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Self-taught bassists... what bad habits?

#42
Humblerumble said:
The anchored right hand made it almost impossible to play my six string Cirrus. I would miss notes when I was doing a run because my hands weren't big enough to stretch down to the higher strings and pluck with any accuracy or strength.
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I gotcha, I have huge hands, so maybe thats why I havent had a problem. Then again, if I moved to a 7 or higher I might have some trouble.
 
#43
Mike N said:
I can copy tunes off CD's pretty well, but suck at making up a Bassline on the spot.
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+1 here.

I also am guilty of the following:

Theory: I know the notes and can read notation one note at a time, but that's it. I don't know what key something's in unless I see the signature, have no idea what the scales or modes of that key are, etc. The bad habit is that I don't care to know, either. I play whatever sounds good to me.

Technique: I don't fret with my ring finger often. I use my pinky instead, it's stronger and with more control for some odd reason. I also don't slap well.

=0)
 
#45
One of my problems is lack of structure. I've developed a decent knowledge of theory, I'm sure my technique could use a bit of work, and I'd say I have a pretty good ear. I've taken a couple of lessons, but I'm largely self-taught. But I haven't been able to follow a strict practice routine, which contributes greatly to my suckiness. This is my biggest "bad habit."
 
#46
Planet Boulder said:
Also, "self-taught" does not necessarily equate to "devoid of knowledge of theory"....
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;) True.

My bad habits?

1) Wearing my bass 'too high'....Not total fusion geek high, but higher than average. Someone who attended our performances mentioned that I look like I'd be more comfortable if my bass was hanging a bit lower. So I lengthened my strap a bit, and after getting used to it, I do feel more comfortable and less fatigue after a long night of playing.

2) Using my pinky too much. Well, maybe this isn't such a bad thing, but I've found that my pinky spans, or reaches, nicer than my ring finger. My ring finger probably hasn't developed much of it's potential dexterity.

3) Struggling, for 2 years, to play a bass with narrow string spacing. That particular bass just sounded soooo good, that I put up with it. Never felt at home ergonomically with that bass (unless I was playing it with a pick). Now each of my basses have wide spacing & feel right. I will never consider an instrument that isn't 11/16 to 3/4" at the bridge.
 
#47
i have a tendency to pluck the strings at about a 45 degree angle and pluck the top string at a 90 degree angle (to the body). I'm trying break this habit, but the belly is pushing the bass farther and farther away. ;)

but what makes it really bad is that sometimes i play too hard. this combination can cause the strings to slap the frets and i get a popping sound out of the pickups. not good. i can control it, but sometimes i just get carried away (in all the excitement).
 
#48
spc said:
Pick up any of the magazines they have laying around and see where the cats keep their thumbs...
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Those cats could potentially be better players than they are/were if they had been started with proper technique.

spc said:
Ever try to play that open D chord with your thumb on the back of the neck? How's that sound? Hang the thumb over and rest it on that low e to mute it (E is the 2nd in the key of d, so it fits in the chord technically, but it sounds like *ss in the bass) now strum! Bet that sounds a good deal better. Do you think those same teachers when playing a song and switching from a bar chord to an open d plant their thumb on the back of the neck? Let em hang boys and girls!
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Worst...advice...ever.

With 10 years experience in classical and jazz guitar(including 3 years of music school) I can say that any technique you can manage with a bad left hand thumb position you can manage better and more efficiently with proper thumb placement...and that includes fretted E string bass notes. I have yet to find a (smartly voiced)chord that can't be reached with thumb behind the neck...and you aren't risking RSI and carpal tunnel in the process.
 
#49
Looking at the fretboard and pulling a realy scary serious face. I sometimes have my thumb over the neck, but only when I plkay at the top. (but not allway, only when I "have to") I used to only use three fingers (left hand) but I have now got out of that habbit by training my pinky. I stand completly still on stage, I knowtist this when watching a video of us, I thought I was moving. I'm ok when at home. Could evan possibly be that my bandmates intimedate me. :eek: (they are all much older than me)
Oh yeah, and I suck, does that count as a bad habbit?... :rolleyes:
 
#50
The Artist said:
Looking at the fretboard and pulling a realy scary serious face. I sometimes have my thumb over the neck, but only when I plkay at the top. (but not allway, only when I "have to") I used to only use three fingers (left hand) but I have now got out of that habbit by training my pinky. I stand completly still on stage, I knowtist this when watching a video of us, I thought I was moving. I'm ok when at home. Could evan possibly be that my bandmates intimedate me. :eek: (they are all much older than me)
Oh yeah, and I suck, does that count as a bad habbit?... :rolleyes:
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I think alot of bassists play with their thumb right on the fingerboard when in the upper octaves - it's traditional DB style, if I'm not mistaken.

