not so left hand(y)

[ladycabdriver]

Didn't prepare for the impact the bass would have on my hands. Although i have been playing the piano for over 15 years I had learned when i was younger . Now in my 30s "we are not in Kansas anymore"
I play some guitar so the whole callus thing on the right and left hand would be par for the course in the first 2 3 months but I did not realize the something worse lurking on the left.

The left hand has undergone something pretty significant since I started really practicing about 6 months ago. Sure some days i would play 4 or 5 hours over the course of a day but thats what i did when i was learning the piano. And i really enjoy it so i tend to pick it up all the time.
It seems , unlike the piano this bass thing eats hands for breakfast though (at least my hands). Besides my left index finder swelling up pretty significantly i get this whole numb , tingly thing in the left hand happening when i first start playing, although it subsides during, the tingly thing slowing creeps in after i finish . That sporadically continues through the night and starts up again the next morning.

When i first grab the bass in the morning my left hand is so tight that i have to do scales for about a half hour and then i can move it way more freely. If i play straight for half hour or so i don't feel much pain or discomfort but when i stop it all creeps in.

I thought i would try some remedies so i did about 6-8 acupuncture session just on the left hand and i did a session of PRP (platelet rich plasma) injections in the left hand. (yes that was painful as hell). Although both things helped a bit I'm still in the same boat with the same hand.
Anyone dealt or dealing with this. Besides playing less any suggestions?Will this get worse or better...

 

[ladycabdriver]

So i went to orthopedic doctor yesterday and apparently there is something called trigger finger.
Basically the tendon at base of finger becomes swollen mainly from overuse. So he suggested cortisone shot to not use so aggressively for a bit. Its interesting i played guitar and piano for years and never had issue. Wondering if the bass is just that more a strain on the hand. oh well. oh well.

 

[ladycabdriver]

btw i think i posted this in the wrong area to start. oops

 

[two fingers]

Yes, bass is more physical.....especially on the left hand. With piano you can simply lighten up and play with less force and still created the same notes (albeit with a different feel). With guitar the strings are so light and tiny that even an F minor bar chord requires minimal force...unless it's a poorly setup acoustic.

With bass there isn't much to do for the left hand other than a great setup. That string has to have a certain amount of force on it to avoid buzzing no matter how lightly you play.

Here are a few things I suggest....just my opinions and take them for what they are worth.

1) Make sure your bass it set up well.

2) Simply don't play so much. And take a whole day off every now and then.

3) Natural anti-inflammatory "stuff" in your diet. Tuneric. Apple cider vinegar. Stuff like that. The interwebz is full of information on that.

4) Warm soaks and massages. Soak your hand in warm water and then massage the finger with oil.....gently.

Welcome to the period of your life when daily annoying pains present themselves. I wouldn't trade my thirties (and now forties) for anything... best time of my life by far. But now you have to be more "aware" of what your body is telling you. One thing I think your finger is saying is "Dude, gimme a break, will ya?"

 

[Bodeanly]

^^^^Everything @two fingers said^^^^

Anyone dealt or dealing with this. Besides playing less any suggestions? Will this get worse or better...

Why would you want to ignore the one thing that would probably help, aside from the TF surgery? Since you practice for such great lengths of time and first thing in the morning, are you warming up? Or are you just diving in? We are about the same age and when I start to feel any sign of fatigue in my hands, I either take the day off, or I play 4-5 songs and call it.

 

[ladycabdriver]

^^^^Everything @two fingers said^^^^

Why would you want to ignore the one thing that would probably help, aside from the TF surgery? Since you practice for such great lengths of time and first thing in the morning, are you warming up? Or are you just diving in? We are about the same age and when I start to feel any sign of fatigue in my hands, I either take the day off, or I play 4-5 songs and call it.

Its a bit crazy i know. Couple things . I have been playing in a band that has been using prerecorded bass tracks , drummer playing to click, and its just been getting to me . I can't feel the bass when I'm singing and playing keys.
So the plan was to get solid enough on bass so that i could switch between keys and bass and sing. I figured 5-6 hours a day would put me at about a year to where i would be comfortable enough to cover it.

