Tips for my fretting hand please :) (Pictures attached)

[LowFreqVeee]

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all doing well. I have recently picked up the bass guitar after wanting to learn how to play for a long time. I have been playing for about 2 weeks now, practicing a good amount each day.

However, I have a problem. When on the E string my wrist/hand feel very uncomfortable, and there is a little pain involved. I am worried that my positioning is incorrect and that I will harm myself due to my technique. Granted I do have smaller sized hands, and this could definitely be a reason as to why, but my flexibility has gotten a lot better (except for the E-string).

I took some pictures and uploaded them; can you all please take a look and tell me what I am doing wrong? I actually spent the last two hours researching and trying all sorts of angles/positions/strap heights/etc., but nothing works.

PS: I have been learning how to play through the BassBuzz course (it's really good!). I will get a few in person lessons when I get the opportunity, but it is not possible right now.

Thank you for your time. I appreciate it.

 

[chris_b]

You look to be stretching and that's not a good thing to be doing (as you're finding out).

Check out Simandl fingering technique. That's using fingers 124. Just cover 3 frets, from root to octave and move your hand when you want to play outside that box.

 

[Lobster11]

I think this video has saved a great many bassists from injury:

 

[DrBnz]

FULL-ON shots of your upper torso are better than just showing us the arm. Where (specifically) is the discomfort/pain? All I can see from here is I'd ask you to push your elbow away from your torso (to see if that helps any). It also depends upon what type and severity of the discomfort. For me, I had lots of discomfort for the first few MONTHS!!! Shoulders, forearms, wrists, hands, fingers are all being trained to do something new and some of them don't like it. But in the beginning its critical that you practice perfect FORM and learn proper techniques. Always work for perfection, vice speed. Speed will come on its own as the muscles (and brain) learns..... seeing a teacher early in your career is also a great thing. Even if only for a couple lessons.

 

[AGCurry]

From the two pictures you shared, my advice is to get your elbow further out from your body - that will allow your thumb to be oriented more perpendicular to the bass's neck, thereby reducing that awkward stretch of the fretting fingers.

In higher positions (farther from the nut), your thumb can be oriented more as your pictures show.

And, as @chris_b states, 1-2-4 is appropriate and safer (though not mandatory for bass guitar) for that position. 1-2-4 does necessitate a shift beyond the step-and-a-half interval.

 

[LowFreqVeee]

Thanks everyone. I read through your posts and watched the video, and I feel better about my positioning. I don't have that pain in my wrist any longer. However, I can't really get any sort of stretch on the lower strings now unless I want to make my wrist do a T-Rex position. I attached some new pictures if you all don't mind checking them out (one a bit further away). I hope the problem is just technique and being new as I'm worried that my hands just can't move/stretch the way they should for the bass. I've been feeling good about my progress as I am practicing a lot, but the limitations really hit me yesterday. The motivation is still there though! I love playing the bass.

Thanks again!

 

[MrLenny1]

Thumb looks tight. Take breaks in between and shake your hand loose.
Save a few bucks and go see a teacher.

 

[LowFreqVeee]

Thumb looks tight. Take breaks in between and shake your hand loose.
Save a few bucks and go see a teacher.

I plan to later this year. I've been living in Seattle the last few months and went to Mike Lull's custom guitar/bass shop to get a setup on my bass. During my visit they recommended me a bass instructor and I got his information.

Thanks for the insight about the thumb. I'll keep my positioning in mind and focus on technique more. As was mentioned, I should play slowly. I have been focused on speed and my rhythm and technique has taken a backseat. I've spent about 4 to 5 hours a day over the last two weeks playing. I get such a good feeling when I pick up the instrument that I don't want to stop.

 

[Cave Puppy]

Your thumb behind the neck should mostly be perpendicular to the neck and the thumb pad should almost be dead center of the neck from top to bottom. You'll get more finger "spread" that way. The elbow of the arm of the fretting hand should also be loose and not resting on anything. And - In person lessons will be a big help.

 

[LowFreqVeee]

Your thumb behind the neck should mostly be perpendicular to the neck and the thumb pad should almost be dead center of the neck from top to bottom. You'll get more finger "spread" that way. The elbow of the arm of the fretting hand should also be loose and not resting on anything. And - In person lessons will be a big help.

Cool thanks! I will keep it slow and make sure I follow all the advice you've all been giving me. Thank you.

 

[Lobster11]

Your thumb behind the neck should mostly be perpendicular to the neck and the thumb pad should almost be dead center of the neck from top to bottom. You'll get more finger "spread" that way.

