Help me with my left hand technique.

[lowfreqgeek]

Thanks. I am not sure if my thumb position is proper at all. My thumb parallel with the back of the neck, not across it, like I see most players suggest. I don't know if this is merely a matter of my hands being shorter than your average bassist, or because of how I have played guitar most of my life, but it seems to be the natural way I am inclined.

If I make a C with my hand, and measure the inside of it from the tip of my middle finger (the longest) to the tip of my thumb, it's approximately 8 1/4 inches. This is not very long in my estimation, and may be why I'm cranking my thumb parallel to the board to get more purchase when fretting, especially when I'm playing the D and G strings or higher up the fretboard.

First, get out of your mind that the size of your hand has anything to do with anything. It doesn't. You're creating a mental block by thinking it does. My hand is no bigger than yours and I play a fairly wide 6, 35" scale 5, and a 42" upright with plenty of ease.

Second, no, the thumb should not be parallel to the neck. That restricts the motion of your fingers and makes your palm collapse. Don't press with the thumb; keep it there for stability and to maintain hand shape. Take a soda can and wrap your fingers around it, with your thumb perpendicular to the center axis of the can and your fingers spread out slightly. That's the basic shape your hand should take on the neck, thumb perpendicular to the neck and more or less opposite the middle finger, or slightly between the first and middle fingers. Keep a relaxed hand and do not mash. Pull back with the shoulder, rather than mashing with your hand. Don't let the fingers collapse flat against the board. Make sure you're pressing down right at the fret, not way back toward the previous fret. The amount of leverage required to stop the string is the lowest at the fret, not way behind it.

Much like your right hand, you have to spend time focusing on the left hand. With time it'll come more naturally. Pay attention to keep a nice rounded shape to your fingers and your wrist basically straight. This may also require you to adjust the height and/or angle of the neck. Don't be afraid to use a 1-2-4 technique on the lower frets. I do that all the time.

 

[BusyFingers]

First, get out of your mind that the size of your hand has anything to do with anything. It doesn't. You're creating a mental block by thinking it does. My hand is no bigger than yours and I play a fairly wide 6, 35" scale 5, and a 42" upright with plenty of ease.

Second, no, the thumb should not be parallel to the neck. That restricts the motion of your fingers and makes your palm collapse. Don't press with the thumb; keep it there for stability and to maintain hand shape. Take a soda can and wrap your fingers around it, with your thumb perpendicular to the center axis of the can and your fingers spread out slightly. That's the basic shape your hand should take on the neck, thumb perpendicular to the neck and more or less opposite the middle finger, or slightly between the first and middle fingers. Keep a relaxed hand and do not mash. Pull back with the shoulder, rather than mashing with your hand. Don't let the fingers collapse flat against the board. Make sure you're pressing down right at the fret, not way back toward the previous fret. The amount of leverage required to stop the string is the lowest at the fret, not way behind it.

Much like your right hand, you have to spend time focusing on the left hand. With time it'll come more naturally. Pay attention to keep a nice rounded shape to your fingers and your wrist basically straight. This may also require you to adjust the height and/or angle of the neck. Don't be afraid to use a 1-2-4 technique on the lower frets. I do that all the time.

I appreciate you chiming in, but positioning my hand in this manner is painful. Perhaps I'm not doing it as you're suggesting.

If anyone has a video of what he is suggesting, I'd love to see it.

 

[BusyFingers]

If I'm reading you correctly, your thumb is not directly behind your fingers. If so, this is going to create all kinds of difficulty for you - from dexterity to the strength to finger a note cleanly.
Try this. Tap your thumb tip to your fingertips and quickly as you can. My guess is that your thumb is hitting your middle finger, or the first and second. Now imagine your bass neck between your thumb and fingers as you do this. This is about where you want your thumb when playing.

It's not that comfortable to do this. Also, I came across a video that said the thumb should be before the fingers (more towards the headstock) on the back of the neck.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

I appreciate you chiming in, but positioning my hand in this manner is painful. Perhaps I'm not doing it as you're suggesting.

If anyone has a video of what he is suggesting, I'd love to see it.

Without seeing how you're holding the instrument, it's hard to diagnose what you're doing wrong. The whole purpose is to make your hand completely relaxed, with very little or no bend in the wrist. Where is the pain occurring?

 

[BusyFingers]

Without seeing how you're holding the instrument, it's hard to diagnose what you're doing wrong. The whole purpose is to make your hand completely relaxed, with very little or no bend in the wrist. Where is the pain occurring?

This picture is how I'm comfortable fretting. If I try the way you suggest, I get pain in my wrist. I could wear the bass under my neck to make it more comfortable, but that's not happening.

 

[BusyFingers]

First, get out of your mind that the size of your hand has anything to do with anything. It doesn't. You're creating a mental block by thinking it does. My hand is no bigger than yours and I play a fairly wide 6, 35" scale 5, and a 42" upright with plenty of ease.

I don't agree with this. Ergonomics are an important aspect of technique, and while full scale basses may be suitable for a wide range of hand sizes, it's not really reasonable to suggest one size fits all.

I've played bass off and on for years using full scale basses and I've always wandered away back to guitar. After buying a short scale bass, I can now see myself dedicating myself to the instrument seriously because of the ergonomic advantage the short scale has for me.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

This picture is how I'm comfortable fretting. If I try the way you suggest, I get pain in my wrist. I could wear the bass under my neck to make it more comfortable, but that's not happening.

So you're basically resting the bottom of the neck in your palm, which is severely limited your range of motion and dexterity.

Here's a series of pics I forgot I had posted for another TBer with a similar issue (using an orange, instead of a soda can):

 

[lowfreqgeek]

I don't agree with this. Ergonomics are an important aspect of technique, and while full scale basses may be suitable for a wide range of hand sizes, it's not really reasonable to suggest one size fits all.