I didn't take into account how my hands really tense up when trying to learn this new instrument. I don't remember tensing up like that as a kid learning piano.

The other thing was part of a bit experiment. I was seeing if i could do what i did when i was 10 years old and actually find and put the time into the practice part of the instrument (5-6 hrs a day) .
Life is obviously so different when you get older because your time is sucked up by so many things that were not present in the past. Its not that we can't continue to learn at the same rate its that are lives and mind space are more limited. But any i was able to actually find the time to start doing it. the practice (4am-7am then 7pm-9pm) . I over looked the one part about the body (hand) had most likely changed and become for fragile through the years. So after a couple months my hand was basically saying "HELL NO" "Time to shut you down"

 

[ladycabdriver]

Yes, bass is more physical.....especially on the left hand. With piano you can simply lighten up and play with less force and still created the same notes (albeit with a different feel). With guitar the strings are so light and tiny that even an F minor bar chord requires minimal force...unless it's a poorly setup acoustic.

With bass there isn't much to do for the left hand other than a great setup. That string has to have a certain amount of force on it to avoid buzzing no matter how lightly you play.

Here are a few things I suggest....just my opinions and take them for what they are worth.

1) Make sure your bass it set up well.

2) Simply don't play so much. And take a whole day off every now and then.

3) Natural anti-inflammatory "stuff" in your diet. Tuneric. Apple cider vinegar. Stuff like that. The interwebz is full of information on that.

4) Warm soaks and massages. Soak your hand in warm water and then massage the finger with oil.....gently.

Welcome to the period of your life when daily annoying pains present themselves. I wouldn't trade my thirties (and now forties) for anything... best time of my life by far. But now you have to be more "aware" of what your body is telling you. One thing I think your finger is saying is "Dude, gimme a break, will ya?"

Well Said! And painfully true. You touch on an interesting point of the bass set up part as well.
This Fender is so sensitive. I have to make sure I'm far right in the fret so that it doesn't buzz . It appears i have to hold down the left hand so tight to keep tone. I know that part of playing /learning but I'm starting to wonder if this particular bass has any part of this overall issue.
Where does one go to set up a bass and do i need to consider switching to a bass that "easier"on my left hand. I don't know which bass that would be but i can't imagine there is one more difficult on my left hand then this Fender.

 

[Bodeanly]

I didn't take into account how my hands really tense up when trying to learn this new instrument. I don't remember tensing up like that as a kid learning piano.

You do not grip the piano the way you grip the neck of a bass. Taking a day or two off is not going to make you a terrible bassist. You are not going to forget all you have learned and you might even be better after taking a break. The only thing you are doing through this obsessive practicing is shortening your musical career.

 

[viper4000]

I wouldn't say your hand is fragile. I would suggest that if you played for 4-6 hours per day when you were 10, your hand would hurt as well. Think of a weight lifting analogy. You go hard on a leg workout on Monday. Do you do the same leg work out on Tuesday, or do you give the legs a rest day? Rest day.

I play every day. But only for an hour or so. I have tight tendons and ligaments in my left hand from a previous injury. When my hand says it is tired, it gets a rest. But, I can also play a 4 hour show without much, if any, fatigue. I can do that because of how I treat my hands in my daily routine.

Your local guitar shop can usually do an acceptable set up.

I admire your tenacity. If all of us put that much effort into something, well, we'd get a lot done.

Good luck!

 

[ladycabdriver]

I guess this is a prime example of "HASTE MAKES WASTE" SH#$$%%#T

 

[ladycabdriver]

Ill tell you one thing. I always try to see the positive spin that the universe is saying and i can say that regardless of what happens to the bass playing left hand thing , I've realized through really studying what some of these great bass players/lines are doing that although i have had some mild success with my productions/songwriting that my baselines in my tracks kind of sucked. We I go from here inside of programming/playing bass parts in my tracks i don't know but its a pretty huge discovery.

 

[kx-]

Well Said! And painfully true. You touch on an interesting point of the bass set up part as well.
This Fender is so sensitive. I have to make sure I'm far right in the fret so that it doesn't buzz . It appears i have to hold down the left hand so tight to keep tone. I know that part of playing /learning but I'm starting to wonder if this particular bass has any part of this overall issue.
Where does one go to set up a bass and do i need to consider switching to a bass that "easier"on my left hand. I don't know which bass that would be but i can't imagine there is one more difficult on my left hand then this Fender.

