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Dig in and turn down, or play light and turn up?

Play heavy and turn down? Or play light and turn up?

  • Play heavy and turn down

    Votes: 53 33.5%

  • Play light and turn up

    Votes: 105 66.5%
  • Total voters
    158
#21
TapyTap said:
I'm pretty sure that you can add Jeff Berlin's name to the "crank up the amp and play with a lighter touch" list of pro players.

...plus, playing with a lighter touch can help to avoid "pitch dive" on the strings.
Click to expand...

That pitch dive you speak of was actually my problem.
I used to dig in quite a bit, but my notes lacked clarity, due to being slightly out of tune. When I played a gig where I really had to play soft (small place, not much noise allowed), I noticed that all of a sudden my notes were a lot cleaner, more present, and that the band's sound was instantly more powerful.

The next day, I set my action to low and cranked the amp up.

Here's what I found after about two weeks:

I had never tried a light touch, because I thought I would lack my drive/agressiveness/feel and that I wouldn't be able to "rock" anymore. I found that's not true AT ALL.
All you do is lower the overall level of force you use. It doesn't change a thing about your articulation or how your playing feels to you.

After a few days I was so used to playing softer, that I started to wonder if I was digging in again subconciusly, but no fret clank or buzz addured me I was not.

On playing with the band, I still need to learn to control my dynamics, wich I never had to bother with, because before, I always played at max. It's hard, but it works. Opens up a lot of new options.

Tone: So much fatter and pronounced now :D I used to think with a baseball-bat neck and thick flats, you'd have to play accordingly (hard). I was wrong. Also, the bass is simply more present in the mix, almost like a natural compression.

I could almost instantly play 30% faster, and I can play for hours on end now. When playing with the band, my hands are much more relaxed, allowing me to concentrate on listening more. I simply don't have to fight my instrument anymore.

I advise everyone who is sceptical of lightening up to simply try it out. You might like it.
 
#23
I went through the Conservatorium down here and when doing a Stevie Ray Vaughn one time the tutor told me to stop playing so softly and dig right in. I've done so since then, maybe a bit more than necessary as the neck pick-up on my Tbird actually has grooves in it from where the string has bounced off it, but I certainly like the nastier tone it gives me. But whatever works for you, that's what I think. There are no set rules in music, despite what some people on the internet would like you to believe.
 
#25
Venom of God said:
I went through the Conservatorium down here and when doing a Stevie Ray Vaughn one time the tutor told me to stop playing so softly and dig right in. I've done so since then, maybe a bit more than necessary as the neck pick-up on my Tbird actually has grooves in it from where the string has bounced off it, but I certainly like the nastier tone it gives me. But whatever works for you, that's what I think. There are no set rules in music, despite what some people on the internet would like you to believe.
Click to expand...

i want to say, you are doing it wrong, but your bass beat me to it!!!
:bassist:
 
#26
Geddy Lee Digs in Ample and sounds amazing IMHO (:

I like doin a bit of both by using my bass' volume.
for slow/soft songs-Max volume turn tone down slightly and play smoothly almost at neck.
for fast/hard songs-Put volume to around 7, MAX tone and Dig in at middle or bridge p/up (whatever is required for the tone I want)
 
#27
Whether you want to watch someone play bass and jump up and down, entertainment is and will always be the name of the game. People have their own ways of doing it, though...some you will like, some you won't. But make no mistake, entertining is extremely important, and to a large degree it separates those bands who do well vs those who don't.
 
#28
Notice that individual player's evolution tends to go from "dig-in" to "play lightly."

Same for me. Better tone, forces the player to master control of the right hand with more nuance, and extends one's range of expression - you can always dig in that little bit more when appropriate. Think of this: if every note is ripped, how do you execute a crescendo?

Thanks for the thread.
 
#29
I have my action relatively low and quite frankly, my touch varies as to what music I'm playing.
If I'm noodling along to some jazz, I'll have my volume right up and I'll be barely brushing the strings, it's nice to be able to get some quite complex, fast runs in with minimal effort.
However (I'm prepared for ULTRA-flaming here) I feel that when you're caught in the moment of music, endurance become less of an issue as you aren't concentrating on anything but the music (I hope somebody here has any clue what I'm rambling on about :( ) and I love nothing more than to be able to pumell my bass with agressive fingerstyle to some RATM, or RHCP or something equally upbeat.
That's just me though, frankly, as long as your heart's in it, both styles are beautiful and I respect both! :bassist: (oh and you might want to imagine that little guy is using a soft touch :p )
 
#31
bassbrad said:
IMO it's not an either or but somewhere in the middle, I want enough volume to play dynamically but still dig in for growl or punch.
Click to expand...

