"Optics" ?

[RoadRanger]

I notice that the typical player hereabouts is moving all over the neck looking busy. Watching videos of me I hardly move at all as I play shortscales, use 1234 fingering, and play scales off of both the middle and pinky finger so I don't have to shift to play a typical 145. I also know how to play scales off of the open notes.

Question is do some of youse guys purposely favor "optics" over efficiency or ?

 

[rufus.K]

I don't think about it.
Im quite kinetic and occasionally frenetic whilst playing by default.

 

[FatStringer52]

I'll jump on the efficiency bandwagon. Basically, I'm lazy (not really!) For the most part, I'm a one-finger-per-fret player also and am able to play chords progressions starting from any finger. Like you, I am comfortable playing a I-IV-V, as well as one of my favorites, I-vi-ii-V, in a 4-fret span. As always, there are some exceptions like some walking lines. But I will opt for efficiency over optics the majority of the time.

 

[dreamadream99]

Something I learned very early on from my teacher was economy of motion, conservation, and relaxation while playing. Don’t shift positions till you have to. Minimal finger, hand, and arm movement.

Frankly, I don’t know how the fingerboard gymnasts can hack a 4 hour gig.

 

[micguy]

I do a lot of octaves and fifths in my plating to help fill out the mix. That doesn’t happen without a lot of shifting.

 

[StraffordMike]

I played at a gig recently where the bassist in one of the other bands was playing this ridiculously huge 10 string! At first I was kinda “wowed” but after watching for awhile I kind of looking at it as a form of cheating. Reaching down across the fretboard is certainly easier than running up the length of it, but I prefer to travel up the neck and stay on the lower strings as much as possible to keep my time as full as possible.

 

[Mushroo]

Interesting discussion. I am primarily a "shift, don't stretch" player, but for me, it's not about "optics" or showing off; it's about finding "a different kind of comfort." I find shifting up or down the neck to be completely comfortable (no more fatiguing than lifting a spoonful of soup to my mouth) and I don't avoid it in my playing. It's a concept of "economy of motion" based on using large muscle groups (shoulder/arm/elbow) as opposed to small muscle groups (hand/fingers/wrists). For example, the common technique of fretting all the roots on the E string with my 1st finger and shifting for each chord change, I find to be relaxing and non-tiring (not to mention it can sound really powerful). I think it really comes down to personal preference and comfort.

 

[lz4005]

I often play songs very inefficiently at gigs to keep myself from getting bored. Occasionally one or two people in the audience notice. Usually people in other bands we're splitting the gig with.

There's a song in our current set where I slide from the G on the E string up to the B when we go to the bridge. Sometimes I keep my left arm in the same position, grab the bass by the rear strap button and push it to the left to make the slide happen. Nobody cares, but it makes me laugh.

Backing up a singer songwriter years ago I used to alternate between playing C on the A string and C on the E string every other note on one song where I had to play quarter note roots for 32 bars. Or I would alternate fingers every note, using all 5 on my left hand. On fretless. One person said something about it out of 50 gigs I did it on.

 

[RoadRanger]

One of the reasons I brought this up is I'll see a bass player and think "wow, he sure is playing way more notes than I do" and on closer look he's not, just all over the neck LOL.

If you can get over the lousy mix and a bit of suckage from the rest of the band this is from a couple weekends back when my #2 (?) band was hosting a "closed mic":
Link Removed
If you look closely you can see that - yes - the fingers on my left hand are actually moving .

 

[Charlzm]

I notice that the typical player hereabouts is moving all over the neck looking busy. Watching videos of me I hardly move at all as I play shortscales, use 1234 fingering, and play scales off of both the middle and pinky finger so I don't have to shift to play a typical 145. I also know how to play scales off of the open notes.

Question is do some of youse guys purposely favor "optics" over efficiency or ?

I try to move my fretting hand position as little as possible. It's more efficient.

 

[cnltb]

That's nothing I think about.

 

[JoeWPgh]

I move up the neck when I have to. A low C sounds much better to me on the A string than the E. An F sounds better on the D than on the A.

 

[JRA]

I don't think about it.

That's nothing I think about.

 

[craigie]

I often play songs very inefficiently at gigs to keep myself from getting bored. Occasionally one or two people in the audience notice. Usually people in other bands we're splitting the gig with.

There's a song in our current set where I slide from the G on the E string up to the B when we go to the bridge. Sometimes I keep my left arm in the same position, grab the bass by the rear strap button and push it to the left to make the slide happen. Nobody cares, but it makes me laugh.

Backing up a singer songwriter years ago I used to alternate between playing C on the A string and C on the E string every other note on one song where I had to play quarter note roots for 32 bars. Or I would alternate fingers every note, using all 5 on my left hand. On fretless. One person said something about it out of 50 gigs I did it on.

I like that and am going to try it. My favourite it the two finger songs where I play every note just using the index finger of each hand. Works for a country song where there’s a little gap between each note.

I too prefer to shift but foit comfort reasons. My hand gets very tired playing a major triad for example or pentatonic pattern and it’s easier to shift and use first and third fingers.

And of course there’s sonic reasons. The D string just sounds better than the G string where the notes have less body. I rarely play below the C on the G string. The tighter fret spacing of higher positions is also more comfortable along with the shoulder position.

Danko is a classic example of somebody with a lot of arm movement and shifting. He did it to create a certain sound though with a lot of sliding and a lot of feel.

Nothing to do with optics.

The only thing I consider optics is a big slide up the neck and back where you lift the neck up for show.

 

[Brent Arrowitz]

I just play whatever way my fingers tell me...if that makes any sense...

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

For me, excessive movement on the neck often has to do with getting the right tone. Pluck an octave A note on the G string and compare the tone to the octave A at the 12th fret of the A string. Totally different. Tone gets priority over economy of movement.

 

[Crazy_Jake]

Another vote for efficiency here - I sing some lead and do backups too and I find it much easier if I can minimize my shifting if possible - one less thing to worry about when trying to remember the lyrics

 

[cchorney]

I also use 1234 fingering, and play scales off of both the middle and pinky finger so I don't have to shift to play a typical 145. But sometimes I will, just because keeping the hand in one place too long can be fatiguing. And as someone else said, the same not on different strings can have a different tone, so I keep that in mind too and it sometimes affects what I play (or rather where I play it). But in any case, it's about efficiency and tone for me, not showmanship.

 

[two fingers]

For me it's all about tone. I have big hands and long fingers so it really doesn't matter from an efficiency standpoint where I am on the board.

But a C on 3rd fret a string sounds completely different from playing it halfway up the neck on the E string. So I go wherever the tone I'm after lives.

 

[mambo4]

I used to consider moving my left hand a little as possible a worthy investment.
Then I began to notice how many players I admired were moving their left hand "unnecessarily"
Now I do what's comfortable and don't worry about it.
for me comfort > efficiency

Thinking that anyone is moving their left hand for "optics" is a strange assumption...