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How hard do you play and why?

B

Bear_Bass

Dec 28, 2011
69
1
#1
So im just wondering how everyone plays with there right hand?

i personally have a J bass, both pick-ups on full and pluck as hard as hard as i can. My band is a funk band from stuff like Brothers Johnson to Chic so having that sort of tone fits nicely......and when you're all 15-16 years old you need to give the best impression possible.

So how hard do you play and why?
 
#4
Russell L said:
If you pluck too hard you DON'T get more out of it. I play lightly, medium when I want more.
Click to expand...

Agreed. There's a point of diminishing returns when it comes to plucking strength, you end up choking the tone of the bass if you seriously muscle through it...However, where this threshold begins greatly depends on the combination of string height and string tension.

Perfect example: James Jamerson had a powerful finger but his bass had on high tension labella flats with rediculously high string action so the tone didn't suffer there, quite the opposite actually. His approach wouldn't work using TI flats (failry low tension flats) and low or medium string action.
 
#5
Pluck as hard as you want to get the tone you want...I love my tone when I dig in. Just remember though, like a boxer, you don't want to "punch yourself out". Lots of real hard plucking can take it's toll and your hand will get pretty tired and sore. This could even lead to long term issues.

So I say, pluck hard when the line calls for it, lay back when you can. Dynamics baby!
 
#8
It really depends on my ability to hear myself, and whatever nuances that I may be trying for. I tend to dig in, particularly at shows, but if I have the right set-up for the right room, and the tone is loud & awesome, I can relax.

It has been my experience that playing J-configured basses on the bridge pickup is usually my fastest ticket to sore fingers, as I tend to really dig in for certain songs (notably "You Oughta Know"). Since putting Quarter Pounders on my G&L JB-2, and favoring the bridge pickup while playing over the neck pickup, my right hand gets P-bass-like familiarity and comfort, while my ears, and those of everyone else, get sufficient "burp," with a healthy dose of gut-punch. Favor the neck pickup on this instrument, and the tone is in classic P territory, but there is still the ability to add some flavor, via the bridge pickup, and the tone control. It took me quite some time with this particular make of instrument, and with these pickups, to really recognize what I use and need the most. Bottom line: I'm happy with my sound, and that's what matters.
 
#9
I have a fairly light touch....I used to have a really heavy playing style....but my right arm would always hurt from playing too hard, my fingers would hit the pickups (that begins to hurt after 15, 20 minutes). Light touch, low action, all the clank I need.
 
#11
I play hard, but its not really something I consciously think about. I play as hard or as softly as the song requires. I might try playing harder or softer as the whim takes me. In general though, I play hard and I like a higher action so I can dig in. Geezer is definitely a big influence on me there.
 
#16
I generally play according to the action. If it's a higher action I would play a little harder, lower action probably a bit less. Depends on how the bass acts for me. Some basses are smooth...some need to get slapped around. Perhaps it has to do with the type of strings too.
 
#18
MUCH harder than I should. My idols are Flea and Timmy C. I tend to smash those strings as hard as I can, down at the bridge pup of course. I love the sound of a crunchy, mid-heavy bass tone. It's just what appeals to me and the music I play. However, I can play softly when I need to. It's not like I'm going to do this while playing any Jamerson lines.
 
#19
I tend to play very lightly and turn up. Remember, you play an electric instrument so let the amplifier do the work for you. If you play hard all the time, you have nowhere to go when the music intensifies. If you play lightly, then you can dig in to give the bass more edge/grit/whatever you call it. I agree: some tunes or styles of music call for different technique, but I strive to only pluck as hard as I need to in order to get a nice clear tone.
 
#20
Having a VT Bass Deluxe at my feet gives me 6 different tones, so I can play with a consistent touch, and let my signal processing do some of the work, most of the time. Obviously, when it's time to get mellow & quiet, the touch may be lighter.

There is a correlation to observe, here. Many of us view our playing as a form of therapeutic release, and may thus be heavier hitters, a good deal of the time.
 

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