THE #1 TECHNIQUE KILLER FOR BASS PLAYERS
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 12. 04. 2018
- There are many technique issues that can crop up from bass player to bass player - but there is one overriding bad habit that I call a "technique killer"...
As in, if you do this one thing it'll be almost impossible for you to move around the fingerboard with any dexterity or speed at all.
It'll be like driving with the brakes on.
In this lesson you're going to find out exactly what it is. You're going to see clips of Pino Palladino, Victor Wooten, Robert Truijio and Jaco Pastorious (and I'll be highlighting how they're not making this common mistake)...
Then, I'm going to show you how to fix it!
You ready?
As always, see you in the shed...
- Scott
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Starts playing the bass, and the daughter immediately runs from the room. Critics, eh?
And the puppy hahaha
Seems like no one likes us bass players
She has spent the first 9 month of her life in a living low pass filter. Now thereâs so much treble in the world.
Yeah so dors my wife. Ha
As a rank beginner, this was a hugely valuable lesson. I also noticed that when the wrist is up, pure anatomy means that the spread between your pinky and index finger is reduced by about 50%. This wrist angle should be the first thing taught to bass players, because playing the bass is nearly impossible otherwise.
Hey! VSacuce! Michael here
Longorio 7u7 đ€Łđ€Ł
lmfaooo
Where are your fingers?
New bass player here, the more I learn, the more grateful I am for the years I spent in classical violin with a dedicated and great teacher. Her lessons re technique have transferred well onto bass.
Howâs it going now?
Wow, lightbulb moment. Been doing this technique for the last two weeks and it's making such a difference already. Can feel the speed in my fingers. Bit sore at the bottom of my thumb but that'll get stronger in time. Cheers again Scott.
First thing I thought: "but Adam Neely always teels to keep the wrist as straight as possible!", to prevent long-term medical problems. But I guess we can find a middle ground between the two bass gurus đ
Scott says the "wrist should be down" but I think his point is really more on that "hole" or space between the neck and the web of the hand.
Yeah, absolutely that Ric ^^^ - thanks for watching :)
i actually use both of theese techniques, if im playing the thinner strings than i am useing the baseball bat grip thing, and if i am playing the thicker strings than i drop my wrist, specially when im playing octaves
Same here. It actually becomes automatic once you nail down both ways.
Yo creo que se tiene que aprender de la manera que indica el video, pero en una sesion larga puedes descansar tu posicion cuando lo necesites
"Drop that wrist down" is why I have carpal tunnel syndrome.
Think what Scott means is NOT to have the wrist UP or in other words, the palm bent back too much-which would be the case when your thumb is hooked around the neck and visible on the fingerboard. I think he's recommending the classical guitar position which might be problematic if you tried it with the bass slung low down to your crotch. if that's the way you wear the guitar, then there will be too severe a curve on the wrist and you'd be safer hooking the thumb around. Again classical guitar technique recommends adjusting the strap so the guitar is the same position standing as sitting. The airspace behind the thumb is the clue that you'll be able to stretch your hand easily across the frets. At any rate - it's good to stop playing if feeling strain or tension -shake the hand out and try resuming later keeping everything relaxed.
Such a valid and important issue!! Thanks and congrats, Scott! I'm a guitar player and I'm also studying and even playing the bass in live sessions, and I don't feel like doing that mistake. Still, such material can help thousands of beginners and intermediates!!
I think i have to thank YOU for this. When i was new at bass, i didn't go to any bass lessons. Instead i was watching one of your videos and in one of your videos you said: "One thing you should note is your thumb. Your thumb is very important. Instead of having it touch the neck entirely, you should make sure it's aligned with the rest of your fingers." Ever since i did that i found so much ease in trying to play even though i was only a beginner. If it wasn't for that video of yours, i would be suffering from this technique killer...
A Leeds lad. Nice! I've been watching your vids to unlearn all the bad techniques I learned in my twenties. Epilepsy has robbed me of my motorcycle and car enthusiasm so the bass has given me a new life. I'm learning from the bottom again. Properly this time. Thanks Scott.
Beautiful bass Scott, all Fenders should have matching headstocks
This brought back memories to when I learned how to play violin. My teacher would always tap my wrist and tell me to open up! Those lessons helped me with this on the bass, as I hold my wrist that way instinctively now! This is a great tip! Thanks Scott!!!
