The secret to playing with a lighter touch

[Joe Nerve]

I'm a pretty aggressive player, and often wish I had a much lighter touch, as I know how much more can be done with that. I've made some progress over the years but today I discovered an instant, 2 step plan, that works better than anything I could ever imagine.

1. Take the pointer of your right hand (or whichever hand you pick with), and place the tip of it in doorway.

2. Slam the door.

Absolutely amazing. Have a rehearsal this wednesday. Have an important gig this friday. New technique is going to be awesome. Slight chance I may have to go to emergency tomorrow to get a hole drilled in my nail. I heard if it swells too much, it's counterproductive. We'll see I guess.

 

[Moosehead1966]

That's some funny sh*t Joe. As I live in northern Ontario Canada, cold and dry weather lead to true cracks in my my fingers which result in pain and, subsequently, lighter touch. Beats the hell out of your technique in my books.

Marc

 

[Groove Doctor]

¿¿ I don't understand.... can u make a video of it pls??


..... I prefer steel wool splinters personally - they're not as attention-seeking as bruising and bandages.

 

[Violen]

A good compressor is way less painful.

 

[BAce]

I find arthritis works well too.
But seriously, the best way I've found to keep a light touch is to turn the amp up really loud. Then your forced to have a light touch or you'll drown out the guitars.....which come to think about it may not be such a bad thing.....

 

[Hevy T]

My favorites are Arthritis with ingrown fingernails... wow I can tickle te strings and still get the pain I used to get when I was playing Heavy Metal 25 years ago

 

[Jensby design]

I did something similar with a log while working at a sawmill.
6 months of not using your right index finger really changes the way you play.

 

[robd]

Is an interior or exterior door better? Will a car door work, as well?

What is the best door to slam your hand in for metal?

 

[J Bass II]

DON'T USE A CAR DOOR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dieselbass]

Miscue with a 3 lb millers hammer, a punch and a brake drum gave me a lighter touch.

A hot paperclip will melt through the nail and provide a satisfying geyser of blood. Hurts less then the small drill method.

 

[eddododo]

im going to go ahead and make a public service announcement:
compressors should NEVER be used to address a deficit of technique


that being said


My buddy is a new-ish drummer, ive watched him make incredible progress while he goes through school- the mature attributes lacked, specifically his timing and clock.

One night he played a gig with a sprained wrist, and his timing, control, tempo, and style were all 100% ON POINT

 

[petrus61]

It's funny, but back when I was about 19, I walked off a 20ft cliff in the middle of the night on a camping trip and broke my hand. I had a cast on it for a couple months. Up until that point, I was having trouble with my technique and utilizing all of the fingers on my fretting hand (particularly my pinky), still being a new player. I would slowly play notes up and down the neck with my middle finger poking out of the cast out of boredom and longing to play my bass. When the cast finally came off, I could suddenly use all of my fretting fingers, including pinky, no problem. It was the weirdest thing. Almost like the two months and the way it healed had suddenly allowed my hand to make the stretch more effortlessly.

 

[Jensby design]

When the cast finally came off, I could suddenly use all of my fretting fingers, including pinky, no problem. It was the weirdest thing. Almost like the two months and the way it healed had suddenly allowed my hand to make the stretch more effortlessly.

I was able to do 3 fingered triplets like nobody's business, I also held a pick with my thumb and middle finger for about 2 years not sure when I went back to normal

 

[el murdoque]

A compressor should not be abused to make up for bad technique, but it certainly gets you there. turn the amp real loud, set the compressor to limit at the desired max vol, which should not be much as the amp is real loud. now, a light touch will be as loud as a heavier one. So when digging in lost it's benefit, you'll do so less and less.
This way, the comp acts as training wheels and you can leave it out of your setup when you settled in.

 

[eddododo]

^now THAT'S a great idea


I have used compression for the light touch, but what i do is basically set the compressor to eat-up things like bumping a bass on a chair with 5 open strings, and rely on technique for the rest

 

[philvanv]

Very true about the hot paperclip. And for those with metal slivers.
To get a metsl sliver/shaving out of the skin get a fine metal or alum file lightly run it over the sliver backwards, it works very well for us at the shop....

 

[ghostfather]

i've read that safe-crackers would sand their fingertips to increase sensitivity (and obliterate their fingerprints).

could work for bass.

 

[mellowinman]

Turn your amp up too loud, and play with someone who gets upset when bass is too loud. Make sure you're married to that person.

That will lighten up your touch quite a bit.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

im going to go ahead and make a public service announcement:
compressors should NEVER be used to address a deficit of technique

Sez you! Any box that makes me sound better stays on!

 

[Rockin Mike]

An exercise where you make a fist and then open the fingers all the way straight is good. I find light touch requires curled fingers and this exercise develops strength and control in all the finger joints. Heavy touch (for me anyway) has my fingers more or less straight all the time and hammering at the strings (like Ox). ymmv.