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Double Bass Buzz with 4th finger

J

JamieParkinson

Apr 23, 2010
37
0
London, UK
#1
Hi,

I'm a newbie to the double bass (a bit over a month) and have had 5 lessons but unfortunately had to stop them so now am practising without a teacher for now.

I used school double basses for a while but they were 1/4 size and hence were pretty rubbish for me, so at the minute I'm renting a 3/4 size which seems pretty nice. However, I have an issue with buzzing on the fingerboard when playing with my 4th finger. When playing the same note with 1st or 2nd fingers there is no buzz.

The action on the bass seems fairly high but it's by no means unplayable. What I'd like to know is if this is something that can be improved by technique and strengthening of the 4th finger or if it's a setup issue, which would be a pain to sort because of the bass being a rental bass. Any guidance with either of these paths would be much appreciated.

Thanks!
 
#4
Well, then it's not what I was thinking. When I first started, I would sometimes let my fingers collapse, and I would end up playing on the soft pad rather than the finger tip. This made the sound a little buzzy.

Are you playing pizzicato or arco? Does the buzz happen more on some strings than others? Is it a clean note with a buzzing finish, or is it buzzy the whole time through? Does it happen more on ascending or descending intervals, or equally on both?
 
#5
Ok -

I play both pizz and arco but the problem is when playing pizz

The buzz happens to an extent on all strings but seems worst on the A string on the lower (pitch lower, not physically lower) notes. It's fairly bad on the E as well

It's usually a note that buzzes the whole way through

Seems to happen equally on both so far as I can see


It feels like I'm not pressing hard enough or something, but I'm pressing as hard as I can at the minute... Thanks for your help!
 
#7
It could be your right hand technique. Try playing near the end of the fingerboard, and think about making your plucking finger move in a plane parallel to the fingerboard. With the action on my bass, my finger just barely touches the string just below the one I have just plucked. If my attack angle is wrong, I will get a buzzing that will not go away no matter how hard I press with the left hand.

@Dave: What you are suggesting is good advice, but it should go further. I have been told told by bass teachers to press all four fingers to the finger board when I stop the string with my pinkie, not just the annular finger. (Maintain proper finger spacing when you do this!) It reduces the amount of force required of the pinkie. This is not appropriate for double stops, but I get the feeling that Jamie isn't trying to do that just yet.
 
#10
I've been using all 3 other fingers all along, and I've tried shifting them around a bit but to no avail :(

I tried changing my right hand technique but nothing really helped - although naturally, playing extremely quietly quietened the buzz.

Looking at my fingers touching the fingerboard, I can see that there is a very tiny gap between the string where I'm pressing it and the fingerboard. No matter how hard I press, I can't get the gap to close...

Thanks for all your help!
 
#13
I should be getting lessons soon so hopefully I'll be able to sort it then...

bigolbassguy, that's probably a pretty good point, although after further examination it seems that I still get the buzz on the G string where it seems that strength isn't an issue at all and there's no gap. A mystery indeed...
 
#16
Hey, bigolbassguy, think about how it felt when you were a beginner. This instrument can be intimidating. I know that you have offered some good advice here, and I know that last one was a joke, but I'm still calling you on it. Yeah, those of us with big hands have it easier at first, but I've met guys with small hands who have the chops to play circles around me. Now, if they would only come out with a cell phone with really big buttons...

Jamie, stick with it. If your finger is not fat enough, you will develop callous that will compensate. If your hands are not strong enough, they will get there with daily practice. If it's a technique problem, get a teacher or try to meet up with a more experienced player in your area. You can solve this problem.
 
#17
Paul Barsic said:
Hey, bigolbassguy, think about how it felt when you were a beginner. This instrument can be intimidating. I know that you have offered some good advice here, and I know that last one was a joke, but I'm still calling you on it. Yeah, those of us with big hands have it easier at first, but I've met guys with small hands who have the chops to play circles around me. Now, if they would only come out with a cell phone with really big buttons...

Jamie, stick with it. If your finger is not fat enough, you will develop callous that will compensate. If your hands are not strong enough, they will get there with daily practice. If it's a technique problem, get a teacher or try to meet up with a more experienced player in your area. You can solve this problem.
Click to expand...

I'm not trying to pick on you Jamie. Of course the long-term solutions are practice and instruction, but throwing a little resistance training in there would probably make life easier. Totally up to you and your doctor, though. :hiding:
 

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