Old guys watching their left hands

[Mechayoshi]

I feel like we're dancing between two extremes. Does anyone really never look?
Who is glued 100%?

Probably not that big of a deal, with more to do with comfort and familiarly with the material and playing before a crowd than technical ability.

 

[Egg250]

Doing complicated stuff or long slides, I'll look. But otherwise...

 

[Zoffy]

It's just a candid. I do both depending on what I'm playing. If it's a complicated bassline, I'm looking. All musicians look at what they're playing. Never seen anyone not ever look at what they're playing.

I agree with DWBass. Usually I don't look at my fretboard - usually I have a vapid, empty look on my face staring off into space; but if the phrase I'm playing is tricky then I look. As an example, I just recently did a YouTube video of me playing House of Pain's "Jump Around" and my eyes are pretty much glued to my left hand. It was a difficult part and, though it was repetitive, still had me missing notes if I wasn't looking.

Some people mentioned other instruments like the violin and how nobody looks at their left hand. As a noob to the violin (been playing seven months now), comparing the bass with the violin are like apples and oranges. The bass has one of the longest fretboards of any western musical instrument and the violin has one of the shortest. Even without frets to act as landmarks it's a lot easier to not look at your fingerboard hand with the violin as all of the notes are so close together and, aside from moving from one position to another (like first position to third) there is not a lot of movement of the hand compared to the bass.

 

[brianrost]

I unashamedly look when I need to, like making position shifts or practicing tricky fingerings.

 

[roccobass]

I do ok not looking with my fretted.
However, the no lines fretless is much harder to avoid looking at it. But, I’ve developed the trick of looking forward, but kind of sidelong at my fretless. I forget sometimes, though. Hey I’m 62.

 

[Road Hat]

I love to look at my left hand when I play. I find it fascinating to watch how my music brain translates inspiration into complicated physical movements.

 

[vindibona1]

I don't have the luxury of staring at my left hand. I have to read the music. Once in awhile I'll glance at my left hand to make sure it's where it's supposed to be.

I suppose that when you're playing music from memory looking at the left hand becomes a natural thing unless you're a guy like Joe Dart. And unless you're singing you're probably going to look at your left hand.

 

[Govner22]

Staring down the fretboard isn't the end of the world, but eye contact helps me connect with the audience and helps me with visual cues. One of my bands rehearses infrequently and relies heavily on visual cues.

 

[Matt Dean]

Whatever...

 

[spector_boogie]

What’s the big deal? Sometimes I look, sometimes I don’t, sometimes I play fretless. So what. Aren’t there enough clouds to yell at?

Have you heard about this thing called a 'plectrum' or 'pick', as the kids call it? It's all the rage with guitarists, and even a few bass players use it too I hear! It basically says that you can't play quickly with your fingers, so hopefully there's some more information to come on this hot button issue on Talkbass.
Can you imagine looking at your fretboard AND using a pick at the same time?!? The horror!!..................

 

[StereoPlayer]

Have you heard about this thing called a 'plectrum' or 'pick', as the kids call it? It's all the rage with guitarists, and even a few bass players use it too I hear! It basically says that you can't play quickly with your fingers, so hopefully there's some more information to come on this hot button issue on Talkbass.
Can you imagine looking at your fretboard AND using a pick at the same time?!? The horror!!................

And…fretless…

 

[Michedelic]

Have you heard about this thing called a 'plectrum' or 'pick', as the kids call it? It's all the rage with guitarists, and even a few bass players use it too I hear! It basically says that you can't play quickly with your fingers, so hopefully there's some more information to come on this hot button issue on Talkbass.
Can you imagine looking at your fretboard AND using a pick at the same time?!? The horror!!..................

But they can only be made from tort, right?

 

[gazzatriumph]

If you weren't supposed to look at your fretting hand then why are there frets and marker dots, except on most fretless. I look up every now and then but as I said before who cares as long as it sounds good who gives a toss where the bass player is looking.

 

[gazzatriumph]

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.

That's about right

 

[bmusic]

That guy is my profile picture isn't even me, I swear.

 

[spector_boogie]

But they can only be made from tort, right?

I'll have to check with my guitarist and make sure. Could be a whole new thread subject!

 

[hrodbert696]

I'm in the same boat as the OP. I really try not to stare at my fretboard, and feel like I'm succeeding, but then gig pics come back and they're all like this...

Invalid Link Removed

 

[Marko 1]

I'm pushing back on this nonsense...

Look at the pics of the pros when they're looking at their necks; they look like they're doing something impressive,

without even hearing what they're doing you feel the awesomeness of their playing.

If you're looking at the audience/wherever while playing, you look like you're not doing crap on your instrument.

I prefer the former, look like you're doing something for them that takes focus and skill, that's presumably why you're up there on the stage,

look at that hand like you're making love to that neck,

make it look like pron!


That's my view and I'm sticking with it.

 

[Pimpernel Smith]

You mean like Jack Casady?

 

[LBS-bass]

I just don’t see what the big deal is.
Are you instantly better if you don’t?
Whether or not does not necessarily prove musicianship.
The whole concept sounds a like teenage thought process to me.

It's not a big deal but it is something that was beaten into some of us by music teachers early in our musical training. Some folks never let go of it, and some have never thought through the reasons music teachers thought it was so important, which is that you actually will need that kind of independence if you are going to sight read. Since their job is to teach use to play and read, it's important to them.

If you don't sight read as a general rule, it doesn't matter.