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What's Your Biggest Playing Handicap?
- Thread starter nutso42
- Start date
I use a pick. I can't pop, suck at slap but, still do it and I rarely if ever bend my strings.
I'm a punk bassist ok? I am playing 3 rootnotes over and over again. Do I feel like it's a handicap Hell No! I do recognize however if I ever lose a pick while playing and one's not nearby I'm screwed.
I'm a punk bassist ok? I am playing 3 rootnotes over and over again. Do I feel like it's a handicap Hell No! I do recognize however if I ever lose a pick while playing and one's not nearby I'm screwed.
I can't sweep (not sure if that's the right term) like going 5h7 from E down to G, my right hand doesn't pick each string so it sounds terrible.
Small hands, and I have a left hand little finger that was broken and will not work independently. Also my reading skills have GREATLY deteriorated since the late 60s to almost nonexistent... bummer.
On the plus side... thousands of gigs under the belt, great drummer, lots of musically challenging friends, unquenchable GAS, cool basses and a supporting wife. Works for me.
On the plus side... thousands of gigs under the belt, great drummer, lots of musically challenging friends, unquenchable GAS, cool basses and a supporting wife. Works for me.
yes, definitely my biggest "handicap"
I go through bass strings every month because of how hard I play
you can clearly distinguish what I am playing without an amp
I get nervous as **** when I have to solo in front of a crowd. I always have that fear of "What if I forget the fingering" or "what if my finger hits that fretbar"
It's just psychological though...
Oh yeah and I royally suck at slap.
It's just psychological though...
Oh yeah and I royally suck at slap.
The slap just needs practice & the decipline to learn several techniques, until you find the ones that work best with your hands. Knowing more than 1 slap technique means you won't get tired & make mistakes on songs that play a long time.
For Stage Fright go to www.halgalper.com, click on the Articles tab & read Stage Fright & Relaxation.
Hope that helps.
UGGGHH, everytime i pick up a bass i find myself thinking too much and playing almost the same thing everytime.. some runs up and down, a few chords here and there. i haven't learnt anything new in forever!! i should proberbly get out of this rut ASAP! *depressing.
right now its my left hand recovering from a break.
so im trying to work towards 2 hours of good technique practice a night. my teacher is focusing in on that so we can avoid further injury and get it out of the way
so im trying to work towards 2 hours of good technique practice a night. my teacher is focusing in on that so we can avoid further injury and get it out of the way
Tapping my foot in perfect synchronicity while playing. Al Di Meola's suggestion. I started working on it and it has been quite a revelation with respect to improvement in my rhythmic sense.
But the problem is achieving 100% accuracy. I'm tackling this through the ace solution to all problems: practice.
But the problem is achieving 100% accuracy. I'm tackling this through the ace solution to all problems: practice.
Well, I didn't begin playing bass until I was age 52. I'm now 60, play fairly well, but am not as fast as I'd like to be. I've always thought that the lack of "lightning" speed was do possibly to the late start, but more likely that I have always used my hands and fingers doing heavy work. The strong fingers coupled with some tendon issues were likely slowing me down. I can play 8th notes fine, but a run of 16th's, not yet. On the plus, though, I do a good job staying in the pocket, good sense of timing.
Also, there was a period of time during the 70's and 80's that I turned the radio off and just didn't listen to much music (wife, young kids, and working all the time). Seems that there was a style of music during that era that I just don't get,........... well I don't want to go into detail as somebody will think I'm being judgemental. It's not that, but it makes me physically dizzy trying to keep up if we play anything of that style (combination of guitar style and rhythms??). I'm calling that a handicap.
When I began reading this thread, I thought I had a handle on what my handicaps were, as mentioned above. But, then I read this.
Now, we're on to the primary handicap. I guess I've thought about stage fright a little before, but the problem is really major in my life and it extends to many other areas. I think it relates back to something that happened to me when I was about 4 years of age, something that I really don't have clear memory of (perhaps blocked it out??). However, relating this to bass playing, if I just stay in the background holding down the bottom end, I do a good job. But if I'm called on to do anything solo, I become unglued, even though I have the technical ability. Major, major handicap!!
Also, there was a period of time during the 70's and 80's that I turned the radio off and just didn't listen to much music (wife, young kids, and working all the time). Seems that there was a style of music during that era that I just don't get,........... well I don't want to go into detail as somebody will think I'm being judgemental. It's not that, but it makes me physically dizzy trying to keep up if we play anything of that style (combination of guitar style and rhythms??). I'm calling that a handicap.
When I began reading this thread, I thought I had a handle on what my handicaps were, as mentioned above. But, then I read this.
For Stage Fright go to www.halgalper.com, click on the Articles tab & read Stage Fright & Relaxation.
Hope that helps.
Now, we're on to the primary handicap. I guess I've thought about stage fright a little before, but the problem is really major in my life and it extends to many other areas. I think it relates back to something that happened to me when I was about 4 years of age, something that I really don't have clear memory of (perhaps blocked it out??). However, relating this to bass playing, if I just stay in the background holding down the bottom end, I do a good job. But if I'm called on to do anything solo, I become unglued, even though I have the technical ability. Major, major handicap!!
MikeBass
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- Nov 4, 2003
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Guitar players and not being able to smack them with a sack of door knobs when they get out of line (too loud, big ego etc...)
Female singers who think they own the world.
Other than that, I got nothin'.....
Female singers who think they own the world.
Other than that, I got nothin'.....
To me, my biggest handicap is my tendency to focus on why I can't do something and get all frustrated with my own shortcomings.
"I can't do it because..." "If only I were younger (I'm 52), if only I were taller with longer, straighter fingers (I'm a 5'6" Japanese with extra small hands with short, crooked pinkies)," and so on and so on...
I also suffer from what I would call "pangs of perfectionism". Nothing I do is ever good enough!
I'm trying to overcome my negative thinking by focusing more on what I CAN do with what I've got, and by simply trying to have some fun by making some good music on my bass. So, what if I don't have the natural gifting to be able to play like Jaco or Victor Wooten? Who cares, right? Why worry about things I can't change anyway?
"I can't do it because..." "If only I were younger (I'm 52), if only I were taller with longer, straighter fingers (I'm a 5'6" Japanese with extra small hands with short, crooked pinkies)," and so on and so on...
I also suffer from what I would call "pangs of perfectionism". Nothing I do is ever good enough!
I'm trying to overcome my negative thinking by focusing more on what I CAN do with what I've got, and by simply trying to have some fun by making some good music on my bass. So, what if I don't have the natural gifting to be able to play like Jaco or Victor Wooten? Who cares, right? Why worry about things I can't change anyway?
i'm 54 and recently started playing again after a 10yr break because of injuries. it seems like the majority of my handicaps were eliminated by NOT playing! weird, but all of a sudden i am freaking-out my friends, relatives, and myself with my abilities. the sub-conscious mind has retained and restored crucial information over the years. after getting use to the physical part of playing again, theory and technique kicked in and DAAAYUM!!!
my handicap is and has always been reading music.
i had good teachers but once i started gigging, i went 20yrs straight and never stopped to improve. at this point, if i can't figure something out by ear,... TABS!!!
my handicap is and has always been reading music.
i had good teachers but once i started gigging, i went 20yrs straight and never stopped to improve. at this point, if i can't figure something out by ear,... TABS!!!
