Right Hand Habit - Plucking over the neck

[viceroyrogers]

So I was aware of this bad habit ahead of my first show with this band, but watching the video I wasn't able to beat it on stage. I tend to put my right hand a little bit over the neck a lot of the time. I think it makes everything feel "softer" and more forgiving, and for some sections I like that sound, but in general it just makes the attack weak and lacking in definition.

Any tips for combatting this? I'm trying to really watch myself when practicing and force myself to pluck between the neck and bridge pickups, but I'm afraid I'll gravitate towards what's "easiest" whenever I'm not thinking about it.

 

[BGroovy]

How well are you able to hear yourself when playing? I adjust my right hand position based on the tone I’m going for. If you’re not noticing while you’re playing, maybe you’re not hearing yourself well enough.

 

[SteveCS]

So I was aware of this bad habit ...

Any tips for combatting this?
...,
but I'm afraid I'll gravitate towards what's "easiest" whenever I'm not thinking about it.

1: Playing over the fingerboard isn't a bad habit provided you have made a conscious decision to play there for the qualities of the notes notes produced there (and not because you have gormed off);
2: Combat by 2a) understanding how different playing positions affect the qualities of the note and 2b) practice playing in different positions and moving between them at will (2c: Stop gorming off);
3: Be more 'present' with the music and play in different positions according to the demands of the music and not the ease or comfort of execution (or because you have gormed off).

That's all I have

 

[dbsfgyd1]

So I was aware of this bad habit ahead of my first show with this band, but watching the video I wasn't able to beat it on stage. I tend to put my right hand a little bit over the neck a lot of the time. I think it makes everything feel "softer" and more forgiving, and for some sections I like that sound, but in general it just makes the attack weak and lacking in definition.

Any tips for combatting this? I'm trying to really watch myself when practicing and force myself to pluck between the neck and bridge pickups, but I'm afraid I'll gravitate towards what's "easiest" whenever I'm not thinking about it.

Practice. What I would suggest is record your next gig. Personally I use a digital pocket recorder for this purpose. This will give you, one something you can use to critique yourself, and secondly, something to practice with. I’ve been doing this for decades and can’t recommend this enough. It may not be as bad, if indeed a noticeable problem.

On a side bar just asking, ever watch videos of where Entwistle plucks? Ever notice a lack of punch?

 

[red_rhino]

It’s not a bad habit. Lot’s of people play in that position, and if it works for you, (and you like the tone it gives you), then it’s all good. That’s how I played early on. But eventually I migrated to playing over the neck pickup and ultimately settled mostly between the neck and bridge pickups.

If you’re using the fretboard edge as a thumb rest, start by using the neck pickup edge as a thumb rest instead. (If your bass does happen to have a thumb rest, try using that first. But if your goal is to play over the pickup, just go for it.). If your pickup doesn’t provide enough of an anchor for your thumb, you can always use your low string (B or E) as a thumb rest, but if you’re not used to doing that, it will take some effort and patience to adapt to that.

In a very short time, your plucking hand muscles will adapt to the slightly higher tension feel of playing over the pickup and that’s where you’ll stay. The fretboard position will still be available for those times you want to mimic an upright bass feel.

It might help to know what kind of bass you’re playing. Perhaps someone that plays the same model can chime in with suggestions.

 

[viceroyrogers]

Sounds was not great, we had to mostly run it ourselves (soundguy called out and they didn't tell us). I was the only thing not coming through the PA/monitors, and was standing right in front of my amp. So lots of room for improvement there.

Was playing a Lakland Skyline 55-02.

 

[BGroovy]

Sounds was not great, we had to mostly run it ourselves (soundguy called out and they didn't tell us). I was the only thing not coming through the PA/monitors, and was standing right in front of my amp. So lots of room for improvement there.

Was playing a Lakland Skyline 55-02.

The bridge pickup on those can punch through in a great way. I'd favor the bridge and practice playing towards the bridge more. You'll hear that nice burpy bite, and you'll feel the string tension. if you make that strong association while practicing, you'll know when to dig for it in the song, even if you can't hear it clearly, you'll feel the string tensions further back and associate that with the tone you're hoping to get.

 

[Wasnex]

Nothing inherently wrong with the technique providing it produces the sound you want. Since it's not giving you the sound you want, you need to constantly focus on being aware that it's happening and force yourself to play closer to the bridge.

