Left hand cramping when playing near nut

[bherman]

Yet another perspective here - as someone who came back to bass playing after a long layoff, for me it was all about stamina. Time and steady practice will help, but the game changer for me was a method book called "Bass Fitness - an Excercising Handbook" by Josquin Des Pres. On Amazon. My solution was 1-2 pages/per day (start at the very beginning, slowly), for 10-15 minutes every day. It will slowly build up your strength and agility.

And in the meantime, theres nothing wrong with playing it in the higher position, on lower strings - that's what they're there for! I only play 4 string so don't have that option, but take advantage of it until you get stronger. FWIW, I can play 3 hr gigs now doubling on both upright and electric without cramping or tiring - sometimes two nights in a row.

Keep at it with the exercises and in 2-3 months you'll be doing fine. The key for me is consistency - 10-15 minutes 5 or 6 days/week.

 

[BlueTalon]

Dingwalls are fine instruments, but fanned frets are NOT helping you here. And neither is that B string. A 4-string is all you need for that song, and it would be an advantage for you to play that song on one. It would certainly help your hand fatigue compared to the Dingwall. The thing you can do with non-fanned 4-string is relax your hand, and play most of that song with your fingers clumped together. That allows your fingers to support each other more and reduces the amount of effort required. Can you play that song on a Dingwall? Certainly. But as you're finding out, the fanned frets at the far end of the neck are not ergonomic.


Before you blow this idea off, go to a music store and try playing that bass line on one of their basses with 4 strings and perpendicular frets. I'll bet playing that same bass line will be much easier for you.

Perpendicular! Fingers to fretboard!

That doesn't help, when the necessary frets aren't perpendicular to the edges of the fretboard.

OK, I'll volunteer to be that guy who proposes the most simplistic solution: get a short-scale 4-string.

It doesn't even need to be short scale. Just a plain old 4-string bass with a 34" scale and non-fanned frets.

But you're right, a short scale would work much better for him than what he's using now.

I had a similar problem and got it solved by playing exclusively 4 string basses, regular 34 inch scale with either standard jazz neck with C profile or thin precision necks with 1.56" nut width.

But this is ME with my short fingers and rigid wrists.

It's not just you.

 

[waver]

I'm returning to bass playing after taking about 10 years off to focus on drums. I've been back at it for a couple of months and it's all coming back to me pretty quickly.

I have an audition with a band this weekend and I've been learning Love Shack by the B-52's. Nearly the entire song is played on the first 3 frets of the E and A strings. About half way through, my left hand starts getting a feeling of cramping or muscle fatigue, particularly around the base of my thumb, from continuously pressing down on the strings. I'm using a Dingwall NG-3 5 string. It's a bit more comfortable if I play on frets 6-8 on the B and E string, but it doesn't sound as good.

Is this a case where I just need to build up strength in my left hand? Or is there something I can do with technique to improve the situation? I'd thought of lowering the action, but I don't know if it will help much near the nut where the height is not adjustable.

Could arthritis be an issue for you? It is for me, and first manifested at the base of my left thumb.

 

[Parzival]

How thin is the neck, front to back? I had a MIJ Geddy Jazz for years. Great bass, fun to play. Very thin neck front to back. When I started playing out live, I realized after a few hours of playing my hand would start to feel crampy and hurt. Moving to thicker necks made a huge difference. No more issue.

 

[Danny C]

Reading this now and sitting, holding and looking. I don't sling low and I'm not wearing the necklace so about middle with bass height. I think I'm good all around with the wrist. This is good important stuff though, bravo for this thread OP. I play lots of different basses but lately I've been using a German built Star bass with the Adjust A Nut?? if I have that correct. You can adjust your nut height if that helps. Not sure if it's just a Warwick thing but it would be really cool to re fit nuts with this nut that they're using on this bass. Not sure if it's on other models as this is my only Warwick and I haven't played any others.

 

[HardNHeavy]

well it has been 10yrs...get your stamina back in your hands/muscles/tendon, change position or try wider neck

 

[soulstew]

You might consider adding a “reach reduction” strap button socket. Another of Sheldon Dingwall’s innovations. It brings the nut in much closer and gets your wrist angle right where it belongs. It’s just a Dunlop recessed strap button socket mounted on the back of the body, just below the battery access cover. Lock your strap in there instead of at the end of the body and everything moves right a few inches. No downsides as far as I can tell, and I’ve been playing a Dingwall AB3 for several years.

 

[Kubicki Fan]

Yeah, that certainly doesn't help! I've only had this bass for a couple of months. I have to admit it's a bit difficult to play in certain situations, but it sounds great. I'm going to give it at least 6 months before I decide to keep it or sell it.