Excellent advice, Scott! I play open and also a lot of power chords and I STILL am a firm believer of leaving room behind the thumb. Yeah itâs harder to hit those 3 strings at once with fury but itâs supposed to be. Pain for pleasure. Proper good, mate.
THAT JAZZ BASS IS BEAUTIFULđđđ
ive never seen a fendor with colored head, i love it.
Julian Vasquez I have a dark cherry Tele that has a matching stock
Bubba Mike that's awesome most majority of fenders I see always have that light colored natural wood, which is ugly to me :(
My Fender is ocean tourquoise with a matching headstock, it's beautiful.
It's a Fender Custom Shop bass. You can tell because of the V logo on the back of the headstock. It's visible at 3:34. At least in the case of strats, matching color headstocks were common in the 1960's models, I think. Maybe only for the custom colors (i.e. those out of fenders reduced standard color selection). And yeah, it's a beautiful instrument.
I absolutely love your videos, Scott. Keep it up!
I just needed this, thanks man. I didnât see any improvement and thought I was just bad at playing guitar and bass, i started doing this and gained tons of confidence :)
Thanks for that Scottso! Having started bass after playing guitar for quite a while I never thought of that "hand posture" and now have a new "something to work on"! Correcting my grip!
Beautiful kiddies and nice trampoline, btw! â
i seriously never knew about this, always had my hand completely clenched over the neck, now ive seen the light!! awesome video, thanks a lot scott!
Extremely helpful tip, Scott. I have been working on a rather fast and fluid triplet piece and really not hitting it right. I had a hard time moving up and down the fret board. I started really looking at my left hand after watching this video and saw I had a tendency to close my hand on the neck, especially as I moved down the the neck. While I still have some bend, it was not enough. I started to really focusing my wrist down and trying to keep it there. After working for about 15 minutes doing that, I had an incredible amount of improvement in my speed and sound. I was more accurate with my fingering. I was amazed at how much just focusing on that wrist position made. I am definitely going to continue getting thia into muscle memory, but wanted you to know how much this really helped my playing. THANKS, and keep up the great work.
I'll chime in and concur with the fellow guitarists who are learning bass - thumb over the top of the neck is great for grabbing the bass notes on a bar chord but as Scott points out terrible for fluid bass lines. I just took a weekend long workshop with Hot Tuna bassist Jack Casady. The *very first* thing he spotted and coached me on was opening up my fretting hand. My thumb wasn't over the top of the neck, but I sure was gripping my bass the way I grip my Tele. Amazing difference when I got that wrist below the neck.
It's hard to switch between the two considering I'm playing guitar for over 25 years and recently picked up bass. I use my thumb for muting the low E on guitar. I am not used to the hold he ia showing. I have small hands with short fingers, so I'm lucky I can play at all.
Great Video Scott. Thanks! Been watching all your videos. Each one is helpful.
The first ever Scottâs video where I can say âI already do that!!â
I said this too, not sure how people manage the other way, it's so uncomfortable!
THANK YOU. i had countless guitar teachers throughout my life tell me i should wrap my thumb around the neck (especially on classical guitar. idk if thats because the neck and frets are smaller? or chords?) i always felt more comfortable pirching on the thumb like you are showing. It puts more strain on your wrist and hand to play this way, but i feel like without the extra effort, you just cant fly. at the end of the day though, victor wooten said it best "dont look at what im doing and try to emulate that... play how you feel and see how YOU play and how YOU feel"
Scotto, I play guitar, had given up on bass for years...you've got me playing bass again.!!!
Well, I think this is what CZcams needs, basically a "vlog" that explains and teaches something very useful! Great great content Scott
There were plenty of education resources on YT 5 years ago and there's even more now. You just had to actually look for it đ
Interesting that the thumb over the top of the neck comes in useful at times for some players, ie. playing slap in different keys on bass or when going for those Hendrix/Mayfield chords on guitar. Great video as always Scott đ
i just got my first bass yesterday and this video helped me so much i was struggling a lot but this is so helpful !! :)
I'm a beginner. I noticed I do this a bit naturally, but now I focus on it more and it's helped me clean up my fingering so I'm not glancing off of strings. Thanks!
