Benefits of a lighter touch!

[Russell L]

I prefer medium
Can be lighter or harder when needed

That's me, too. However, I take notice of how hard is too hard and try to avoid that. All the rattling, etc. can sound like a crappy speaker, and my tone can go out the window like that. Yet, on a soft ballad, I find that I need to turn down a tad so as to be able to not have to play too light. I get better control when I can hit with a certain amount of pressure. Everyone's different on that, I know.

 

[Roy Vogt]

I was always against using a lighter touch. I felt it was an "easy way out" of building endurance, an all too used method. Having to use a massive amount of attack to get more than a muddy toneless note out my Line 6 amp, I struggled and struggled with playing anything for more than a minute or two. Gallops eventually slowed to a halt, 16th notes became 8th notes, and my right forearm simply locked up.

After playing through a Genz Benz head and cab, and actually hearing what my bass sounds like (which is amazing, in my opinion) I realized a harder attack was not needed. I improved my posture, and the final step to endurance and this little rave was what I had first despised; a lighter touch.

I've worked more and more on letting my finger tips just brush the strings, a sort of gentle tap if you will, and can play on and on now! I'm a little amazed I hadn't figured it out earlier.

Can I get an "Amen"?!? To quote the oft controversial Jeff Berlin, "You don't want muscles in your hands, you want muscles in your sound."

You can find the "sweet spot" where any more digging in will be wasted effort and any less will affect your tone. I've favored a lighter action and touch for years like Jimmy Johnson, one of my role models. So far it's working.....

 

[Groovy Bastard]

Then again, Jeff's sound is aimed at playing melodies. If you listen to cats who are holding down the bottom, you see a trend in 'heavier' playing: Marcus, Jaco, Will Lee, Abe Laboriel, Nate Watts, Jamerson, Rocco, Verdine White, George Porter, Paul Jackson. Their sounds are really driving the band, a more rhythmical approach.

 

[Roy Vogt]

Then again, Jeff's sound is aimed at playing melodies. If you listen to cats who are holding down the bottom, you see a trend in 'heavier' playing: Marcus, Jaco, Will Lee, Abe Laboriel, Nate Watts, Jamerson, Rocco, Verdine White, George Porter, Paul Jackson. Their sounds are really driving the band, a more rhythmical approach.

All those guys use a medium/high action. However, Jimmy Johnson certainly holds down the bottom with James Taylor and he has always used a lighter action/touch. A lot of the "New School" players like Hadrien Feraud, Damian Erskine, Janek Gwizdala and Matt Garrison tend to use lighter touches, and the "Willis ramp". I've actually heard a lot of guys with light touches bring the Funk-it's about timing and controlling the touch you have. BTW here's Jeff B doing it:
YouTube - JOE FRAZIER ROUND II

 

[Fair Warning]

Play it like you mean it!

 

[Rockmusician]

I was always against using a lighter touch. I felt it was an "easy way out" of building endurance, an all too used method. Having to use a massive amount of attack to get more than a muddy toneless note out my Line 6 amp, I struggled and struggled with playing anything for more than a minute or two. Gallops eventually slowed to a halt, 16th notes became 8th notes, and my right forearm simply locked up.

After playing through a Genz Benz head and cab, and actually hearing what my bass sounds like (which is amazing, in my opinion) I realized a harder attack was not needed. I improved my posture, and the final step to endurance and this little rave was what I had first despised; a lighter touch.

I've worked more and more on letting my finger tips just brush the strings, a sort of gentle tap if you will, and can play on and on now! I'm a little amazed I hadn't figured it out earlier.

I noticed a huge difference when I started playing Alembics. It seemed like if I made a mistake or if my technique was not quite right, it was more noticeable. It definitely made me work on my technique and I improved tremendously as a result.

 

[Roy Vogt]

I noticed a huge difference when I started playing Alembics. It seemed like if I made a mistake or if my technique was not quite right, it was more noticeable. It definitely made me work on my technique and I improved tremendously as a result.

That's certainly true. The other factor is a lot of players have to use higher action and play harder because of bad LH and RH technique. If you don't fret right next to the fret (almost on it) you'll be getting a lot of buzz, particularly if you pick hard. Up goes the action and the player digs in more, causing more tension, mistakes, etc. Ironically, what is assumed to be intensity is just powering through funky technique. You can certainly play that way, but it will slow you down.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Lighter touch = professional tone.

and MUCH more dynamic range

 

[uhdinator]

All I know is when I got my home studio and started recording by playing thru studio monitors where i did not want to pound them.......I could hear the effects of my technique, string noise, ring etc much more, so It forced me to lighten up and concentrate more on technique......in addition switching to light gauge flats helped get the solid tone i was missing, less overtones and no squeaks........

Its made me a better player and my recordings are better too.

 

[Groovy Bastard]

All those guys use a medium/high action. However, Jimmy Johnson certainly holds down the bottom with James Taylor and he has always used a lighter action/touch. A lot of the "New School" players like Hadrien Feraud, Damian Erskine, Janek Gwizdala and Matt Garrison tend to use lighter touches, and the "Willis ramp". I've actually heard a lot of guys with light touches bring the Funk-it's about timing and controlling the touch you have. BTW here's Jeff B doing it:
YouTube - JOE FRAZIER ROUND II

Jimmy Johnson is great, though I personally think he is sounding very "polite". Feraud, Gwizdala and Garrison all have sounds aimed at playing melodies (and doing that very well) but they don't really do it for me personally as rhythm section players because of that sharp midrangy sound. Janek Gwizdala does have his own way of making his comping work, but it's very different from e.g. Nate Watts' approach. I haven't heard enough from Erskine to give an opinion on him.

Also, I think even these players tend to play harder than you'd think from seeing them.

Then again, different strokes for different folks!