How are you resting the bass when you play? Sitting, standing? And if so where are your wrists angled? A picture of you in your normal bass playing stance may help. You may just need to lower or raise your strap to make sure there are no bad angles for your wrists.

I used to play with the bass slung around a bit below my belt. It was fine when i was younger. Now its up a bit more, not much, but its above the waist and my wrists and hands feel much better.

 

[Rich Fiscus]

Do not mess around with playing pain! Your body is telling you something important. Ignore it, and your playing days may be numbered. Beyond that, I force myself to take a day off every week, just to let my body rest and recover. Also, when my hand tenses up, I start by shaking it out to loosen things up, and take a 5 or 10 minute break if that doesn't work.

Definitely do not mess around with trigger finger! I know a drummer who had it. It took 2 surgeries and more than a year of total recovery time before he could play again. That wasn't the worst case scenario either. They weren't guaranteeing he'd ever recover enough to play.

Besides, not all practice helps equally. Once you get tired or stiff enough, you probably aren't accomplishing much anyway. If you take the time you're practicing and make some of it planned rest time (like the last 15 or 20 minutes of each hour), you may find that you actually improve faster. Conveniently enough, it will also significantly reduce your risk of repetitive strain injuries, including trigger finger, carpal or ulnar tunnel syndrome, and general tendonitis.

 

[andruca]

A thin neck (fron to back) can help a lot. Also low action. Not only a straight neck and low bridge saddles, but also a LOW NUT (ignored by many BTW), contributes to lower register playability a lot. Examine your playing position carefully looking for ergonomics, if motion isn't natural in the end it will hurt :-( Of course, take practice easier and don't go headlong into playing, maybe take a couple minutes to stretch first (not forcing @all).

 

[JGbassman]

i have a mild case of carpal tunnel, so I have some precautions I've found that work well.

I never play without stretching a little, and then start off with small slower lighter pressure movements with my left hand. While I still get numbness in my both hands, it mainly effects my fretting hand. Lower tension strings will help, as will a shorter scale neck as well. Common sense dictates you will work your hands harder playing a 35" scale bass compared to a 33 or less. The fret stretch will be less across the board.

Vary your basses/ playing position. I seldom get the numbness when playing standing. I'm guessing it's because my hands aren't as cranked over compared to me sitting. Whatever reason, it causes me less problems. If they do effect me playing (my main basses are five string fenders and Spector, I switch to my Ibanez SR series. The necks are very slim and the numbness goes away. You might try them and see if they help.

My left hand still gets tight after playing a gig, so I let is rest and don't play the next day. After that it's fine. I listen to my body and don't push it like I did when younger.

Just some random thoughts that helped me.

 

[ladycabdriver]

How are you resting the bass when you play? Sitting, standing? And if so where are your wrists angled? A picture of you in your normal bass playing stance may help. You may just need to lower or raise your strap to make sure there are no bad angles for your wrists.

I used to play with the bass slung around a bit below my belt. It was fine when i was younger. Now its up a bit more, not much, but its above the waist and my wrists and hands feel much better.

Another interesting point. I mostly play sitting without a strap.

 

[kx-]

Another interesting point. I mostly play sitting without a strap.

Hmm now that is odd. Sitting should be the most comfortable position for your wrists and fingers, or thats what ive been told and have experienced. Are you reaching too far? Maybe a short scale is what you need? Since you do say you play guitar and piano without said discomfort. Correct?

 

[ladycabdriver]

Hmm now that is odd. Sitting should be the most comfortable position for your wrists and fingers, or thats what ive been told and have experienced. Are you reaching too far? Maybe a short scale is what you need? Since you do say you play guitar and piano without said discomfort. Correct?

yes . it may just be too much playing and the tension in the hand when trying to reach frets between fingers etc.

 

[kx-]

yes . it may just be too much playing and the tension in the hand when trying to reach frets between fingers etc.

Yea most likely you are reaching too far and too often. Id say play less or get a short scale to try out. Hope it doesn't get any worse!