Thanks for the wrist tip, I'd actually never thought about it. Going to grab my bass and see if I'm doing things correctly
I changed my orientation to ensure the gap and my tone and precision tightened up IMMEDIATELY. Thanks for the reminder/tip!
Have to disagree somewhat on this one. I personally tend to rotate my wrist position depending on where I am on the fretboard. When playing on the low string my wrist tends to be in the position you explain but as I get to the higher strings my wrist tends to rotate and my thumb starts to wrap. This feels natural and is just the way it works best for me. It also varies depending on how high I am up on the neck.
I definitely would not try to keep my wrist in the same position all the time. Wrist position should come naturally and will develop over time.
Too right, and I'm just learning
You are what you are, and play as you play. P'S can someone teach me to play
the number one technique killer is really fingers only bass players, look at all the metal and rock bass players who cant lay down a clean isolated track, no ability to mute or control the notes, playing it like its a fucking upright is retarded. Leo fender designed the electric bass to played more like a guitar than an upright. Ive seen countless fingers only players who sounded outright horrible!!!!!! They use that fingers only technique or lack there of to look cool...⊠Now look at victor play, but look at tina warmouth, or carol kaye, or paul mcartney , those are solid normal bass players which is beyond 90percent of working bass players ability. Your right hand position is a after thought at best, and the fact that you think that is a big issue shows how out of touch with whats really goin on in bass world. Go to some jam nights, see some local bands play, then you will see the average bass player has way bigger issues then neck hand position...âŠ.
@@jesserebel8387 yeah finger style is a little overrated. It's nice to be able to do that, slap, and pick, plus i guess thumb and index finger are things too idk
your right hand wrist position is irrelevant, when you cant play more than two or three notes without getting fret buzz , blaring inconsistent dynamics...âŠâŠ Seriously this guy is not a good teacher. He never teaches much that would apply to a normal working band. Ive taught and coached bass players, and a couple went on to be amazing players. Focus on real world techniques dude. Like being able to play a straight eight note bass line, with no pick scrapes, fret noise, inconsistent dynamics or nonsensical blares. This is real world shit, What this channel is about is mostly bs , that dosent apply to 99 percent of players in the business. Teach basic muting techniques, teach them to be solid players.
Great advice. My only gripe is when I play with the wrist straight down for an extended period of time (especially down on the lower frets), that angle really makes my wrist sore- especially after finishing up a 4 hour gig. Any advice for preventing/reducing pain? I imagine this can introduce long term damage over time.
I live in Leeds too!! Thanks for the video itâs gonna be so useful- Iâve been gripping the neck like Iâm strangling it or something
âScrumpleâ... excellent word. Love it because I know exactly what you mean!
Scott, great tips.. I LOVE it how you throw some family moments in there. Music is important yeah, but family makes it all worth while;) good on ya man
great lesson. that's definitely the basis for a good left hand technique. once that's mastered, its cool to master and use other grips and to be flexible enough to be able to apply them to help you achieve the particular sound, phrase or groove you're going for at the time. adding the left thumb can be really effective for a lot of stuff.
If I tilt the neck upwards, pointing it more towards the ceiling, like a cello, I can have a straighter wrist and good grip while still having the thumb behind the neck. Better than horizontal. Pointing the neck down would be more like playing the violin, much more angle and strain.
I think the point of the straighter wrist is less bend, less friction and stress in the tunnel the tendons go through. Some instruments have the head further away when hanging from the strap. That leads to more wrist bend in the lower part of the neck.
If I extend my wrist (bending it back towards the knuckles) there's also lost reach and dexterity, especially in the pinky. If I flex my wrist towards the forearm and form a fist, grip is very weak.
Muscles (f ex finger bending muscles) are weaker when fully contracted or stretched. AIUI, in physiotherapist lingo there is active insufficiency at full flexion and passive insufficiency at full extension in multi-joint muscles.
Aside:
I play with a little pull on the fretting hand, towards the elbow, while the right hand and forearm presses the instrument against me. This allows for less less tension in the fretting hand. Do you people do that? Hard to do if you play low slung bass around knee height.
I have not thought about that for a sec so I picked up my bass at once and "YEA" IÂŽve done it right the hole time! So that was not a hard one. Some other stuff you teach could be real tricky for an older mind. IÂŽm still learning so thanks for sharing.
