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Does anyone else play thumb-over?

#61
The Deep said:
I always thought this was an excellent video explaining proper left hand technique.

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Great video!

But an important distinction, that the video is called "safe technique," not "proper technique."

"Proper" implies a value judgment that only certain players are playing the bass correctly, while everyone else is wrong. Who gets to decide?!?

But I think it's all relative, and no two players are exactly the same. Geddy Lee has the "proper technique" to play "YYZ." Cliff Burton had the proper technique to play "Orion." Chris Squire had the proper technique for "Roundabout." Paul McCartney has the proper technique to play "Taxman." And so on and so forth...
 
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#62
Mushroo said:
Great video!

But an important distinction, that the video is called "safe technique," not "proper technique."

"Proper" implies a value judgment that only certain players are playing the bass correctly, while everyone else is wrong. Who gets to decide?!?

But I think it's all relative, and no two players are exactly the same. Geddy Lee has the "proper technique" to play "YYZ." Cliff Burton had the proper technique to play "Orion." Chris Squire had the proper technique for "Roundabout." Paul McCartney has the proper technique to play "Taxman." And so on and so forth...
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Best answer here !
Plus, who the hell wants to play like everybody else?
 
#63
vvvmmm said:
On the fretting hand, I mean, of course.

I do about 98% of the time, I reckon because I started out on guitar ...

I do not have large hands, what I am told makes it even stranger, but I find it's how I learned/taught me, and it's baked-in.

Anyone else do this?

Anyone used to and change, and if so, why?

I mean, I play a good few hours a week, sometimes a day, for a few years now, and I've had no physical problems yet ...
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I used to but I had to break myself of this technique … it is a bad habit … many famous bass players have this bad habit

 
#64
Even though I was never taught proper technique, what I have settled into naturally (54 year vet) is letting my hand do what is comfortable for it depending on what I'm playing. I really hadn't thought about it but a few months ago I started paying attention to it, and overall I'm probably in proper thumb-on-neck position 85 to 90% of the time, but I'll just naturally go thumb over at times. It feels right to me.
 
#65
Thumb over the top? Strictly amateur hour.

You'll never see a "pro" pull that crap ... at least not a pro who is renowned for their technique!

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#69
Mushroo said:
Great video!

But an important distinction, that the video is called "safe technique," not "proper technique."

"Proper" implies a value judgment that only certain players are playing the bass correctly, while everyone else is wrong. Who gets to decide?!?

But I think it's all relative, and no two players are exactly the same. Geddy Lee has the "proper technique" to play "YYZ." Cliff Burton had the proper technique to play "Orion." Chris Squire had the proper technique for "Roundabout." Paul McCartney has the proper technique to play "Taxman." And so on and so forth...
Click to expand...
To clarify, though -- and I'm sure you'll agree -- this is not to say that all techniques are "proper" and so you should just do "whatever works for you." There are good reasons why some techniques/habits are, shall we say, "ill-advised": e.g., because they are potentially injurious in the long run (even if they don't hurt now) or because they might impede your ability to improve and master other kinds of material in the future (even if they "work for you" with what you are playing now).
 
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#70
For the most part I don't, but sometimes when I have a super easy bass line on the top string and I feel like it, I might do it just for the heck of it, but when I do that, that is the only hand member I am using to fret a note.

You know you have something that is mostly open "A", then something like a "G", and then something like an open "E".
 
#74
I do when I can.

I remember going to a music camp in my early teens and taking a bass workshop there. This one student would constantly put his thumb up over the neck and the teacher would scold him every time, so I had it drilled into my head that I should never do that either (even though it wasn't really ever a habit of mine).

Now I've been playing bass for 14 years and I find myself putting my thumb up often. I find that it doesn't hinder my playing at all, and can actually provide comfort. The trick is knowing when you're able to put your thumb up vs not. I'd say 90% of the time I'm not, but when I'm playing slower grooves, my thumb has time to come up for air. I don't believe it's a bad habit anymore. Joe Dart, one of my idols, does it all the time.
 
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#78
Lobster11 said:
To clarify, though -- and I'm sure you'll agree -- this is not to say that all techniques are "proper" and so you should just do "whatever works for you." There are good reasons why some techniques/habits are, shall we say, "ill-advised": e.g., because they are potentially injurious in the long run (even if they don't hurt now) or because they might impede your ability to improve and master other kinds of material in the future (even if they "work for you" with what you are playing now).
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I agree. Much of what has been taught as "proper technique" since the 1980s comes from that decade's love affair with virtuosity, generally speaking, and specifically, the overwhelming influence of Jaco Pastorius. But Jaco had a tragically short career and a notorious disregard for his own physical safety. Is Jaco really the person we should worship as the avatar of "proper technique"? Also, Jaco was a showman, and some of the tricks he did (like bending his thumbs backwards or spreading his fingers really far apart) were more about wowing the audience than anything musical.

When it comes to studying technique, these days I am less interested in the Jacos of the world, and more inspired by solid "meat and potato" bassists who have had decades-long careers in backing/support roles: Tony Levin, Carol Kaye, Bobby Vega, Lee Sklar, Nathan East, Pino Paladino, Paul Jackson, Joe Osborn, and so forth.
 
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#79
Well, we are chastised for being too flashy, now we are getting beat up for thumb-over, WTx. Don't worry my technique is even worse on the DB. When extremely tired , I do the mitt hold. It looks so amateurish but I learned this in NYC from some old timers. Will save your hands and actually good enough for quarter notes or slow beats. Fat tone actually.
 

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