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

[WrapRough]

Yeah, it's amazing how light you can press if you fret correctly

 

[Resonance129]

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

This.

If I musically understood what I was doing a little better, I think I'd be miles ahead of where I am now.
I didn't learn much theory in school when I played trumpet, and never took the time to TRULY learn theory once I picked up bass. One of these days, I'm gonna get started with lessons, and that's where most of my concentration will go.

Aside from that, I tend to get a little overzealous and play way harder than I need to if I don't actively think about it. When I DO play softer and more deliberately, my playing improves pretty dramatically. Accents and dynamics really make the difference.

 

[WrapRough]

One of these days, I'm gonna get started with lessons, and that's where most of my concentration will go.

Exactly the same as me, and now I have a great teacher who is showing me the light. All we do is theory and its application, sight-reading and transcription. Perfect.

 

[chadds]

I'd say listen to different kinds of music. Listen completely outside of your usual choices. Listen for the movement bass causes in every type of music. When I say bass it can be low register instruments. Voice, horns, strings, woodwinds, and percussion all count. Listen to the rhythm in all forms of music.

This opens your ears. It results in your being called for live and studio gigs regardless of genre. They know you will bring it.

 

[FirewalZ]

I would say just in general; not muting strings consistently, and just choppy or clunky playing, not smooth and clean.

 

[azureblue]

Lack of rhythm
Lack of ear
Lack of focused musical ambition

Anything 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

True - As long as you can play cleanly, solid and in the pocket, I don't care if you play standing on your head. Focus on the music. Every bass player have their own little way of playing. I watched a guy who did thumb over and he could lay it down. Then a guy who came to bass from classical guitar and had picture perfect technique, playing it with classical guitar form. But he couldn't play slap style at all.
For me, I always warm up on syncopated scales and arpeggios with a click, and work out the misfrets. ( I hate playing straight 16ths or 8ths - boring) and then play some swing shuffle grooves with scales and arps. For me, I like a bass that does not make fret noise, I use flats, so my instrument is a little harder to play than some, and I have adapted my technique to that. I have what I call a 5 string guitar - skinny rounds - and it has about no resistance. My technique changes when I play that bass. I can do thumb over, slides, etc.
Bottom line is you do you, but keep focused on the music.

 

[SC Bassboy]

The other guys already mentioned a myriad of fingering and fretting downfalls so I will hang my hat on breathing properly. Breathing was a real problem for me and it took years for me to realize how important it is. Proper breathing technique is often overlooked in general and it effects everything we do from walking to weight lifting to playing bass. Playing continuous, fast notes always gave me trouble (think Michael Anthony) and one day I noticed I was kinda holding my breath while concentrating. Funny enough yoga noticeably helped my playing even though it seemingly has nothing to do with bass. Relax and breathe. Namaste n stuff.

 

[cheapbasslovin]

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.

Depends on the genre/situation, but in those genres/situations, I definitely can agree with this.

In the studio this is less of a concern .

 

[-Asdfgh-]

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?

Slouching when playing seated.

 

[dalkowski]

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."

This. I have hard-wired technique issues resulting from DECADES of playing/practicing unplugged.

 

[WrapRough]

Slouching when playing seated.

I remember when I first joined a band and my first rehearsal was actually the first time I had ever played standing up. It was....very different

 

[Diminishedfilth]

While playing busier passages, I tend to forget to breathe.

 

[cheapbasslovin]

I would say just in general; not muting strings consistently, and just choppy or clunky playing, not smooth and clean.

This is why playing quiet is so necessary. Playing loudly buries all those noises under the nerve damage, and makes a band feel like they're good when they have problems. You can learn how to ease up on the janky timing and clacky play if you can hear yourself, but it's real hard if you can't.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I remember when I first joined a band and my first rehearsal was actually the first time I had ever played standing up. It was....very different

My point was more that it can lead to issues with pain and playing later on that can be overlooked.

 

[smtp4me]

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?

• Economy of motion (a lack of it)
• See above

For example, in standard tuning, E2 can be played on the 12th fret of the E string, the 7th fret of the A string, and the 2nd fret of the D string; but... choosing which one of those frets to use in context with the notes that come before and after, can either significantly increase or reduce hand and finger range of motion. The use of open stings instead of fretted notes can also reduce it.

"Real world" example: A bass part includes G1, E2, then D2. Some might play it as 3rd fret E string, 7th fret A string, followed by 5th fret A string - and it might work just fine. However, when played as G1 on E, E2 on 2nd fret of D string, then open D string, there is much less motion of the fretting hand.

 

[drumvsbass]

How to properly use a metronome.

 

[dalkowski]

While playing busier passages, I tend to forget to breathe.

I tend to forget to breathe in general, according to my missus. I attribute it to not enough practice, therefore I'm all clenched trying so hard not to clam.

 

[brianrost]

I've seen more than a few great bassists with questionable technique more than get the job done. The trap is assuming that better technique isn't worth adopting because someone else doesn't have it. There's a big difference between overcoming technical obstacles and avoiding them in the first place.

I've had to modify my left hand technique due to an injury to the middle finger. I switch between four finger BG fingerings and three finger DB fingerings on the fly because of loss of control of the middle finger. With all four fingers down on a string, I cannot keep the middle finger from sliding towards the ring finger. So I can play ascending with four fingers but not descending. The DB fingering where the ring and pinky work together as one is less of a stretch so the middle finger will stay put. Any kind of pattern that keeps all four fingers on the string and then lifts the ring and pinky only...say A Bb B C Bb...is a problem, making hammers and pull offs an issue. So I use the three finger positioning, shifting the index to play both the A and Bb, I can then do hammer/pull trills between the Bb and C just fine.

After 40 years of not-quite-alternate strokes in my right hand I've never bothered to correct that, partly because I also use just my index finger (like on DB) and just my thumb for certain things...even switching between all three approaches in one song without thinking about it.

I could certainly get my alternating plucking to be 100% if I dedicated myself to working on it for a few months, I've just gotten lazy because I don't play very high tempos or lots of endless sixteenth notes where it really makes a difference.

 

[landrybass]

Rhythm and muting.

 

[City]

unless I am in a band playing bass, I do not pick one up. Currently playing acoustic in a duo. Been March 2020 since I picked up any of my six basses. That will have an impact (yikes). I will never be an all star bassist but like riding a bike, I will get there again, if it becomes necessary. Just being picky as to musical direction.