Playing Bass Wrong

[TJH3113]

Keep playing. Just fret one note and try to get a good, consistent sound from it. Keep going from there. Slow and steady wins the race. What kind of music do you like to play?

 

[Krizz]

I'm not sure, but I'm also wondering if that bass could use a setup. If you're having to wrestle with high action (a lot of pressure needed to fret a note, usually because the strings are too high off the fretboard), a setup could lower it and ease the struggle.

Wanted to emphasize this. I spent almost a year playing my first bass with the truss rod nut completely loose, I didn’t know any better until I took a set up class, strings were WAY off the fret board, which led to severe gorilla grip. It’s taken a long time, and an injury to my fretting hand, to learn how lightly I can actually fret the strings and get clean notes. A good setup will go a long way in making your bass easier to play, and not ingraining bad habits in the beginning will mean not having to fight to unlearn them later.

Edit - Welcome to TalkBass!

 

[GeorgesEric]

I would suggest trying to relax your hand - it looks tense right now.

Maybe try this: Put a piece of paper on a table, press the piece of paper with a finger, slide the paper, not much pressure needed. Same idea on the bass.

Placing the fingers closer to the frets (as opposed to mid point between frets) is what I was told when i started.

Be comfortable and have fun.

Remember “play music”. Keyword: play.

 

[SloFingers]

A good set up with low action and playing scales without my thumb on the back of the neck taught me a ton about finger pressure and using a much lighter touch.

 

[bolophonic]

For me, the OP’s video demonstrates why I had zero success with drilling scales back in the 80’s, when the prevailing wisdom had us anchoring our thumb firmly on the back of the neck and practicing strict “one finger per fret” shizzbo for an hour at a time. My left hand technique became so much more relaxed and natural once I began focusing on playing music and songs. My advice to the OP is to ditch the scales and start playing music that feels good to play.

 

[retslock]

Slow down your practice. Take particular care to place the fingers behind the fret to eliminate buzz and rattle. Try not to raise each finger too far away from the frets while you play. Keep them close so you can access the next note more easily. Take extra care to create clarity in the sounds you’re making.
If you’re unable to do it with accuracy and clarity you’re going too quickly. Slowly must come first to get the right intonation. Then as you achieve more clarity and accuracy, speed up slightly. I recommend using a metronome or click track that helps to keep you in time. Remember always - SLOWLY first until you achieve accuracy.

 

[Topkat13]

Watching your vid, and this is not a criticism, you are way early in the hunt at learning to play bass. Try playing fewer notes using fewer fingers. Slow down. The only thing that will fix your problem IMO is a lot more time on the bass.

 

[red_rhino]

The most common defect I see in bass guitar technique is avoidance of using the fourth finger.

Absolutely! When I’m fretting on the lower part of the neck, my hand span across 3 frets is the width of my fingers held together. Basically just need to rock my hand to move between notes. There are times when 1 finger per fret is appropriate, but it’s the exception, not the rule.

5. Keep the thumb behind and perpendicular to the neck (at a right angle to the length of the neck) so it helps the strength of your fingers to clamp the strings into the fingerboard.

Generally true, but its a bit more nuanced. I notice that my thumb will alternate between parallel and perpendicular to the neck as my position on the neck shifts.

Always let comfort be your guide. (Also, grip strengthening devices and exercises aren’t really necessary and I personally don’t recommend them. A strong grip isn’t necessary to play the bass, and might be an indication that your action is too high.). Practicing consistently and correctly will develop the proper muscle conditioning to prevent fatigue and enhance your fine motor skills.

@Tiffany Benn , perhaps I missed if you mentioned it, but how long have you been playing?

Oh, and welcome to Talkbass.

 

[jbasedig]

on

 

[Thumpin6string]

Quickest way to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Just play your bass.

I don't think so.

 

[GWGuitar]

[QUOTE="I had bass lessons in the middle of the covid surge and my teacher said my hands were “too spidery…”
[/QUOTE]

Was your teacher a guitarist who just happened to play some bass? The technique you are using look like the one-finger-per-fret method favored by guitarists.

Watch this video. The bassist here uses more effective fingerings, mostly using the index, middle, and pinky finger (reinforced by the ring finger). Notice how she shifts her hand position instead of stretching to the notes? Try emulating that and stay relaxed. It might help.

 

[Ewo]

Welcome to TB!

Just skimmed the posts, so maybe someone already explained the "flying fingers" advice some folks offered, but just in case it wasn't clear...

In the vid you only kept the finger down that was playing a note. You lifted up fingers between the nut and the note you were playing. That's what "flying fingers" refers to, and the habit will limit the development of your technique, especially phrasing. A better practice is to keep fingers down on the string, between the nut and the note you're playing. It's not a rigid rule, but just good practice.