I completely disagree with this -- at least when playing down near the nut. Unless you have gorilla arms it isn't physically possible to fret a low F this way without creating a severe and awkward bend in your wrist, which is a recipe for injury. Instead I recommend the technique demonstrated by Adam Neely in the video I posted above, in which you allow the thumb to be more parallel to the neck, with the entire hand in the relaxed, "natural" position.

 

[StereoPlayer]

For some reason, I found myself playing without my thumb behind the neck the other night…free floating my fingering hand…. Hmmm

 

[LowFreqVeee]

I completely disagree with this -- at least when playing down near the nut. Unless you have gorilla arms it isn't physically possible to fret a low F this way without creating a severe and awkward bend in your wrist, which is a recipe for injury. Instead I recommend the technique demonstrated by Adam Neely in the video I posted above, in which you allow the thumb to be more parallel to the neck, with the entire hand in the relaxed, "natural" position.

That's what I did after watching the video you linked. It's interesting to hear different takes. Is it more of a personal preference? I do notice that it is difficult to keep it perpendicular depending on where I am on the fretboard, and that's where the pain comes into my wrist.

I spend hours coding every day so injury to my wrists has always been a concern of mine.

 

[Lobster11]

For some reason, I found myself playing without my thumb behind the neck the other night…free floating my fingering hand…. Hmmm

Actually, many teachers recommend this as an occasional practice exercise, in order to learn how little work your thumb actually needs to do and how relaxed it should be behind the neck: especially useful for players trying to cure the bad habit of "death grip."

 

[StereoPlayer]

Actually, many teachers recommend this as an occasional practice exercise, in order to learn how little work your thumb actually needs to do and how relaxed it should be behind the neck: especially useful for players trying to cure the bad habit of "death grip."

At the time it just felt comfortable.
Thanks for your reply, I was thinking how unusual it was.

 

[Cave Puppy]

I completely disagree with this -- at least when playing down near the nut. Unless you have gorilla arms it isn't physically possible to fret a low F this way without creating a severe and awkward bend in your wrist, which is a recipe for injury. Instead I recommend the technique demonstrated by Adam Neely in the video I posted above, in which you allow the thumb to be more parallel to the neck, with the entire hand in the relaxed, "natural" position.

My technique worked for me starting out. I didn't try or know of any other. This was in 1978 and from a Mel Bay book. It's good to have options. I didn't. The low F can be had in the position I described if the bass is held in a higher position on one's body and the wrist remains straight.

 

[LowFreqVeee]

I have an unrelated question if you all don't mind,

Regarding the thumb resting on the lower string of the note you are playing (to mute it), do you all keep it pushed down against that string or just resting against it? I notice I just let gravity do its thing and push the string down which I don't think is right.

 

[MonetBass]

The thumb on my fretting hand tends to be essentially in between perpendicular and parallel. The big thing is to keep your hand relaxed (not gripping the neck tightly) and your wrist bent as little as possible.

 

[Lobster11]

That's what I did after watching the video you linked. It's interesting to hear different takes. Is it more of a personal preference? I do notice that it is difficult to keep it perpendicular depending on where I am on the fretboard, and that's where the pain comes into my wrist.

I spend hours coding every day so injury to my wrists has always been a concern of mine.

I would argue that the technique Neely demonstrates is objectively superior rather than just a matter of personal preference. Keeping both wrists as straight as possible is key to avoiding repetitive-motion injuries such as CTS, and forcing the thumb to always be perpendicular to the neck inevitably forces your wrist to be severely bent -- at least when playing on the first few frets or so.

My understanding is that the old-school method for teaching bass emphasized both (1) thumb perpendicular to neck and (2) always using one-finger-per-fret (OFPF). As @Cave Puppy just posted, that's how he learned to play in 1978. The idea that neither of these is necessary (and both are potentially injurious) is an idea that came later in recognition of these problems. Neely explains it as well as anybody. Regarding OFPF, lots of folks would now recommend using it only higher up on the fingerboard where a four-fret span is comfortable -- no stretching! -- but something like the 1-2-34 technique down near the nut.

 

[LowFreqVeee]

I see! Every instructor I've found online teaches with the one-finger-per-fret method which makes it uncomfortable for me. But I've just been sucking it up and going along with it. I'll see if it's possible for me to understand these lessons while using the three-finger method you recommended as it is far more comfortable.

I was thinking of buying a short scale bass to make it easier but Josh Fossgreen from BassBuzz mentioned that it would just be compensating for poor technique. I then watched videos of kids playing the bass incredibly well and thought okay...I don't think I need a short scale I should just get better at positioning/technique.