Ever heard of Jane Little? Look her up.

 

[JoeWPgh]

This picture is how I'm comfortable fretting. If I try the way you suggest, I get pain in my wrist. I could wear the bass under my neck to make it more comfortable, but that's not happening.

This is what's causing your problem with fret noise with your pinky. With your thumb there, you've given up the strength/leverage in that finger. Your thumb doesn't need to be at a 90 degree angle to the neck. 30~40 degrees will be an improvement. Try getting that thumb under your first finger. Your pinky will be a lot stronger.

 

[BusyFingers]

So you're basically resting the bottom of the neck in your palm, which is severely limited your range of motion and dexterity.

Here's a series of pics I forgot I had posted for another TBer with a similar issue (using an orange, instead of a soda can):

View attachment 1021403View attachment 1021404View attachment 1021405 View attachment 1021399View attachment 1021400View attachment 1021401 View attachment 1021402

So you're basically resting the bottom of the neck in your palm, which is severely limited your range of motion and dexterity.

Here's a series of pics I forgot I had posted for another TBer with a similar issue (using an orange, instead of a soda can):

View attachment 1021403View attachment 1021404View attachment 1021405 View attachment 1021399View attachment 1021400View attachment 1021401 View attachment 1021402

Could you measure the inside of your C from the tip of the middle finger to the tip of the thumb? I'm curious whether or not your hand is as small as mine.

 

[BusyFingers]

This is what's causing your problem with fret noise with your pinky. With your thumb there, you've given up the strength/leverage in that finger. Your thumb doesn't need to be at a 90 degree angle to the neck. 30~40 degrees will be an improvement. Try getting that thumb under your first finger. Your pinky will be a lot stronger.

Yeah, I can see how that seems to strengthen things up without causing discomfort.

 

[lfmn16]

Set up a lesson with a good teacher. Watching someone else do something is good; getting feedback on what you are doing wrong is better.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

Could you measure the inside of your C from the tip of the middle finger to the tip of the thumb? I'm curious whether or not your hand is as small as mine.

8" on the nose.

 

[BusyFingers]

Ok, so a couple things so far:

1) I should keep my thumb as perpendicular to the bass as possible and positioned behind the first or middle fingers all the time.

2) I should be using the tips of my fingers to fret.

3) I should not be bending my wrist excessively.

This guy suggests your thumb should never go above the haflway point on the back of the neck. Also, he's encouraging a lot of hand movement (even for the chromatic scale) verses finger stretching (at the 6:25 mark of the video). Does that sound right?

 

[storybass]

The guy in that video is my teacher.Everything he has showed me and told me to do has worked for me.I took lessons for four years before going to him.He fixed my right hand technique within a few lessons.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

Ok, so a couple things so far:

1) I should keep my thumb as perpendicular to the bass as possible and positioned behind the first or middle fingers all the time.

2) I should be using the tips of my fingers to fret.

3) I should not be bending my wrist excessively.

This guy suggests your thumb should never go above the haflway point on the back of the neck. Also, he's encouraging a lot of hand movement (even for the chromatic scale) verses finger stretching. Does that sound right?

Points 2 and 3, absolutely. Point 1 is "as much as possible". Make an effort now and it'll start to come more naturally as you progress.

The video looks good, skipping through it. Just make sure you're fretting on or just behind the fret and not half way between frets (or farther back toward the previous fret). Learn to pivot the hand around the thumb to reach forward and back, which necessitates keeping the thumb across from the middle finger instead of pointing parallel to the neck, behind the first finger as it was in your photo. Also, the half-way point along the axis of the neck is a good rule-of-thumb (excuse my pun!). That's the target line, but a specific neck shape/size may necessitate moving to one side or the other of that line to reach some parts of the neck.

 

[JoeWPgh]

Ok, so a couple things so far:

1) I should keep my thumb as perpendicular to the bass as possible and positioned behind the first or middle fingers all the time.

In a perfect world? At all times. But it's not a perfect world, so as much as possible.

2) I should be using the tips of my fingers to fret.

Better than the knuckles

3) I should not be bending my wrist excessively.

As little as possible, but you'll have to have some bent on it. This is a major wear point. The less bent to your wrist, the less stress it incurs.

This guy suggests your thumb should never go above the haflway point on the back of the neck. Also, he's encouraging a lot of hand movement (even for the chromatic scale) verses finger stretching. Does that sound right?

I think you'll see he's practicing the advice we've all given. Keep that thumb behind your fingers. Seriously. If you watch for his thumb, you won't see it. It's always hidden behind his fingers.

 

[BusyFingers]

The guy in that video is my teacher.Everything he has showed me and told me to do has worked for me.I took lessons for four years before going to him.He fixed my right hand technique within a few lessons.

You mean your fretting hand? You're a lefty?

 

[BusyFingers]

I got the wee-stubby fingers!

I'm afraid fixing my fretting hand technique is going to be almost as arduous as adapting to the floating thumb.

 

[BusyFingers]

Points 2 and 3, absolutely. Point 1 is "as much as possible". Make an effort now and it'll start to come more naturally as you progress.

The video looks good, skipping through it. Just make sure you're fretting on or just behind the fret and not half way between frets (or farther back toward the previous fret). Learn to pivot the hand around the thumb to reach forward and back, which necessitates keeping the thumb across from the middle finger instead of pointing parallel to the neck, behind the first finger as it was in your photo. Also, the half-way point along the axis of the neck is a good rule-of-thumb (excuse my pun!). That's the target line, but a specific neck shape/size may necessitate moving to one side or the other of that line to reach some parts of the neck.

Thanks, guys.