How hard do YOU dig in when playing?

[lildrgn]

I am heavy handed.

I was typing on my keyboard at work once, a colleague mentioned that I had a heavy hand.

 

[labeledbass]

I've always appreciated a good dig, I don't play with a pick so any extra goodness on my attack is welcome. I've come to realize over time that because I play like this my action simply can't be to terribly low. I've tried and tried but keep circling back to fact that it just isn't made to be. It's the same with my non double jointed-ness, my thumb simply won't curve back creating a hook that so many have, that in turn makes upstroke thumb popping possible, it's just something I learned isn't going to happen.

Now I can and do play softer when it needs to be softer, but as an overall style I always revert back to getting into the dig. I'm also hopelessly in love with the bloom associated with tube breakup, which seems to benefit when playing heavier. The more dramatic of the attack the more the string has to "settle down" and that dynamic from front to back seems to really take avantage of valve circuits.

Or at least that's what I've fooled myself into thinking..

The more old I get the more people tell me I need to start acting my age and play softer, floating about and barely grazeing the strings, "let the amp do all the work.." they say

I don't know if I'll ever go there, maybe one day, but not today.

 

[GreatRandini]

I used to dig in continuously. During my teenage years, I was incorrectly taught by my big brother to play that way. I thought it was supposed to be hard on you and the instrument.

A few years ago, I began to have difficulty with my fingers and my right hand due to carpal tunnel syndrome and a touch of arthritis.
Sleeping with a carpal tunnel sleep brace has really reduced the severity.

I saw a Scott's Bass Lessons interview with an Orthopedic Surgeon who is also a bass player. I took his advice to heart. I changed my strap heights, strung all my basses with lighter strings, flattened the necks more and lowered string actions.
I began warming up every time before really playing, and regularly doing exercises to play with the lightest touch possible. I also joined SBL and have been taking lessons there ever since. Wish I would have taken proper lessons back when I began in the first place. It's been transformative. Not only have I learned a lot more about music at an accelerated rate, I have also learned that digging in for an entire song is like trying to have a conversation while shouting every single word as loud as you can at the other person. I must have been incredibly annoying to play with all of those years, and had no clue...or the other musicians had no clue.

So now I play floating thumb with a very light touch, and I dig in only to add emphasis to particular notes and phrases as needed. As a result, my bass playing is much more dynamic and interesting than it used to be, playing stamina has gone way up, and my hands don't bother me so much. I've since landed a regular gig with a group of musicians who are all far above the proficiency level of anyone I've ever worked with before. I never could have passed that audition before making these changes.

Digging in is a technique. Use it, but don't abuse it. There is a long term price to be paid for it.

I started on SBL recently and I’m surprised how much it’s shaping my playing after 30 years of playing

 

[labeledbass]

I started on SBL recently and I’m surprised how much it’s shaping my playing after 30 years of playing

Has there been any good deals running lately? I want to jump back in, but seem to always miss out

 

[GreatRandini]

During my early days I was playing punk and metal but simultaneously falling in love with jazz and funk bass players. So I wanted to play with my fingers but all my band mates wanted me to play with a pick. So I adopted a really aggressive “bounce it off the fingerboard” approach. It was tough to unlearn when I eventually wanted to play with less of the “clank” sound. I suffered in the studio because my timing wasn’t perfect and that extra click off the fretboard showed every flaw.
Over time I worked on my timing and technique… now I feel like it’s all just part of the arsenal! What sound do I want?
I also played with my bass slung really low and my head hanging forward because playing with my bass high caused a lot of practice room harassment I knocked that off when the pinched nerves in my neck started making my hand go numb.
I love digging in and I love playing light and subtle… it’s all good stuff

 

[GreatRandini]

Has there been any good deals running lately? I want to jump back in, but seem to always miss out

I haven’t seen any sales but if you do his yearly price, I think it’s only about $16/month though. Pretty darn cheap for the ridiculous amount of quality content on there! I decided to start from the very beginning as if I’d never picked up a bass and I’m almost a bit embarrassed to admit how much I’m learning

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I've found that since I started playing with a pick I dig in too hard when I do use fingers. Trying to duplicate the clarity of the pick I guess.

But there's some songs where my pick technique isn't up to the task yet.

Both are things I need to work on.

 

[Lownote38]

I was more heavily handed until a recording engineer soloed my bass track for a minute. I heard all kinds of clacking, popping and buzzing. The embarrassment of that event led to me developing not only a lighter touch, but a much more careful touch. Plus, the lighter you play, the faster you can go. If it isn't loud enough, I turn up my amp.

 

[Robscott]

I also play with amp placement and height. I’ll use one or two crates depending on how many cabs I’m using.

"Yeah, definitely a two crate gig, this one......."

 

[FretlessMainly]

 

[darwin-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 started out playing softly, but learned to dig in. I tend to pluck the strings with authority to get more clarity and articulation out of each note.

 

[TOOL460002]

I dig in over the pickup (only got the one) and slap, IMO, extremely hard. It's necessary to keep some consistency in attack going from thumb slapping chords to popping double stops. Really gotta whack 'em with your thumb or it doesn't come through as much. I am pretty gentle playing over the neck, but that's kinda the point. Never had a light touch and haven't broken a string in over a decade (I know I'm not special, just sayin').

 

[Kaa]

I think I pluck pretty hard, but I only use the very tip of my fingers, so, maybe I don't. The string s aren't really being tugged out of their normal spot all that much.