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bass tricks 101

#25
Todd Stanley said:
You can't throw a bitch toss to the right hand side with a bass, you need to go headstock first to have a clean rotation. With a guitar it's the opposite, and much easier to do anyway. In fact, you can kind of hula-hoop a guitar if you want, I've gotten 2-3 on many times, but that's not going to happen with a bass in a million years.
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Dont mean to burst anyones bubble, but thats actually how I learned it. It felt more natural to throw backwards than forwards. The body weight moving backwards is also easier to catch when it comes back around, and I get more of a clean rotation. When I try it the other way, first off it makes me nervous, and second off I can never get a good rotation (its always lop sided) Works every time backwards for me, and I can do it twice around (when I am on wireless) The first time I tryed to throw it to my left (forward) the gay dunlop straplocks pulled out, so I just learned it backwards. Then I got the DiMarzio straplocks and can do it either way, but still prefer to throw it back.
 
#28
I've always wanted to do the bass rotation thing, but haven't for the reasons stated before. I know it's a huge risk to my instrument and the people around me to try it. I've had my strap locks pull out of the body just from playing my bass normally. I'd hate for them to give with my bass flinging around me. Plus, I'm usually not wireless, so it's a moot point anyways.

I have done the tried and true playing the bass behind my head. Recently, I've started playing the bass behind my back. It's a pretty subtle move, so I've learned that standing on a chair (in the middle of the audience is always cool too) will usually insure that people to pay attention to it. The impressiveness comes from doing it while still playing cleanly and without missing a note.

Here's a pic of me at a gig recently doing it:

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Of course, sometimes I think that it's cool to just rock out, as the kids say nowadays. For the longest time, I absolutely HATED it when bass players wrapped their thumbs over top the neck, because I always considered it horrible technique. I still consider it horrible technique, but I've learned when doing certain bass tricks or when "posing" with my bass - like in this pic below - you sometimes have to wrap your thumb to make it work (i.e., "look cool" while still playing your instrument cleanly). This is from my New Year's gig last week.

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Here's a shot from the same gig with my singer and guitarist. We honestly don't take ourselves as seriously as this pic implies. I hate pretentious bands.

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I'm a fan of pulling the bass up so the that headstock's pointing straight at the ceiling. I really like to face the drummer during a rest, and then play a gliss back into the song while making eye contact with him (not to sound like Sebastian Bach ;) ). Here's a pic of holding the bass up straight while posing with my band during a gig this past summer. LOL

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I think that being an excellent and well-rounded musician is important, but I think that stage presence and charisma is just as important when you play live. I've walked out of shows with excellent musicians who had no stage presence because I was bored.
 
#30
I've never nor will I ever throw my bass, I respect it to much. I've been in bands where the guitarists would do this, it does look cool but for me not worth the risk.

I just rock out and get into the music, ask my singer... he's bled from my head stock before, inadvertantly that's for getting me with the mic so many times lol.

Peace

-Benny
 
#34
in my metal band I play over the neck (left hand "upside down"), also play behind my head (Hendrix style), also, one of the best things to do in order to make the crowd go nuts is just jump, do those "metalcore" jumps,(something like UNEARTH's show) if you play this kind of music then you usually have some breaks, that's the place to do that kick ass jump- the real secret is to plan it so every one on the stage jumps all at once, it looks CRAZY.
sure, at first you have to talk your band mates into actually practicing it, but after 2-3 rehearsals, you set to go...
also there's a part were I reach out and play the left hand part for the guitarist and he plays my part... always looks cool, and so easy to do...

and yeah, I'm not going to try those flips anytime soon, I can't really afford another bass right now... ;)
 
#36
i have a few tips for the spin its not something i use often... well not after i spun it behind my singer and the headstock badgered him up the @rse.... anyway

1: get some longer pin screws (not mega long just half an inch or so longer

2: as has already been mentioned duck tape your strap to the body as well as using straplocks

3: most bass straps are "grippy" underneath get some ductape and stick it to the underside of your strap this will help it slip more

oh and be carefull with long hair or dreadlocks straps sometimes have a tendancy to take your hair with em when you spin em and it can hurt big time
 
#37
I once saw a guitarist take his strap off over his head and spin the guitar on his arm. It was pretty intense. I almost tried it with my bass, but during a low-speed check, i realized that my headstock would smash into the floor. not a good idea.
 
#40
In my opinion, spins look stupid as hell.

Now, seeing Sonic Youth, that taught me all about what good stage presence was about. Climbing the P.A, guitar in hand, passing the guitar through the crowd...
that is showmanship. Not poses or spins or anything else that just make me think of the word "radical" in glowing neon slant font.
 

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