An easy way to build that habit is just play a chromatic line going up on one string, starting with the index finger, then the middle (keep the index down), then the ring (keep index and middle fingers down), then the pinky (keep the index, middle and ring down)--then going down one fret at a time from the pinky, starting with all four fingers down. The key idea is that the fingers between the note you're playing and the nut stay down until you have to lift off.

Hope that helps.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hey,
As the title reads, I’m playing my bass wrong. My fretting hand doesn’t sit right on the neck and my fingers don’t hit the notes right. I get a lot of fret buzz for an action bass and my hands cramp a lot.
I had bass lessons in the middle of the covid surge and my teacher said my hands were “too spidery”.

Don’t mind what I’m playing, the bass isn’t even turned on.
Video for reference.

Just use your index finger. For everything. Then, try using your ring finger also, after youve gotten your hand comfortable moving on the neck.

What I see, is that you're lifting your fingers crazy high off the strings when switching fingers. Thats what they meant by (spidery). Also you're stretching, or trying to stretch, way too far. Stay close, stay tight, and shift your hand to hit the other notes.

It'll start getting comfortable. It takes a while.

 

[MtManiac]

Lots of good advice here, so I’ll just add “don’t give up”. Every musician has to spend time working on technique, and that starts with tone. You’re on the right track. Your teacher could have been a LOT more helpful.

 

[10emmanuel]

Hey,
As the title reads, I’m playing my bass wrong. My fretting hand doesn’t sit right on the neck and my fingers don’t hit the notes right. I get a lot of fret buzz for an action bass and my hands cramp a lot.
I had bass lessons in the middle of the covid surge and my teacher said my hands were “too spidery”.

Don’t mind what I’m playing, the bass isn’t even turned on.
Video for reference.

take your time to play every note. seconds if necessary. Make sure you press with the fingertips, not too low not too pointing. And practice. The first steps in learning bass are the hardest!!

 

[Acoop]

Remember, for every action there's a reaction. ... So which every movement your fingers make they have to return back to the fretboard. ... Years ago I practiced fretting a note lifting that finger a fraction off the fretboard then returning it. Then practiced doing that with every fretting finger until it became muscle memory. ... How/where you place your fretting and plucking fingers is controlled by muscle memory, just repeat, repeat, repeat.

 

[two fingers]

Hey,
As the title reads, I’m playing my bass wrong. My fretting hand doesn’t sit right on the neck and my fingers don’t hit the notes right. I get a lot of fret buzz for an action bass and my hands cramp a lot.
I had bass lessons in the middle of the covid surge and my teacher said my hands were “too spidery”.

Don’t mind what I’m playing, the bass isn’t even turned on.
Video for reference.

Welcome to TalkBass!!!!!

"Too spidery" is a weird way of saying you aren't practicing efficiency of motion. There is no need to point your fingers away from the fretboard when they are not actively fretting a note. The further away you point them, the further you have to bring them back in for the next note.

That's not a huge deal when playing slow passages starting out as a beginner. Later on, as you require more speed and agility on the fretboard, this will be a lot more important.

Also, you want your fingers to land just behind the fret. Behind means on the side of the fret closest to the head/tuners. The very edge of your fingertips should be right beside the fret on the head side.

So some very slow exercises your teacher showed you while concentrating on keep those fingers close to the strings (and not pointing away).

All of this just takes practice. The blisters and hand cramps all go away. Slow down and don't beat yourself up if it doesn't just click very fast. We all felt like our fingers were stupid when we first started.

 

[chris_b]

Hey,
As the title reads, I’m playing my bass wrong. My fretting hand doesn’t sit right on the neck and my fingers don’t hit the notes right. I get a lot of fret buzz for an action bass and my hands cramp a lot.

You are not moving your hand enough. That means you are stretching to reach for the notes. That puts a strain on your fingers which gives you cramp and means you get fret buzz because you're unable to fret correctly.

You have a wide spread and are trying to use it to get to the notes. Don't spread your fingers so much. Try to aim to cover 3 frets or an octave and move your hand when you want to play notes further away.

In essence your teacher was right. Did he give you any help in correcting these technique issues?

Check these out. . . .

 

[villegastx]

Soon or later, you'll find your own way.
I played guitar, but it was very painful. I have arthritis and carpal tunnel, so I moved to bass. I love the space between the strings and it really helps my fingers

 

[monti2889]

I'll concede you're half right....there is a right and wrong...
The wrong way is to approach any expressive art form as being right or wrong.

If I want to write a song about a car crash...it could be happy...maybe I'm happy it wasn't me, maybe I didn't like the person involved in the crash, maybe I'm sad, possibly because it wasn't me in the crash, maybe it was a good friend in the crash...maybe angry at the person responsible for the crash...etc
To state there's a right or wrong is to invalidate the humanistic element that gives any expressive art context and meaning.