a very short period of time its stopped me from playing.

I love playing my Bass and tonight Ive been thinking how utterly crap it would be not to be able to play my bass.

So I am asking whether I am on my own with this or is it something that we all deal with or could it even be just another brickwall to climb over?

In short am I going to need Bionic fingers.

Any comments, piss takes, knowledge, experiences would all be gratefully received.


Peace Out

Russ

[natselection]

if you JUST started playing bass and you are playing many many hours a day digging into the strings real hard, then your hands are going to kill.

as you become more experienced from time, your hands will develop natural callouses and you'll be able to play for as long as you want whenever you want, and you can dig in as much as you want.

for now, i suggest you pluck the strings very softly. just make the volume louder and you can get away with feathering the strings very lightly.

when you get some hard skin on your fingers, you can dig in as much as you want. its just a gradual process

edit: you should also probably take a break for a day or two, my hands have never freezed over from playing or become really stiff.

[colroyd]

Hi Nat,

I`ve been playing Bass for some years now dude and the callouses are already big and plentyful. It`s a strange one as they dont feel quite right at all. As I said they feel numb and cold and after a very short time of playing. I didnt pick the guitar up yesterday and i`ll try not to pick it up today and see what happens.

I guess if it continues than its a trip to the Docs


Thanks Man

Russ

[BillMason]

You might want to see an occupational therapist. Some pro bass teachers can also help you work out technique, spot what you're doing wrong and teach you how to play with less effort.

[Davebass]

i got RSI bout a year ago. its wasnt a very nice experience having to lay down my bass for a month to give my fingers a rest. it seems to be the muscels in my left fore arm that is giving me troubles now. i am prone to injury it seems.

[meev992]

If it hurts, stop playing

at least for a little while.

[colroyd]

AH Meeve those are very sensible words my friend. Alas I am of the mind where as if there isnt any blood messing up ya new strings or staining ya frets then "play on Dude"

Not entirely true though. I have rested for a couple of days now and although I havnt really had a good session on it yet to know for sure I`m thinking it may be better if just a little.

I can only hope that it isnt anything like RSI my ex wife had carpal tunnel and i recall quite vividly the pain she went through.

I was talking to a freind about this though today and he suggested circulation. I smoke you see and thats what he was saying. I really dont know at the moment. Maybe it was just a hard session but hard or not ive never experienced such a sensation. I am taking it seriously however.

Thank you all very much for your posts on this thread I am grateful to all. Of course if it turns out to be anything serious I will update the thread for those that may be interested.

But for now i`ll see what happens during the course of this evening.....