Double Bass Fingering Shoulder Pain

[Who da Ville]

I'd recommend any and all of Mr. Klinghoffer's excellent on-line lessons, but this one seems most relevant to the topic at hand:

Link Removed

 

[pnchad]

right away when you feel it coming on

I learned the hard way (forcing it through the pain) & can barely get though a 30 min set anymore

there's no more dangerous an instrument that I can think of as far as RS pain/injury

when you get to the bottom of it you can get back to extensive playing

 

[Duce-hands]

I'd recommend any and all of Mr. Klinghoffer's excellent on-line lessons, but this one seems most relevant to the topic at hand:

Link Removed

Thanks I will check his channel out.

 

[chicagodoubler]

Does sitting on a stool help?

Playing pain can magically disappear for many of us simply by sitting. Playing the bass is hard enough without having to hold the thing up. Also, sitting will angle the fingerboard more, allowing the weight of the arm to naturally fall into the board.

Also... your shoulders don't look relaxed. Do you stretch regularly? Yoga is essential for athletes, and the bass is by all means an athletic endeavor.

 

[sowilson]

you may want to consider a "throwers 10" program, which is basically a rotator cuff rehab program that baseball pitchers use to prepare themselves for the season and to warm up prior to games. It will work the minor muscles, tendons, and ligaments surrounding the shoulder. Since this sounds like a new activity for you I wouldn't be surprised if your body isn't prepared for it. You might also consider icing when you finish practicing.

 

[TonyD]

You may also consider a bent endpin:



helped me a great deal!

 

[bass81800]

I think you made two good points in your self-assessment, OP. Get the action down and try to relax that shoulder. It just seems a little tight. A well-set-up bass will do wonders, perhaps an adjustable bridge, and easier to play strings, such as Spiro Weich's. All these things make an immense difference.

I could not begin to play a bass with high action. But, I can play my nicely set-up bass for hours, and I certainly have my physical issues.

 

[tappingtrance]

Elbow up on your arm that fingers the fingerboard.

Yes elbow up a bit but do not use your shoulder to do it, use your back muscles or you can strain your shoulder muscles.

 

[Don Higdon]

What town/city are you in, Duce?

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Just found this thread. In this picture, I see several things I would change (aside from it showing you playing lefty):

- The bass seems a bit low, with the nut at about jaw level rather than the usual eyebrow level or above.
- The way the bass is angled with the neck toward you opens your right arm up but boxes your left arm in (see next);
- the bass is angled towards you so that you are almost 90 degrees to it, more aligned with the side than with the back. This means that your left arm, which is not allowed to open to create leverage, is also being asked to reach way around the neck to get to fingering position. If you opened up the bass so that you were facing more of the back of the bass rather than the side, your arm/shoulder angles would balance better, which would be better for both arms, torso, and spine.
- you are obviously young and strong. If you weren't, you would likely be feeling pain in your left forearm and wrist. I agree with those who suggest you try to find a teacher to he help you with these issues in your area.

I agree with Eric that thumb position would be next to impossible from this position. Please do yourself a favor and find a healthier posture to play from while you are still young and start building some good habits. And good luck!

 

[Eric Hochberg]

Just found this thread. In this picture, I see several things I would change (aside from it showing you playing lefty):

- The bass seems a bit low, with the nut at about jaw level rather than the usual eyebrow level or above.
- The way the bass is angled with the neck toward you opens your right arm up but boxes your left arm in (see next);
- the bass is angled towards you so that you are almost 90 degrees to it, more aligned with the side than with the back. This means that your left arm, which is not allowed to open to create leverage, is also being asked to reach way around the neck to get to fingering position. If you opened up the bass so that you were facing more of the back of the bass rather than the side, your arm/shoulder angles would balance better, which would be better for both arms, torso, and spine.
- you are obviously young and strong. If you weren't, you would likely be feeling pain in your left forearm and wrist. I agree with those who suggest you try to find a teacher to he help you with these issues in your area.

I agree with Eric that thumb position would be next to impossible from this position. Please do yourself a favor and find a healthier posture to play from while you are still young and start building some good habits. And good luck!

+1 Glad you jumped in here, Chris.

 

[Don Higdon]

I'll assume the pictures are mirror images, and you're fingering with your left hand.
I suspect that with the bass rotated inward so that you're facing the side of the bass, you're restricting blood circulation in your left arm. This is an unsustainable position.
Now is not the time to switch end pins. You have alot of work to do on position and body mechanics first.
There's no particular magic to either sitting or standing. The world is full of great bassists in either position, and there are pluses and minuses for both.
I will say that I have observed more misuse of the spine among players that sit, but that's a consequence of unconscious habit. It's the player's fault, not the stool's.

 

[Eric Swanson]

The pain stinks.

I had one lesson with my teacher's teacher, former long-time NYPhil Principal and before that, section player, Robert Brennand.

The first thing he said to me in our three-hour lesson was that I should raise my bass. He chuckled about playing successfully for some many decades without a hint of back trouble. He also attributed his ability to move freely and bow with a large sound, partially, to easily reaching the entire instrument.

He was a modestly-sized man, but he played with an ease, power, and beauty that I haven't seen or heard since.

Note his body's relationship to the bass' height, sitting or standing, in these photos:

http://archives.nyphil.org/index.ph...ames_facet[0]=Brennand,+Robert&doctype=visual

 

[sean_on_bass]

Does sitting on a stool help?

Playing pain can magically disappear for many of us simply by sitting. Playing the bass is hard enough without having to hold the thing up. Also, sitting will angle the fingerboard more, allowing the weight of the arm to naturally fall into the board.

Also... your shoulders don't look relaxed. Do you stretch regularly? Yoga is essential for athletes, and the bass is by all means an athletic endeavor.

This. I bought a high stool since i could never get fully comfortable while standing. The ergonomics while sitting were much better. Plus, this taught how it SHOULD feel, and is allowing me to try standing again in a more successful position.

 

[tkozal]

Ya know when I had this type of shoulder pain, I ended up getting a MRI. Turns out a 25 year old mountain bike injury was now a torn glenoid labrum. Badly torn. No more DB for me. Just slab now

This started up after playing seriously again after 4 years or so off. But then I am an old arthritic fart now.

 

[fishdreams]

I worked with Ratzo Harris and he solved a major left shoulder issue for me in one lesson (I play bass guitar, but Ratzo is a double bass virtuoso). PM me if you need contact info.

 

[dropbass]

I worked with Ratzo Harris and he solved a major left shoulder issue for me in one lesson (I play bass guitar, but Ratzo is a double bass virtuoso). PM me if you need contact info.

I saw/ briefly met him with Les Paul years ago... fantastic... was on a 5 string upright. ...