I agree with this. I need enough "meat" in my playing but there are times when I want to lighten up for a more "delicate" tone.
Dynamics are necessary for, well...dynamic playing!
I think the better players are CONSTANTLY adjusting their touch as well as right hand position.
Give me enough "juice" so that my tone isn't "choked" but let me work both ends of the dynamic spectrum.
 
#33
makkE said:
That pitch dive you speak of was actually my problem.
I used to dig in quite a bit, but my notes lacked clarity, due to being slightly out of tune. When I played a gig where I really had to play soft (small place, not much noise allowed), I noticed that all of a sudden my notes were a lot cleaner, more present, and that the band's sound was instantly more powerful.

The next day, I set my action to low and cranked the amp up.

Here's what I found after about two weeks:

I had never tried a light touch, because I thought I would lack my drive/agressiveness/feel and that I wouldn't be able to "rock" anymore. I found that's not true AT ALL.
All you do is lower the overall level of force you use. It doesn't change a thing about your articulation or how your playing feels to you.

After a few days I was so used to playing softer, that I started to wonder if I was digging in again subconciusly, but no fret clank or buzz addured me I was not.

On playing with the band, I still need to learn to control my dynamics, wich I never had to bother with, because before, I always played at max. It's hard, but it works. Opens up a lot of new options.

Tone: So much fatter and pronounced now :D I used to think with a baseball-bat neck and thick flats, you'd have to play accordingly (hard). I was wrong. Also, the bass is simply more present in the mix, almost like a natural compression.

I could almost instantly play 30% faster, and I can play for hours on end now. When playing with the band, my hands are much more relaxed, allowing me to concentrate on listening more. I simply don't have to fight my instrument anymore.

I advise everyone who is sceptical of lightening up to simply try it out. You might like it.
Click to expand...

Very cool. Well said.
 
#34
FretlessMainly said:
I always opt for turn down and play like a beast. To me tone comes more from technique than from electronics.
Click to expand...

Generally, it does. But that's not what's at issue here.

One can master one's tone just as much with low action and a light touch, as with high action and a heavy hand - and even more so. The only "electronics" being referenced here are the volume pot(s) on the instrument and the master volume control on the amp. :hmm:

MM
 
#35
ill be turning up at home after a more experienced bass playing friend suggested it to help me soften my attack, as i hammer the **** out of my strings and have fairly low endurance as part of that (also im a relative noob, but im working on it). im playing metal however so depending on the venue and backline etc, there might as well have been a turn up AND dig in option ^ ^
 
#36
chaseman said:
I play mostly RHCP-style music and I find the tone to be more suitable when digging in a bit (although not pup-damaging).

Hell, what am I saying?!! Volume and strength of plucking has nothing to do with it! It's all in the piece of wood apparently! :hiding:
Click to expand...

RHCP - good man! What era do you prefer? Oh and don't be an idiot! Tone comes straight down to what knobs you have on your amp!
 
#38
I don't think anyone plays hard just for yucks....there is an obvious difference in tone when one plays aggressively compared to lightly. The poll question seems to imply there are two ways to an end, but I think there are two conclusions to the argument.

It's almost a moot question, like finger -v- pick....both techniques work, they sound different, but you can play the same notes either way.

I was from the "both" camp for years: Crank it AND hit it hard! I never played a night without bleeding on my bass, and you could HEAR that intensity, and no amplifier setting would/will ever duplicate the sound of me pounding on my axe.

That said, as I get older I'm more protective of my body parts and I'm moving away from the blood and guts method. I do still use a compressor though so that when I want it I can bang the bass and keep my dynamics within reason.

Light touch and loud amp, sound better? That's a personal preference question, and cannot be answered. But ask your drummer if s/he thinks that playing with chopsticks but through a PA sounds as R&R as hitting the heck out of the snare, well, we all know the answer to THAT question!
 

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