How hard do YOU dig in when playing?

[ryan pate]

 

[Isaac_James]

I have a pretty heavy hand when I'm not thinking about it. Blame it on years of playing through an amp that wasn't quite loud enough to keep up with my (also heavy handed) drummer and a our guitarist's marshall stacks. Conveniently, that's also what I blame the tinnitus on.

Now that I have better gear, I've been working on having a lighter touch and letting my amp do the talking, though when I get into the groove I often revert to heavy thwacking.

There are times when the thwack-clank approach actually fits the song and I try for it. But generally, I'm working on breaking many years of a bad habit.

 

[zubrycky]

I dig very hard. My main inspiration is Geezer Butler and I'm practicing without an amp for almost all 3 decades.

(But I can soften my touch without problems)

Here's some examples





On the soft side...

 

[roccobass]

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.

^This. Sometimes playing too hard on double bass actually 'chokes out' the quality and warmth of the sound/tone as well, in addition to causing fatigue too early and possible injury. Play only as hard as necessary to get the tone out, and leave yourself some breathing room. If you can't hear yourself while playing in that fashion, ask others to play more quietly.

@Lobster11
I’m with you on the volume knob.
I also play with amp placement and height. I’ll use one or two crates depending on how many cabs I’m using. I’m one of those diggers that like a strong attack. Doing the above allows for just a wee bit less effort thereby increasing my longevity.

@JazznFunk
Well said. The double is a completely different animal. I play one also, but am mindful of my attack. I actually prefer a lighter one (I use Thomastik medium strings too). They only time I really dig is on my solos or intros like on Impressions. I’m a jazz player on upright. I avoid loud situations because of the potential for feedback and I too am not shy about asking others to turn down. Nothing tires me out quicker than having to play hard because of the volume.

 

[bassbrad]

I play dynamically but do sometimes dig in to get louder when I really should turn up my amp. Much of that is due to my reluctance to contribute to the ever evolving volume wars between the drummer and guitar players I work with, in the past [ and still ] my rigs can blow the band off the stage, it is my restraint and respect that keeps me from doing so.

 

[JazznFunk]

I'm also in the same camp, but lately I've been wondering if you can have too much of a good thing.

My train of thought is this: the softer you play, and the higher you crank your amp, the higher your inherent noise floor. That becomes problematic if you have a noisy instrument, and you play so soft that the hum (or faulty muting) become readily apparent. Plus, how soft can you actually play? 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?

Food for thought. I highly doubt that someone actually plays so extremely soft, like ppp all the time, and won't have reserves for lower dynamics. Most of us end up in a range that allows for dynamic freedom. We soft players do have the advantage of being able to go stupid loud at the drop of a hat, however.

I get where you're going, but rarely do I ever have to have my amp so loud that my LOUDEST POINT requires it being ear-splittingly high, or where the noise floor would ever be an issue. I simply don't want to play that loud, and if I do, I usually have FOH support.

 

[sawzalot]

I’m all about the music. I like dynamics, which means that I will use my hands to get louder/softer and to change the texture of what I’m playing. If I’m digging in the entire time, that means I’ve got nowhere to go dynamics-wise. So it’s all about the music and the moment.

 

[LBS-bass]

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.

I think a lot of us who are older started out on instruments that wouldn't set up well or very low, or maybe didn't really understand what a setup might do for us in those days. That was certainly the case for me and it wasn't until many years later that I was able to get instruments that could set up low enough that I could play lightly.

 

[LBS-bass]

I’m with you on the volume knob.
I also play with amp placement and height. I’ll use one or two crates depending on how many cabs I’m using. I’m one of those diggers that like a strong attack. Doing the above allows for just a wee bit less effort thereby increasing my longevity.

I try to set my volume initially so that I'm right at a decently audible point while playing with my normal attack. Then when I do dig in, I get something more from it, but I'm never overbearing (at least not with the bass .)

 

[Watchootognbout]

Since installing ramps on my sixers and practicing the four fingered technique I have really put emphasis on playing lighter.
Also playing my NS/Stick with ultra low action requires a very light touch.

 

[JW56789]

The first several years when I started out, I routinely BROKE strings I played so hard (GHS Boomers hold up WAY better than RotoSounds). Over time, I calmed down, realized the amp would do the work if I'd let it, and things settled into some random normalcy.

 

[dkelley]

I dig in very hard at times, but I setup my instrument so that I am not hitting the pickups with the strings because that sounds horrible to my ears. I want to hit the upper frets and/or fingerboard when I play hard, as part of the desired tone, not plastic or metal electronics.

 

[Jay2U]

Most of the time I play finger style Punk Rock. I tend to hit the strings pretty hard, which fits the genre well. On the other end of the board a lot of hammer-ons take place, causing some fret damage with time.

 

[wysiwyg248]

I took the advice of Gary Willis early in my development.... turn the amp up and play with a light touch. It means you have way more dynamic range available for when you DO need to dig in. I look at guys like Pino, Nathan East, etc and they all - from the outside looking in - play with a very gentle touch. Also, fatigue becomes an issue at a certain point.... especially on double bass.... ESPECIALLY when playing without an amp.

Amen to this comment. To me, is a matter of physics: if you hit hard, you need more energy to move your fingers back and forth which leads to fatigue and limits how fast and expressively you can play. Play light and hit hard when you want to make a difference.

 

[Bruiser Stone]

I get excited and go a little bit napalm sometimes when people are listening. Flats aggravate this, but rounds temper the beast within.

 

[Hundred proof]

Was once told by one of the preeminent sound people in town that they appreciated my “control” finger style … as of recently however I’m re learning using a pick, so it’s a new learning curve.

 

[Biggbass]

I have a light touch and let the gear do the heavy work.

 

[matti777]

I have a light touch like Geezer and Jamerson.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I am heavy handed.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I am heavy handed.

I played keys for several years in a group, I was heavy handed on keys too. I seem to produce a more muddy tone because of being heavy handed. My p bass sounds muddy. I like an active eq bass, I can clean up my sound!