Newish Bass Player Looking for Advice

[mambo4]

Go join band , sounds to me like you're ready.

two things:

1.) sometimes it seems you are playing fast chromatic runs when with hammer-ons or slides
when plucking would serve the line better
(I say this being unfamiliar with the original )

2.) strap on and stand up, practice like you will gig. Sitting encourages wrist bending, which can be problematic.

 

[chris_b]

Your right and left hand techniques look good. No unnecessary energy and a nice flowing hand movement. I don't see straight fingers as a problem in this song. Timing is generally good, but a little drift here and there! I wish I played this good after a couple of years. Keep doing what you are doing.

Left and right hand fingers should be used for muting. All I can say about floating thumb, it's one of several techniques, neither better or worse. Use it if you want, if it feels comfortable and you think it gives you an advantage, but be aware most of the great players don't use it.

 

[vindibona1]

You have the foundation of being a terrific bass player and are really far ahead in the game. There aren't a lot of hard and fast rules, otherwise every top level bass player's hands and techniques would look the same. I don't like anchoring my right thumb anywhere so from a technical standpoint I would advise you to start allowing your right thumb to "float as you move up and down the strings. If you ever move to a 5 or 6 string bass you'll find the floating thumb very useful if not essential. Also, as others have mentioned, keep your fingers closer to the fingerboard when not fingering a note. It is more efficient and will help you develop speed in the future. Others have covered all that stuff. But here's what they haven't covered...

In the example you posted, what you've done is very very good. But listen to the music you're trying to play and determine where some notes (and phrases) should be accented more and other notes and phrases should be backed off a bit so you begin to play with more dynamic contrast. In the example provided, the accented notes could have been accented a bit more to add interest. While your recording was very good, if you find those accent notes and capitalize on them, and find ways to exploit accents (and places to back off in all music where appropriate) your playing will sound far more exciting. JMO

 

[LBS-bass]

Your right and left hand techniques look good. No unnecessary energy and a nice flowing hand movement. I don't see straight fingers as a problem in this song. Timing is generally good, but a little drift here and there! I wish I played this good after a couple of years. Keep doing what you are doing.

Left and right hand fingers should be used for muting. All I can say about floating thumb, it's one of several techniques, neither better or worse. Use it if you want, if it feels comfortable and you think it gives you an advantage, but be aware most of the great players don't use it.

This is smart advice. There are many muting techniques; most of us don't use all of them and floating thumb is a little niche as these things go but learning it can help you a lot if you decide to move to 5 string.

A lot of my muting is done with my left hand, but I use a combination of things and half the time I couldn't tell you exactly what I'm doing.

 

[MynameisMe]

Go for it! Sounds great!
Also muting is important.

 

[Snarf]

Hey all. I picked up a bass a few years ago and would occasionally mess around, and really earlier this year really decided to pursue bass. I uploaded a short video of me playing and was wondering if you all have any feedback whatsoever. Thanks!

Nice. I would actually say your position shifting (to disagree with the first reply) is fine. You get to mute with your left hand that way. Straightening out the fingers a little is part of that. I see no need to change your technique there.

Those quick C-C#-D 16th notes could be a little more defined. The C# gets lost sometimes.