Practicing like you want to play is also a good idea. Hopefully as you get used to playing closer to the bridge it will become easier, and eventually you won't have to maintain constant vigilance.

You may consider if putting a tug bar on your bass to anchor your thumb will help.

Or you can consider transitioning to floating thumb rather than using a fixed anchor point.

 

[SteveCS]

while practicing, you'll know when to dig for it in the song, even if you can't hear it clearly, you'll feel the string tensions further back and associate that with the tone you're hoping to get.

IMHO, the importance of developing that close innate connection between the feel of the string under the fingers and the sounds being produced is huge, yet rarely if ever mentioned outside of classical strings - feeling the string through the bow. It's like conversations in a loud room and knowing what your voice sounds like even when you can't really hear yourself.

 

[ThudThudThud]

I once watched a video of a live set and noticed I had a habit of zooming my left hand up the neck during rests. Not playing anything, but just a affectation. I had absolutely no idea I did that. How long had this been going on???

As for playing over the neck, and breaking the habit:
I found myself back on a Precision bass after years (decades) of JJ and HH type basses. It was fun to learn how to make different tones by playing with my right hand in different positions. There's nothing wrong with playing over the neck if that's the tone you want. Same as playing by the bridge gives more burp, and attack. So getting a simpler bass - if even just for practice - might help. When I played JJ or HH basses, I just adjusted the pickups.
It's going to depend on genre, and your style of play, but it's great ear training.

 

[SC Bassboy]

Don't worry about your hand being over the neck unless you don't like the tone. Every square inch of real estate between the saddle and past the end of the fretboard is open territory for plucking the string. Depending on what I'm playing, my hand moves around quit a bit. Typically my thumb is anchored on the very end of the fretboard and my fingers are plucking in the same general area. However, when my hand is in that position I am HAMMERING the stings like they owe me money. It's definitely more of a rock n roll tone, though.

 

[MCS4]

You don't necessarily need to make yourself go straight from picking over the neck to all the way back between the bridge and neck pickups. Maybe if you start by spending some time plucking over the neck pickup it'll feel like less drastic a change and help you feel comfortable, and then you can decide whether to keep going further back. All of these positions can be useful in their own ways.

 

[ahbradot]

STOP IT.....

 

[2saddleslab]

End of the neck for a bigger boom, over the pickup for a bigger bang.

Having played mostly in trios the last 4 decades playing at the end of the neck fills in more sonic space. Adding a high pass filter, beefing up the lows ,and using a mid boost [TC Spark] helps cut thru the mix while keeping things sounding full.

 

[MechaSparky]

I have a p bass with both bridge and pickup covers and I play between them without anchoring my thumb. That neck pickup cover keeps the hand from creeping up over the split coil (which is how I learned to play, but I don't like the wrist angle that creates).

 

[Fuzzbass]

On a side bar just asking, ever watch videos of where Entwistle plucks? Ever notice a lack of punch?

Entwistle eventually developed his "typewriter" technique where he tapped straight down on the strings over the fretboard so that they hit the fretboard, which of course added attack/punch. His basses had low action so it was hard to tell he was doing this, but he discussed it in technique interviews. I'm guessing this is different than what the OP is doing.

 

[Hans Gruber]

Madison Cunningham's bassist plays close to the neck and he sounds amazing.

 

[sdjfoh]

I have the opposite tendency- I play closer to the bridge and need to lighten up my attack and play closer to the neck in order to reduce attack noise. It’s good to mix it up and be comfortable in several positions

 

[Fuzzbass]

To the OP: reminds me of when I first strung a bass with TI Jazz Flats. They are light and flexible, and I was mostly a rock banger, so it was really hard for me to avoid bottoming out the strings even after I raised action on the bass. So, what I did was immerse myself in that specific bass, exclusively playing with a lighter touch. Different circumstances than yours, but the point still stands: immerse yourself in playing over the pickup(s) (or elsewhere away from the fretboard) until you're fully comfortable with that, and overcome your compulsion to play over the fretboard.

With luck, playing over the fretboard will go from being a bad habit -- and it is a bad habit, specifically because you say you do it when you shouldn't -- to just another technique in your toolbox to call on when appropriate.

I became a better bassist when I became comfortable with playing with a lighter touch. You will become a better bassist when you become comfortable with a variety of right-hand plucking positions.

 

[Kael]

I play over the neck quite a bit. It's a valid choice.