What poor technique will hinder your progress most as a bassist?

[WrapRough]

Just had a bit of an ah ha moment with my technique which has really helped me. I noticed when I was playing the D and G strings my thumb wasn't shifting downwards. I've been really conscious lately to move the hand slightly down and I've noticed a massive difference in my tension and then with that comes increased speed and endurance.

Anyway, got me thinking... As so many are self-taught nowadays, what poor technique do you think will damage your progress as a bassist the most?

 

[Zooberwerx]

Thumb wrapped around E string aspect of fingerboard. In my case, using pick-up as a thumb rest...learn "floating thumb" technique.

Riis

 

[Obese Chess]

If I had to go back and tell myself one thing almost 20 years ago when I started playing it would be "don't play so damn hard, just turn the amp up."

 

[dreamadream99]

Without the benefit of a teacher, or the modeling of proper technique, a myriad of possible problems could arise. Most can be compensated for over time without causing harm, but there is a short list of very detrimental habits, that can lead to pain, injury, even death. OK, I’m just kidding about death, but here is a shortlist of serious bad habits to avoid:

• Any severe wrist bending. This goes for the fretting hand and the plucking hand. It is hard to avoid in the fretting hand on long scale basses while playing in the first few positions. On the plucking hand, raise the elbow slightly.
• Accumulated tension in the body. Tension makes it very hard to play a four hour gig. Tension can start in the fingertips, and move through the wrist, the arm, the shoulder, all the way into the back. You have to consciously be aware of forcing yourself to relax while playing.
• Avoid long sweeping movements of the fingers, when small ones will do. Keep the fretting fingers close to the string at all times – just a few millimeters away. Minimizing the traveling distance to change notes, will increase the speed. The same goes for the plucking fingers.

 

[IamGroot]

Lack of rhythm
Lack of ear
Lack of focused musical ambition

Anyhing else is a detail*:

* Details (get a few lessons)
- correct posture/Bass height
- Correct fretting hand orientation and technique
- Correct picking hand / alternating finger technique

 

[J33]

Hand flail and awkward wrist angles. Hand flail hinders all sorts of things such as precision, quickness, stamina and overall hand/arm health. It is very easy to tell between the bassists that have played out a lot and bassists that practice in front of a camera in order to get something right for social media. Nothing wrong with either...but if there are a lot of unnecessary movements...especially in the fretting hand...it is easy to tell that a person has not been in real world situations where they have to play 4 hours a night...night after night for long periods of time and are much more comfortable with playing in small bursts. There are performance reasons for excessive flailing on occasion..it's just best if the performer is fully aware these are occurring. Economy of motion will promote longevity.

Wrist angle is very important too. The closer a player can get to the way their wrist looks in a resting position..the better. Unnatural contortions will lead to tendonitis and severe tendonitis is a death sentence to a bassist.

 

[Jrussblues]

Pinky usage, followed by inability to play a diatonic scale.

 

[Snarf]

Students will sometimes come to me trying to do a one-finger-per-fret span with their thumb peaking out above the neck. Dropping the thumb down changes their lives.

 

[5andFretless]

Hand flail and awkward wrist angles. Hand flail hinders all sorts of things such as precision, quickness, stamina and overall hand/arm health.

I see this a lot, and not only with beginners. I see videos of a bassist playing their song and they are up and down the fretboard on one or two strings. When I cover the song my hand barely moves, just my fingers. It might be that I play a fretless bass and that is kind of required, but I suspect they do it to look like they are doing something difficult.

 

[J33]

I see this a lot, and not only with beginners. I see videos of a bassist playing their song and they are up and down the fretboard on one or two strings. When I cover the song my hand barely moves, just my fingers. It might be that I play a fretless bass and that is kind of required, but I suspect they do it to look like they are doing something difficult.

I hear you. I play fretless, Upright and transitioned to 5 strings a while back specifically to move across more instead of up and down. Really thinking hard about adding a 6 in there too specifically because of this reason alone. Although I do see this more in intermediates by far..and there is absolutely nothing wrong with being an intermediate...I definitely see it in some seasoned players...especially in Rock, Funk Rock and Blues from time to time. I think the nature of those kinds of shows weighs a little heavier in the theatrics department in terms of performance..just like you're saying.

 

[JimmyM]

Not knowing how to read or knowing much chord theory is the very biggest hindrance.

 

[KenD]

Just had a bit of an ah ha moment with my technique which has really helped me. I noticed when I was playing the D and G strings my thumb wasn't shifting downwards. I've been really conscious lately to move the hand slightly down and I've noticed a massive difference in my tension and then with that comes increased speed and endurance.

Anyway, got me thinking... As so many are self-taught nowadays, what poor technique do you think will damage your progress as a bassist the most?

All of it. I heard it said that great technique won't make you a great player but lousy technique will prevent you from becoming the greatest player you can be.
Not to be a smart ass about it but there isn't just one thing. Good technique is a combination of a lot of little things done properly and so consistently that they become unconsciously automatic.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Just had a bit of an ah ha moment with my technique which has really helped me. I noticed when I was playing the D and G strings my thumb wasn't shifting downwards. I've been really conscious lately to move the hand slightly down and I've noticed a massive difference in my tension and then with that comes increased speed and endurance.

Anyway, got me thinking... As so many are self-taught nowadays, what poor technique do you think will damage your progress as a bassist the most?

Other than leaving your bass in the case for long periods of time for me, making sure my left hand and right hand are in sync is the most important thing for me. I don’t use the floating thumb technique (long fingers) anchoring on the pickup with my thumb.

In 50yrs as a self taught bassist I’ve been able to get the job done, and really don’t have an issue getting to the right strings at the right time. I have tried floating thumb from time to time, but struggle with consistency with note volume going from string to string.

That said, there are a lot of highly qualified proponents of floating thumb, and it may be in your interest to heed the advice.

 

[2112]

Lack of knowledge and application of music theory and putting too much of your brain into your playing. And putting much emphasis on the equipment on not enough on practicing and playing.

 

[Pings Bass]

Bass guitar isn't that hard technically. Proper hand position and relaxation are probably the biggest. Take some lessons if you're not sure. Could save you a ton of hassle down the road.

But even more important than learning to play bass is learning to play music, and learning to listen while you play. Knowing what you're playing and why, and being able to hear it along with everybody else's parts will make you a better bassist than 99% of dudes who strap on a fender.

 

[gstaats]

GAS!! Practice more, GAS less...

 

[kjp360]

Not knowing how to read or knowing much chord theory is the very biggest hindrance.

Lack of knowledge and application of music theory and putting too much of your brain into your playing. And putting much emphasis on the equipment on not enough on practicing and playing.

Yep.
Not understanding chord theory and not being able to "speak the language" is much more of a hindrance than any particular non-"best practice" technique.
I only worry about correcting my techinque when it leads to problems...Usually related to not being able to physically do something or plain old discomfort. Why fix what ain't broken?
Lots of well known players use less than perfect techniques.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Lack of focus, trying to learn it on your own. I know that bass lessons with an in-person instructor aren't cheap but if you stick with playing bass, it will be your best investment and you'll go through thirty pedals looking for "the one".

 

[Acoop]

Time. ... Plan and simple, if you ain't got it don't play bass. ... Bass is all about time. ...

 

[Killing Floor]

Standing behind the drum set facing away from the audience.

Being a totally detached member of the band will hinder you 10X more than wrong notes.