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How hard do YOU dig in when playing?

#61
Lobster11 said:
I’m exactly the opposite: I use a "floating thumb" technique with my right hand, gently caressing the strings with my plucking fingers, and cranking the amp to let it do all the work. I often feel like the instrument is playing itself and I'm just watching.
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Same here. I play with a floating thumb and a light touch. I let the amp do all the heavy lifting. If I need a more aggressive sound I only have to increase my playing pressure slightly to get as much edge and snarl as I need. Letting the instrument play itself is a good way to put it.

But a lot depends on the type of music you play. I was doing what’s now called “classic progrock” (an oxymoron if there ever was one ;)) back in the day. If I dug in I would have never developed the necessary speed required to play a lot of the basslines in that genre. Or to execute them cleanly.

So it’s one thing if you’re in a band covering Tempus Fugit and another thing if you’re opening your show with SRV’s Texas Flood where digging in would really be more appropriate.

The other consideration (IMO) is the touch sensitivity your bass. A Ric will bark if you so much as look at it sideways. A Ripper or TBird are also pretty touch sensitive. So a lighter hand on the strings is generally a good idea if you want to get the best out of that sort of bass. A PB, on the other hand, is probably the most forgiving and uncomplicated bass on the planet when it comes to technique. Play it gently, play it hard, or play it anywhere in between and it just sounds good. Use a light touch and it sings. Really dig in and you get mo’ beef. It’s almost impossible to make it sound bad. Which is probably why it’s still the most popular bass on the planet since its introduction in 1951.

To dig or not to dig…

It’s all good. So is that even a question? ;):thumbsup:
 
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#62
Nashrakh said:
For us to have dynamic range, you need to possibility to go lower in volume still. But when our medium forte is what to others is pianissimo, how much leeway do we have - unless we use the volume knob?
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What's wrong with using the volume knob? I've always thought that was precisely why there is one on your bass -- for quick volume adjustments when needed. I generally set mine just a little shy of max so I have a little room to boost if necessary and plenty of room to turn down if necessary. When I want the sound of a more aggressive attack I use a pick.
 
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#63
Gorilla Fingers said:
I'm pretty heavy-handed, personally. From the pic below, you can see that my handle here is an apt one.

I'm just always fascinated at how many different approaches there are to one humble instrument!

View attachment 4553677
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Harder than I should, but less hard than I used to.
 
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#65
Lobster11 said:
What's wrong with using the volume knob?
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Nothing really, I just find I never have a hand free when I need to switch. I don't know how guitarists do it, honestly.

However, I feel like there is a difference in tone, when you play ppp vs playing mf with volume rolled down. I guess in a real life setting, the difference will be virtually impossible to detect in a mix.
 
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#69
Playing with a much lighter touch than when I was a younger player. Back then, it was lack of technique coupled with crappy underpowered equipment.
Later, the habit stuck even though I had moved on to better gear and gigs.
At some point I went to a softer lighter technique with more volume and more specific eq and compression settings. Now when I need to dig in, there is a dramatic difference in sound that is much more effective than playing all out, all the time. I can also play faster and more complicated lines that I couldn't before with all of the pressure and tension in my hands, arms and shoulders.
 
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#70
Lobster11 said:
Something I've noticed in the many threads on this topic over the years, and again in this thread, is that lots of people say that they started out plucking hard but later learned to play with a soft touch -- but almost no one says the opposite.
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Yep, I've noticed that too.

I certainly dig in less than I used to, but still probably more than I should. Sometimes I'm pretty sure for what I'm playing that it's actually correct (e.g., digging in for Tool is appropriate) so there's some "it depends," as well, but overall I still probably do so too much, and am gradually learning to do it less.
 
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#71
I adjust how hard I attack the strings based on the tune/artist, though I tend to like playing as hard as I can and still get the best articulation. I'll play a song with a soft touch if it's called for, but my preference is for bass tones favoring harder attacks, so the Gary Willis approach never made sense for me.
 
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#74
This morning’s set (church) had a couple tunes where there were a lot of dynamics. My approach is “if everything is loud, nothing is loud” - If you play loud all the time, it loses its impact very quickly. You save loud for when it needs to be loud, the rest of the time you’re less loud.

So, out of 4 songs, I dug in for 2 choruses. One was less “dug in” than the other - only 1 place in the set was I flat out. However, my volume control is also part of the equation - only at the loudest parts is it maxed. I don’t get louder by digging in or turning up; I get louder by digging in AND turning up. So, I’m letting the PA (I don’t use amps) do some, but not all, of the “work”.
 
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#76
I find that I dig in when I can't hear myself and often my playing suffers because my hands aren't as loose.

My action is pretty low on pretty much everything. I spent a lot of time working on getting my technique up to par so I DO have all these dynamics when I need them. This is partially why I've been leaning harder towards active basses as I mature as a player since the volume knob only affects volume and not tone.
 
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#78
I play hard as a motherfather and will get blood blisters at ends of shows sometimes if I'm not careful. I try to stretch and warm up and I will get carried away, especially during gigs. Even when playing by myself to songs, I am digging in way too hard.

And I'm not gonna stop!

I have had times early in sets if I don't warm up, where my right hand won't cooperate and I can't be as quick. Even when I'm warmed up, clearly digging in isn't too conducive to dexterity, but my band's songs aren't super complicated or needing 1/32nd notes or anything like that.

Visually, I find it more interesting and visceral, than watching someone with a super light, ghost touch type style. But that's just me. Happy Sunday!
 
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#79
A generalized statement IMHO. The "Goldilocks Thing" works well in so many cases including playing the bass.

How hard do YOU dig in when playing?

Not too hard and not too light. Higher action, can dig deeper than with low action. My aim is clean notes. Minus fret banging, rattle, clanking. (Isn't that called slapping?)

Anyway, down the middle with "dig in". Goldilocks. Clean notes.
 
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