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Tony Franklin's fretless vid.

Discussion in 'Technique [BG]' started by Rockin John, Jul 8, 2003.

  1. Jul 8, 2003 #1
    Rockin John

    Rockin John

    Dec 20, 2000
    Leicestershire, UK.
    This is the first time I've ever bought any instructional material. I found the whole thing excellent and full of super ideas: why didn't I do something like this years ago....?

    Anyway, I've always played with the fingerboard hand - my L/H - in the classical style: that's how I taught myself to do it. Tony Franklin shows this, too, for the demo / lessons. However, when he jams on the video he very often reverts to the thumb hooked around the neck style. And when he's playing right high up he rests the flesh of his thumb (virtually the palm of his hand) on the back of the neck.

    Wondered whether there'd be any thoughts on this.

    Cheers.

    John
     
  2. Jul 8, 2003 #2
    The Mock Turtle Regulator

    The Mock Turtle Regulator

    Oct 22, 2000
    London, UK
    I've noticed lots of famous bassists sometimes let their thumb creep over the top of the neck-
    John Entwistle (as seen in his Bass Masterclass video)
    Billy Sheehan (Bass Secrets, On Bass)
    Stanley Clarke
    Sting
    Mark King (see Bass Guitar magazine interview pics)

    not Jaco though, judging from "Modern electric bass".
     
  3. Jul 8, 2003 #3
    Bryan R. Tyler

    Bryan R. Tyler TalkBass: Usurping My Practice Time Since 2002 Staff Member Administrator Supporting Member

    May 3, 2002
    Connecticut
    Reviewer: Bass Player Magazine
    Louis Johnston does it as well. It may just be the result of larger hands with small Jazz necks and no real emphasis on the results that may occur. Carpal tunnel probably wasn't well know back in the day.
     
  4. Jul 9, 2003 #4
    Rockin John

    Rockin John

    Dec 20, 2000
    Leicestershire, UK.
    I've a feeling I might have spent too much time and effort sticking strictly to the classical technique in the (perhaps mistaken) belief that that's all important.

    I feel that the way the bass is worn makes a dramatic difference to the angles of the arm, the wrist and the bass neck. I wear the bass quite high on my body with the neck sort of in line with my left shoulder. That makes the classical technique easier for me at middle neck positions, almost impossible at high positions and the thumb over the neck easier at the headstock end. Dropping the neck position to roughly my waste makes the classical much easier at the high end.

    But swapping quickly is very difficult for me which is the reason why I asked for comment on the Franklin video.

    Actually, the whole business of bass position vs ease of playing has bothered me, on and off, for many years.

    Cheers.

    John
     
  5. Jul 9, 2003 #5
    NV43345

    NV43345

    Apr 1, 2003
    I agree, I have picked up alot from different videos, I am very hard to buy presents for, so every x-mas my relatives would ask what to get me,
    so I gave them the ad's for Bass videos. And now
    I have alot of them, and I learned some things from each one. recently I got Victor Wooten Bass
    Day on DVD, since I now have a DVD player. Here
    are some of the Videos/DVD I have.
    Bill Sheehan: 3 different ones
    Steve Bailey & Victor Wooten: Bass Extremes
    Tony Franklin
    Roscoe Beck: Blues Foundation
    Randy Coven:
    Stu Hamm: first one, slap pop & tap.
    Steve Bailey: Fretless Bass
    Chris Squire
    Slap Bass program
    Tap Bass program
    John Myung
    Best of Lennon & McCartney
    Jaco
    Flea, just got this one on DVD
    Victor Wooten Bass Day 98 DVD
    oh, and a video called Bass as a solo Instrument,with various players.
    I saw a jack Bruce one advertised I want that one next.
    :)
     
  6. Jul 14, 2003 #6
    The Mock Turtle Regulator

    The Mock Turtle Regulator

    Oct 22, 2000
    London, UK
    one thing to note is that all the players mentioned usually play 4string basses.
    (I assume Tony Franklin was playing a fretless Pbass?)

    I played a 6 string fretless Sei bass with wide spacing on saturday, and there's pretty much no way of letting your thumb creep higher than the middle of the neck on a bass like that.

    the thumb-over style is probably a quirk of 4string and maybe narrow/medium 5string playing only.
     
  7. Jul 15, 2003 #7
    warwickben

    warwickben

    Nov 15, 2001
    tewksbury ma usa iam a hick,
    jt does it on his 8 string . just kidding. when i play seven strings at stores my thumb has to be on the bottom on the figer board to reach the b and e string on any note below the 12fret.
     
  8. Jul 16, 2003 #8
    Rockin John

    Rockin John

    Dec 20, 2000
    Leicestershire, UK.
    No. In this video he played a 4 string fretless Jaydee.

    I'm fairly new to 5 and that's the most strings I've played. There's no doubt it's easier to play more strings using the classical technique. Hooking the thumb then becomes positively awkward :eek:

    John
     
  9. Aug 13, 2008 #9
    the low one

    the low one

    Feb 21, 2002
    UK