Before anything else, I'd get the bass set up by a pro. In particular, I'd make sure that the nut slots are cut to the proper depth.

 

[220_Hz]

How thin is the neck, front to back? I had a MIJ Geddy Jazz for years. Great bass, fun to play. Very thin neck front to back. When I started playing out live, I realized after a few hours of playing my hand would start to feel crampy and hurt. Moving to thicker necks made a huge difference. No more issue.

Same for me. I was pulled into thinner necks from reviewers praising how “fast” they felt, but I ended up having more ergonomic problems on thin necks due to having long fingers. Thicker necks allow my hand to stay in a more naturally curved position, less like an angry italian hand

 

[DaveParker39]

This comment is going to go in an entirely different direction.

I have had what seem like similar issues. I finally figured out that I needed magnesium. And a few other electrolytes. I solved the magnesium problem temporarily by placing a small pinch of epsom salt under my tongue. I needed to alter my diet to make it past the 'temporarily' part. It could have been technique but in my case, IMHO I have developed very good technique over decades of playing.

Technique is prime.

Diet is important. Maybe I should say 'general health' is important instead.

Professional athletes endorse magnesium and potassium as helpful for cramps.

Just ask Munenori Kawasaki.

 

[ctmullins]

Well, everyone’s body mechanics are different. I can’t play narrow necks; they make my hand cramp up in first position. And I have smallish hands. But other people love them…?

I have been playing that song for years, and it’s a pumper. I wear the bass relatively low, which lets me angle the neck at about 40 to 45 degrees. This does two things: it brings the nut closer to my body center, and it makes it easier for my fretting wrist to match the angle of the frets. If I were fixated on centering the bass body on my own body, none of that would work.

 

[evs]

Also agree with those who have issues with thin necks.

One of my basses is a Japanese Fender.
It looks and sounds awesome, but the thin neck cramps my hand on gigs.

I don't have the same issue on any of my other basses, and they all have more rounded / thicker necks.

I'm short and have small hands, so I had expected that I would like the thinner neck.

 

[andare]

Same for me. I was pulled into thinner necks from reviewers praising how “fast” they felt, but I ended up having more ergonomic problems on thin necks due to having long fingers. Thicker necks allow my hand to stay in a more naturally curved position, less like an angry italian hand

View attachment 5461463

I'm Italian, I have long fingers and I concur.

I have a Vintera II P bass. The neck is nice and wide, 1.75" nut, 7.25" radius, but it's way too thin front to back, only .75" at the 1st fret, and the C profile means it's missing meat under the thumb. It's not fatiguing, luckily, I played 2h shows without issues, but it just feels better to have support.
My other P is an MIJ with a unique oval profile that bulges outward from the fretboard, 1.625"nut, 7.25" radius, .82" at the first fret.
Honestly I go back and forth, sometimes I prefer wide and thin and sometimes narrow(er) and thicker.

What I know is thin and narrow necks make me cramp up. No Jazz necks for me.

A flat wrist angle is everything, however. Either play like Robert De Leo or strap the bass higher so you don't have to bend the wrist too much.

 

[DaveParker39]

This is what I do when I get left hand cramps, including supporting the butt of the bass with my leg.

 

[jj.833]

Perpendicular! Fingers to fretboard!

This is a common mistake, probably originating from guitar technique adapted to bass blindly. Follow what @Lobster11 says in post #2.

 

[Jogobass]

You should be able to play without pressing on the back of the neck with your thumb. You might be squeezing the neck tighter than needed. (just an addition to the aforementioned suggestions).

 

[MrBassman22]

Yeah, that certainly doesn't help! I've only had this bass for a couple of months. I have to admit it's a bit difficult to play in certain situations, but it sounds great. I'm going to give it at least 6 months before I decide to keep it or sell it.

Moving the right straplock to the back of the body brings the nut closer.

 

[rtslinger]

I agree with anyone who said check the nut height you maybe working to hard.

 

[MrBassman22]

I've got a bit less than a business card's thickness of clearance at the first fret - it pushes the string up slightly but will fall out on its own. Is that too high?

Lower the nut until the string just starts starts buzzing when hitting hard, should not buzz when playing open strings with normal attack.

 

[fhm555]

…Unless I am playing double bass, the pressure exerted by my fretting hand is so little that a four-hour gig is insubstantial…

^This^
It took me a while after a long stretch away from bass to come back to a relaxed overall posture when playing. Especially my hands. I had to tell myself to relax every hour or so to avoid going home with sore hands. After I’d been back at it for a few months I was finally back in the proper mindset and could just pick up my bass and play without having to remind myself to relax. Make it part of your routine until it becomes rote.