As for the rest - who cares how you play, if it works for you. But then you don't have anyone else to blame when you realise that you could play so much better if you had learned the proper way from the beginning.
 
#51
Wrong Robot said:
The worst Habit I've acquired from ~5 years of teaching myself, is a slight reluctance to let others teach me.
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That's where we differ. I've played with keyboardists and drummers who were former bassists, and every chance I got, I was handing them my bass to have them show me stuff. I know they got tired of me, but so what?! I was getting good tidbits! They were STILL brilliant on bass! I NEVER turn down a free education!
 
#52
Woodchuck said:
That's where we differ. I've played with keyboardists and drummers who were former bassists, and every chance I got, I was handing them my bass to have them show me stuff. I know they got tired of me, but so what?! I was getting good tidbits! They were STILL brilliant on bass! I NEVER turn down a free education!
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:cool:
That is awesome, Chuck!!

I know waaayyyy too many musos who are the opposite. They have ego hangups and refuse to take any advice, tips, quick lesson on a song or technique, how to soundcheck / manage the PA / monitors, etc. etc.
 
#53
Another bad habit in which I myself had to over come was playing up and down the neck instead of playing across the neck (playing on 2 or 3 strings). I'm talking about playing in "position" with the least posible hand travel. I see younger bassist do this constantly and it actually slows you down. studying scales in ALL keys and where they were on the neck helped me not only with the needless up and down movement but helped me to see the neck and plan attack my with ease. This also helped with learning new material!
 
#55
I taught myself to play bass about 25 years ago because we were starting a band and nobody else wanted to play bass. I volunteered having already taught my self to play the guitar with my own finger picking style... thumb 1st and second finger. Not knowing any better, not having a bass playing hero to copy or friend to teach me better I learned to play the bass with my thumb 1st and second finger. I've been doing it so long now that I am having a devil of a time changing my ways. I guess I do alright, at least I've been told by several bass players that have much better technique that I am an excellent bass player.

I don't slap worth a crud but I do great with my fretting hand, thumb behind the neck and I use all my fingers.. woo hoo!

I can’t read sheet music or tab fast enough to do me any good but except for the complicated stuff I can usually pick the groove out the first time I listen to a song and then the little nuances that make it special after 5 or 6 more times. Then I add my own feel to it and try to never listen to the original song ever again.

I have a lot more bad habits but if I keep on here I may need therapy to pull myself out of this sudden depression I just found myself slipping into..

It’s time the old dog learned some new tricks..
 
#56
I guess I'm one more of us "thumb over the top" guys. Though I'm just recently trying to correct it. Another bad habit is not holding the pick correctly. I realized this during my hard rock-metal days (about 5 to 6 years ago) when I would play a couple of songs, only to later feel a strain on some index finger muscles, this was probably due to the fact that I didn't have a good bass amp (only a 15 watt one) so I would have to play really really hard in order to be slightly heard in rehearsals. I have, ever since tried to acquire a good pick holding technique, but ocassionaly fall in bad picking. Old habits die hard I guess.

I haven't the slightest idea how slap works, very lite concepts on how to read sheet music. WOW... I guess I need lessons fast!
 
#57
AllegroNonMolto said:
Worst...advice...ever.

With 10 years experience in classical and jazz guitar(including 3 years of music school) I can say that any technique you can manage with a bad left hand thumb position you can manage better and more efficiently with proper thumb placement...and that includes fretted E string bass notes. I have yet to find a (smartly voiced)chord that can't be reached with thumb behind the neck...and you aren't risking RSI and carpal tunnel in the process.
Click to expand...

And this appplies even more to bass, where RSI and carpal tunnel are very common....:(

I was having extended physiotherapy with a top London specialist and he told me how he was treating a lot of professional bass guitarists, who had such bad wrist problems they had to stop playing because of the pain.

When they started - it didn't seem a problem to grip the neck tightly with their left hand at an awkward angle.....but after several years of gigs every night, it became a really big problem!! :hmm:

By coincidence, this physiotherpist came from a family of classical musicians and he knew the value of correct left-hand technique and was able to help them.
 
#59
Another reason I switched to fanned frets so early on. I figured better to do it early and get used to the feel if I was going to continue, and its better ergonomically for my hands too. Sooner the better on combating that problem was my thoughts. Luckily left hand technique hasnt been a problem for me as a self-taught bassist, it just always felt wrong to put my thumb up there.
 
#60
Open strings :hiding:

Jesus... I started playing electric a few months after learning upright and it never occurred to me until after I memorized all of my scales in an open position that, wow, I'm a moron. I played violin for seven years, too, you'd think I'd have realized to use the stinkin' fifth fret sooner. Oh well. Just gotta practice more. :hyper:
 

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