JeezyMcNuggles
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- Feb 23, 2018
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Keeping bass stable when picking
- Thread starter freeridden
- Start date
Talking about an anchor...
Nikki Sixx had a pinky anchor installed on his basses...
Nikki Sixx had a pinky anchor installed on his basses...
Depending how high the bass is riding on you, either my picking hand inside forearm, or the forearm and the inside of my elbow anchor it. I frammed the hell out my basses with a pick when I started out, but the movement across the strings was almost all from the wrist, never slid my elbow along the top of the body to go from here to there across the strings.
I anchor my extra fingers sometimes during certain passages. But I believe the best method is a "floating hand" technique that utilizes rest strokes. I learned it during my Gypsy jazz guitar studies. It works great with a bass.
Rest your forearm comfortably the body and hold your wrist at a 45 degree angle give or take. Imagine you are holding a lit match in place of the pick and make a movement with your wrist like you are shaking the flame out. That's the movement.
When you strike the string you will want to play "through" the sting until the pick comes to rest on the string below. Use an alternating pattern but start on each new string with a down stroke whether ascending or descending.
Like this
E -Down up down
A -Down up down
D -Down up down
G -Down up down
Do the same when descending.
It takes some practice to double up the down strokes when crossing strings but it's worth it.
Rest your forearm comfortably the body and hold your wrist at a 45 degree angle give or take. Imagine you are holding a lit match in place of the pick and make a movement with your wrist like you are shaking the flame out. That's the movement.
When you strike the string you will want to play "through" the sting until the pick comes to rest on the string below. Use an alternating pattern but start on each new string with a down stroke whether ascending or descending.
Like this
E -Down up down
A -Down up down
D -Down up down
G -Down up down
Do the same when descending.
It takes some practice to double up the down strokes when crossing strings but it's worth it.
I play some fast music so I'm jumping around the fretboard a lot. When I go from a G on the E string up to an F on the A string, I have to lift off the bass with h my left hand to move. My bass then moves around when I do that. When I played fingerstyle my right hand kept the bass stable. Does that make sense now?
No. I don't understand why you have to lift off the bass with your left hand to move. Are you saying that you keep the bass in place with your hand?
So when you make a long move up or down the bass, you keep your fingers pressed down on the strings and slide? Doesn't that slow you down?
Thanks for the comments all. Since I play five string sitting down, I'll need to use my elbow or the heel of my hand to hold the bass in place.
You shouldn't be using your left hand to support the neck. That's a bad technique that creates tension in your left hand and will slow you down. Try changing the length of your strap so your bass is supported by the strap (not your left hand).
Here's a video you might find helpful, it's a close-up of Adam Clayton (from U2) so you can really see his hands in detail. At a couple points in the song (for example 0:58) he takes his left hand completely off the instrument, and you can see, the neck doesn't budge position. And you can also see (for example around 2:30) that his right hand is moving freely, he isn't relying on his right hand either to support the instrument. His strap is holding his bass in position, not his hands. He's got a nice, wide, "grippy" leather strap that doesn't slide on his shoulder.
Here's a video you might find helpful, it's a close-up of Adam Clayton (from U2) so you can really see his hands in detail. At a couple points in the song (for example 0:58) he takes his left hand completely off the instrument, and you can see, the neck doesn't budge position. And you can also see (for example around 2:30) that his right hand is moving freely, he isn't relying on his right hand either to support the instrument. His strap is holding his bass in position, not his hands. He's got a nice, wide, "grippy" leather strap that doesn't slide on his shoulder.
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