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Playing One Handed

hondo4life

hondo4life

Feb 29, 2016
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8,736
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#1
Does anyone have good tips for playing with one (fretting) hand?

I want to play a fairly simple bass line by only tapping notes with my left hand. You see, my right hand will be busy holding a trumpet (there is a good chance I’m biting off more than I can chew). One of the notes should be an open string, and I’m not sure how to tap that (or I can go to the 5th fret on the lower string, which will be quite difficult).

I assume a lot of compression is involved. I have a fret wrap to help muting, but could get a chunk of sponge and stick it near the bridge.

Thoughts?

:smug:
 
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#2
hondo4life said:
Does anyone have good tips for playing with one (fretting) hand?

I want to play a fairly simple bass line by only tapping notes with my left hand. You see, my right hand will be busy holding a trumpet (there is a good chance I’m biting off more than I can chew). One of the notes should be an open string, and I’m not sure how to tap that (or I can go to the 5th fret on the lower string, which will be quite difficult).

I assume a lot of compression is involved. I have a fret wrap to help muting, but could get a chunk of sponge and stick it near the bridge.

Thoughts?

:smug:
Click to expand...
To play an open string you can put your finger across it and "pluck" it downwards to get it to ring. I think of it like a pull off but with more finger pad contact area to really rip it hard.

For normal tapping, low action and light strings help. If this is how you are playing just part of the gig I would suggest keeping your instrument volume less than max, so when it's time to one-hand it you can turn the gain up a bit to boost your tapping volume up to match your normal volume. Adding a little overdrive or some compression can help too but nothing will replace good technique.
 
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#9
JonathanPDX said:
To play an open string you can put your finger across it and "pluck" it downwards to get it to ring. I think of it like a pull off but with more finger pad contact area to really rip it hard.

For normal tapping, low action and light strings help. If this is how you are playing just part of the gig I would suggest keeping your instrument volume less than max, so when it's time to one-hand it you can turn the gain up a bit to boost your tapping volume up to match your normal volume. Adding a little overdrive or some compression can help too but nothing will replace good technique.
Click to expand...

Yes, I figured on using a compression or OD pedal to boost it for tapping. As far as the strings and action, it is probably not ideal. My custom P-bass has DR Legends flats (45-105). The action is set moderately high (.090” to 130”) at the 12th fret, but is only .030” on the 1st fret. I could definitely lower it, but I typically dig in quite a bit when I play.
 
#10
Wasnex said:
Some instruments definitely work better than others. Years I ago I demoed an Ibanez AFR105s. One of the best basses I have ever played for tapping. None of my 9 basses are great for tapping, but it's not a technique I use.
Click to expand...

I have my Ibanez SRMS805, which is definitely better than my P with flats for tapping. I wasn’t planning on switching basses, but I’ll consider it.
 
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#13
hondo4life said:
Yes, I figured on using a compression or OD pedal to boost it for tapping. As far as the strings and action, it is probably not ideal. My custom P-bass has DR Legends flats (45-105). The action is set moderately high (.090” to 130”) at the 12th fret, but is only .030” on the 1st fret. I could definitely lower it, but I typically dig in quite a bit when I play.
Click to expand...
I have seen some people struggle to transition to tapping when they are used to really digging in and playing hard. It's difficult to get the same volume out of a tapped note that you get from ripping on a string as hard as you can with your right hand! So, either you have to adapt your technique to even them out, or you are really going to have to build up strength with that left hand and have some tone or gain controls to help boost it up to match your heavy right-hand attack.

Or if the chords are static throughout this section you could just use a Freeze pedal to sustain a single bass note through the horn part.
 
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#16
I do it on a few songs with a duo I'm in, usually with me playing a keys/synth part with my right hand while "tapping" a bass part with my left. I don't find it too difficult as long as the parts are not particularly demanding (i.e. triad type chords in the right hand/keys and quarter notes on left hand/bass).

For the bass part, I find I have to strike very solidly and then mute (if needed with a finger on my left hand).

It's not something I love doing and I have considered just splitting my keyboard (bass patch for the left hand and piano/strings patch for the right) and doing those few songs on keys alone and forget the bass tapping thing. I'm not a great keyboard player but certainly adequate enough for the stuff we do in the duo.

Good luck OP
 
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