 

[bass2bass]

My whole bass playing life changed when I stopped having the amp and bass control set at where it fit in the mix when I played reasonably aggressively and started putting them at twice that volume and then playing with a lighter touch. For me it's all about control and being in the driver's seat. When I play hard, which I sometimes do, I can feel the upper limit of every aspect of the sound hitting a ceiling, being limited, even though I don't play through a limiter. It's a lessening of the range not only of volume but of articulation and tone. Not a lessening of them, just that instead of going from A to Z I get from F to W at the same volume.

This is what I have realized just this week. All along I knew I played aggressively, but now that I have had my StingRay 5 for a whole four days and gigged with it last night, I realized I need to pull back and turn the amp up. Otherwise I will get too much clank against the frets and pickup. With other basses I have had (all mid-range/okay basses) I always had to attack them to get the tones I wanted out of my amp. With the SR5, I have seen the light and can create dynamics with my right hand...instead of my entire right arm

Now, maybe I need to look at getting a better quality amp. Yeah, my wife will love to hear about this new 'want'.

 

[SteveC]

Lighter touch = professional tone.

I disagree. Varying touch = professional tone.

boy, oh boy, when did we all become wussies? yeah, ok, you don't have to kill the strings at all times, but there are times you have to play like a man. and i don't mean playing so hard you bang the strings into the pickups or clank all over the place. i mean playing with some cojones to it...getting a really strong fat tone with max volume and some depth to the attack. it really does make a difference to dig in and play harder when it's called for.

Exactly.

It's ironic that past a certain point, harder plucking actually weakens the sound.

Diminishing returns...just like expensive basses.

 

[Fliptrique]

Yeah.

When i look at videos of me playing at gigs my right hand does not move THAT much.

I do play quite agressive when the song calls for it, but nothing excessive - since ive switched to .40 - .120 with low action I get all the roundwound grind I need without excessive attack.

Everyone needs to find their sweet spot - I can play lighter on some songs without bass dissapearing, and I also can put some more attack, without overpowering everyone else on the stage - but i DO use some mild distortion on the stronger songs to level it out a bit.

 

[Bloomyleo]

Your touch should vary with the instrument being played. Every bass has it's own characteristics. Active vs. passive electronics definitely come into play. I do think some bass players will pick gear and EQ it in such a way so they are playing light and letting the hardware do the work by adding attack and presence. I realize this tone has become a "sound" that folks strive for, but it's not for me.

 

[mambo4]

Your touch should vary with the [DEL]instrument being played[/DEL] desired sound.

fixed

actually it is absolutely true that different basses require a different touch.
But as other shave already said, you shouldn't relegate yourself to a single "touch"
any more than you should slavishly follow any technique. Do what sounds good for the music.

I think the OP was motivated by revisiting a tendency most of us have had when beginners :
to use far more muscle than necessary -plucking or fretting.

 

[Matthew_84]

Hallelujah! I see the light!!!

I've been playing for about 3 1/2 years now on a 10-watt guitar amp. I started, probably like most, with a hard attack. I spent a lot of time jamming to songs outloud over the 10-watter, and this caused me to have to play really hard to be heard with the music the volume I wanted it. I understood the benefits of a lighter touch, but didn't think there'd be that big of a difference in speed or fluidness. After all, Geddy Lee attacks the strings like a jackhammer, and he can play incredibly fast.

Well today I finally decided to try it out. I recently purchased a VT pedal, which is very bright to say the least, and one of my settings it is so bright that I have to turn it down when I play along to songs, so I used this setting and didn't turn it down, in fact I turned it further up, played extremely light and and holy %@*)!&^%#_!!~))!+!!!! I played some songs I couldn't nail the speed of for years, and suddenly nailed them, then when I was playing some of my favourites I would get to some parts where I had to play about as fast as I could while still keeping rhythm, and I actually was so much quicker with a lighter touch that I was overshooting and had to slow down drastically.

I noticed the tone I liked was still there, and it even sounded cleaner when I did slides. Thank you Lord Talkbass, I am a believer!

 

[Jerry Callo]

I find I prefer the tone when the fingers dig in a bit. Case in point -- Gary Willis --he's a great player, but he plays so lightly his tone is weak. I'm not a fan of Wootons sound either, though he's a brilliant player. But Steve Harris, Jack Bruce, Tim Bogart, Jaco, Entwhistle, Geddy Lee -- the guys who play hard -- they tend to have the most identifiable sond.

 

[Matthew_84]

And that's exactly why it took me so long to try a light touch... Most of my favourite players use a heavier touch; I prefer bassists who add a great groove to the song. I'm not such a fan of bassists soloing and stuff like that (ie. I prefer Geddy Lee and Jamerson to Wooten and Jaco)...

So your post makes me wonder which bassists use a light touch and have a great tone? (I've heard Squire uses a feather of a touch, but I think he also uses a pick. I'm talking finger-style here). For example how light/heavy is Nathan East's, John Paul Jones', Roger Waters', etc. touch?

Thanks

 

[BritPicker]

For me, it's all about the balance between my level and how hard I play. If I'm too loud on the amp, I have to play too soft and it becomes a bit mushy. I like a nice firm note. This is playing with a pick. I think its harder to get a good sound playing really soft with a pick. If I want soft I just go to fingers or thumb. A lot of finger-players I see with a soft touch are a bit woolly and indistinct in their sound. I agree that clanking and clacking on the frets and pickup is horrible.

Witness most bassists on Youtube. I think pro players can actually play hard and not clack and clank because they have better technique all round.

A lot of players pick or fingerpick so badly - I don't know what they do, but it's as if they introduce a motion to the string in hitting it that whacks it against the pickups.

 

[indiocolifa]

I think good playing is to achieve a balance between good dynamic range and economy of motion.