Name Some Of Your Playing Habits You've Unconsiously Developed

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #1 02-12-2006, 04:30 PM

I've been watching some of the videos I've made of myself over the past few years and discovered some habits/tendancies, most of which I wasn't really aware of.

1. I almost always take my thumb off of the back of my neck when playing above the 12th fret. When my hand is stationary up there it stays on, but as soon as I start putting pressure down with one of my fingers, it pops off. Never caused me any problems as far as I know, but it is a bit odd.
2. I slide my hand down the neck after playing a fill or phrase that's outside of a standard bassline about 50% of the time. I have no idea why. I remember when I first started playing, I would watch bassists do the same thing and wonder why they were doing it.
3. I very frequently play only seven out of eight beats. I'll play something and leave space on the eighth beat, or a little less frequently, I'll not play anything on the 1.
4. I breathe really heavily. I used to unwittingly hold my breath, so at least this is a much better habit than that as that restricts blood flow, but it's still weird to watch yourself and hear yourself breathing like a crazy man.

How about telling us about any habits or oddities that you might have developed but didn't notice for some time?

bryan bailey · #2 02-12-2006, 04:45 PM

I play with my mouth most of the time. It sometimes leads to drooling if I'm focusing a bit too hard, I kind of make a silent "Oh" mouth expression...thing. I think JPJ did the same thing though.

VRT_RONBO · #3 02-12-2006, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryan bailey

I play with my mouth most of the time. It sometimes leads to drooling if I'm focusing a bit too hard, I kind of make a silent "Oh" mouth expression...thing. I think JPJ did the same thing though.

Playing with your mouth is tough. I saw a video of Hendrix do it once.

I always tap my right foot to the quarter notes. I know that I do this to keep time but sometimes it annoys me because I feel that if I walk around the stage I will lose the groove........or trip.

BillytheBassist · #4 02-12-2006, 05:33 PM

I press my lips together.

Thunderbird91 · #5 02-12-2006, 05:36 PM

I unintentionally make funny faces some times.

d8g3jdh · #6 02-12-2006, 05:39 PM

I suck, it's a terrible habit.

Synplicity · #7 02-12-2006, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

3. I very frequently play only seven out of eight beats. I'll play something and leave space on the eighth beat, or a little less frequently, I'll not play anything on the 1.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryan bailey

I play with my mouth open most of the time. It sometimes leads to drooling if I'm focusing a bit too hard, I kind of make a silent "Oh" mouth expression...thing. I think JPJ did the same thing though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunderbird91

I unintentionally make funny faces some times.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Zoltok

I suck, it's a terrible habit.

i can relate to these.

also when im concentrating hard my tongue sticks out abit.

its a bad habit but i dont use my little finger as much as i should, the whole finger per fret thing goes out the window.

Peter Squire · #8 02-12-2006, 06:03 PM

When I'm really digging in, sometimes my plucking fingers make an unconcious, percussive "pop" on the string after I have plucked a note - very bad habit and one I am trying hard to eliminate.

mike phillips · #9 02-12-2006, 07:14 PM

hey i sometimes do that too. lately i noticed i stopped pluckin with my midde finger at times.

McHaven · #10 02-12-2006, 07:20 PM

I hook my thumb over the top of the fingerboard.
I barely use my ring finger and use my pinky instead.
I also do the slide down the neck after a fill
I tend to slide up to frets out of the position that I could of played a string higher instead.
I almost never use open strings.

amistybleu · #11 02-12-2006, 07:29 PM

everything I do unconsciously turns out to be a bad habit, from finger discipline to funny faces so I always try and remain conscious while playing the Bass

Jazzin' · #12 02-12-2006, 08:21 PM

When I have a rest for like a few beats, I will slide my hand up the neck (towards the pups) and then slide my hand back into position to play again. Sometimes I will do so with a tiny rest, so there's not even a point in doing it, it just looks cool. I also look funny when I'm soloing, my face as well as my body.

The Antipop · #13 02-12-2006, 08:28 PM

My left pinky and ring finger work together. I am getting better at not doing that though. Sometimes anyways

It all started when I broke my finger a few years ago and I had them taped together.

Oh and I also use my pinky sometimes for some chords where I should be using my ring finger