Old guys watching their left hands

[Slevage]

I glance at my left hand occasionally, for reference. This incoming EUB and DB (side dots and fingerboard dots above 12th position).
Because my first lesson in 1971 included learning to read standard notation, I find it difficult to watch the sheet music and often the conductor AND my left hand, so one of them has to go.
When Playing in weekend warrior rock bands, watching the audience is more fun.

 

[johnh89]

Don't read music . Don't own a stand . I will look at whatever I want . Sometimes the fretboard . Mostly the bar .

 

[J Wilson]

I qualify at age 68, and I do look down occasionally.

But years of reading at the piano taught me that your hands find their way without looking down. If you're staring down a score or chart, ya just can't watch your hands.

But I did do this for quite a while on bass guitar. Eventually, while I rarely had chart gigs to keep my eyes away, I learned a few ways to break me doing it since I was usually playing 'head' charts or memorized tunes.

I learned to practice in front of a wide mirror. You can see both hands, the way an instructor would, and taught me about my left hand over the fingerboard in particular. This got me more used to looking out instead of down. Of course, you can practice your snappy stage poses . . . .

And the real shakedown for.my hands was practicing in a pitch black room. Scales or exercises, or playing along with recorded music, hit START and flip the lights off. You'll be surprised how quickly your hands find their way just by touch or reach.

 

[Dincrest]

When I find myself looking at my left hand, I then swing my left leg around so my body is turned off to the side but I'm looking at the audience AND my left hand.

I'm 45 so I don't know if I'm considered old by forum standards.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

I saw Frank Zappa once in the late 1980s. He gave a speech about Hairbands:
"I know I'm old and antiquated. I need to look at my fingerboard to make sure my technique is proper. I dont pose in front of a giant wind machine to blow my hair back. I'm really sorry I'm not as polished as today's lead guitarists..."
It was all tongue in cheek. Frank was one of the best guitar technicians to ever grace a stage. He taught me a lot with that speech. It's ok to look at your hands.

 

[basslayer]

Just scrolling through performance pics, I am looking at my hands 25%-30% of them. I tend to do a lot of audience watching; I try to play everything for a song in one position for this very purpose.

 

[truand85]

How is it bass players still think the audience cares what they do / looks at them at all?

The only ones who notice you're staring at your hand are other bass players.

 

[StereoPlayer]

How is it bass players still think the audience cares what they do / looks at them at all?

The only ones who notice you're staring at your hand are other bass players.

Very true…but as of late…I’ve been getting tons of compliments lately on my playing. I don’t sing in the band, I sit in a chair/stool. I don’t over act, I try to blend in the background. I’m usually sitting at the back of the stage.
I do use a custom stereo bass and a couple of nice amps. For an in your face sound.

 

[Jeff Scott]

GUILTY!
65+ and still a hack

View attachment 5103133

Your eyes look closed, so in your defense you're just meditating.

I try not to look, but no "6" in front of my age yet

Like, 666?

 

[Jeff Scott]

A lot of young guitarists do too…
View attachment 5103293

Hey! Isn't that...um, nah, it can't be him, is it? Harry? No way, man!

 

[Jeff Scott]

From a video about 3 months ago, I try not to look at the bass much.View attachment 5103437

I thought Billy played a Yamaha?

 

[Jeff Scott]

Not sure what went wrong, here!

Lots more around, too!

 

[Dincrest]

And I guess I'm one of those rare bassists around these parts who brings the energy on stage. I headbang, thrash around, dance (though nowhere near as good as Abraham Laboriel does), physically get into the music I'm playing. If I'm having fun, so is the audience. In the last three bands I've played in, I was never the front-person (and wouldn't want to be) but I was always the audience favorite (due to my charismatic stage presence and being gracious with the crowd off stage).

So I can't just stand in the shadows and look down at my hands. I have to engage the crowd, and (like I said before), I cheat by turning my body off to the side so I'm looking at my fingerboard AND the crowd at the same time. I have to look at the fingerboard when doing a complicated or precise passage, but when playing simple stuff I go for broke on stage performance.

 

[LBS-bass]

I'd rather look at the fret/fingerboard than throw out clams. *shrug* Audience isn't likely looking at me anyway.

Agreed. This "never look at your hands" thing is old-school music teacher, never-memorized-anything-therefore-eyes-always-on-paper stuff.

If you don't need to read, you don't need to worry about it. I look at my hands mainly to orient and make sure I'm where I think I am; being on a mic stand is almost as bad as looking at paper in terms of eye diversion, but when I'm not singing I don't care about what I'm looking at, I care about what I'm playing and making sure my hands are correctly positioned is part of that. Nobody's paying me the kind of money I'd be asking for if I were playing violin in an orchestra.

So here are a couple of recent pics:

Probably not looking at my hands though it's hard to tell.

100% looking at my hands.

I'm not an old guy, though.

 

[MVE]

Yep...hack.
View attachment 5103228


But seriously...
If it's something you have to do or you can't play, it's probably a crutch.

And, there are times where it is useful.

Don't get hung up on it. Just be aware.

To be honest, the look on his face is less “where are my fingers?” and much more, “…damn I am So AWESOME!!!”

 

[tpaul]

Now I want to start a band called "Old Guys Watching Their Left Hands."

 

[Pauly 4001]

Hey if I don't watch that little rascal, it might wander off!

Same
You never know where it might show up then

 

[retslock]

It’s not an issue. Look if you want or must. Don’t if not. No big deal.

 

[FearNoEvil65]

It really depends on how complicated the piece you're playing is. Something more repetitive that stays in the lower register, doesn't have to be looked at. Something complicated that uses more fretboard needs a glance sometimes to make sure you're in the right area. Playing different basses doesn't rally help either, the more familiar with one the easier to not look at your fretting hand.
Reading sheet music helps, it's good hand/eye coordination work. I read music daily, however I stand at an angle so I can see the music and kind of see my fretboard at the same time, to give idea of moving on the fretboard.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Old??? I watched my left hand when I was young!
I still do, I can look away to watch tv at our gig or look at a person, I will miss a note!