Had no idea James McAvoy teaches bass!
Thank you, this lesson really helped me
This helped me so much, thanks.
Holy crap, this is probably the most important information Ive gotten from you, thanks
Very helpful Scott!
Omg I needed this one. Thanks
Gorgeous Fender Jazz! Love that color combo with the rosewood board, tort guard and matching HS. WOW! Definitely spend the time with the kids. My daughter is now 16 and my boys are 13 and 10....it goes by WAYYY too fast!
Love the videos man!! Been playing for a week now and stuff like this is pretty helpful. In this case, I have massive hands and they naturally sit this way anyway but it's nice to know I'm on the right track.
But I have to ask.. What's with the glove in a lot of these videos?
Thank you for the lesson! (From Brazil)
so nice to see you with a jazz bass again
fantastic tip. Thank you!
"Robert Trujillo. Best bass face in the business right ?" Haha love it
what bass guitar r u playing?
love the videos, you are a huge inspiration for me and you are the reason, why i started playing the bass. That day was TODAY, coz i applied for a band. I LOVE IT!!!!!
cheers again
True! Doing what you say helps your whole hand rotate toward the fretboard for better dexterity. A mate used to say gripping the neck tight is the lazy way to play guitar and is bad form.
Good video again man. I guess I was lucky as when I first started to take bass seriously I took lessons and the first thing my teacher told me was not to do this!
Huh. Currently working on a bass arrangement of Pink Floyd's 'Is There Anybody Out There' and this actually makes some bits easier. Thanks Scott!
wow YEAHHHH this makes a difference i play guitar and thats where i started and i use the jimi grip ( i use my thumb on bass with the wrap around reach around and once again you inspired me and ihave been wearing out my left hand since i got home from work( i deliver in a van so i listen to your lessons while driving then cant wait to get home to try em out i too am follicly challenged i heard you say that in another vieos what i say is I suffer from FOLLLIC ENVY you say tomaytoe i say tomahhhhtoe kinda thing hahah nice vulva how does she drive?... i love your teaching technique you are the best thanx im goin for the monthly this is my kinda gym
Great tip! Thanks, bro!
Hey Scott, always looking to get my hand technique better, so thanks for the video - but what's the deal when pros do go over the top with thumb for muting purposes? I try to avoid doing that but it's almost necessary when playing with a pick - what do you say about that? Is that ever appropriate or should it be avoided?
This is a good lesson for a lot of guys n gals to pay attention to.
Btw Scott, glad to see you got your baby back.
In the video list on the RHS of the screen, a Carol Kaye video came up, which I played after yours. Lo and behold, wrist down and a gap! Thanks for the tip
I have had several classic guitar lessons more than 30 years ago, when I was 15. And teacher told me exactly the same about proper wrist position.
I've preached that to my students so many times. Never come across anyone else actually giving this advice. Very nice. I thought it should have been obvious, but not the case
Hi Scott, again an amazing lesson, it's so much fun to watch your videos. đŻđđ» A question: I always try to lower my hand and it feels comfortable tho. But I also thought that you shouldn't bend your wrist too much, right? I got small hands so I am afraid I am bending too much. How do I find that out?
Please don't listen to people commenting nothing but the time stamp of where the 'actual lesson' starts. I love your videos from beginning to end and it is your whole mindset that got me into playing bass. Keep up the good work!
Once again very intetresting, hope one day I'll can subscribe at the academy, I just keep practicing waiting for that day
I realize thi is an old video, but just in case: Any tips for people with hyper extendable thumbs (aka as "double-jointed")? Mine immediately bends back and starts hurting quickly.
Lovely lille Child you haveâ€ïž.and thanks for your videos on CZcams. They chance my vay of playing Even after 48 years
Great tip! I played cello for years in school. This was huge then. Can't have a big claw unless your wrist is properly positioned. Try this. Spread your fingers out in front of you. Now bend your wrist back and curl your fingers and watch what happens. Your fingers will not reach as far apart.
Tusen takk! Very good tip!!
Hi Scott, having watched and enjoyed this vid, i'd really like your advice. My left hand and arm are slightly smaller than my right and my left arm is not as strong despite doing weights etc. I struggle sometimes with the left hand position you suggest and i know it hinders my fluidity and precision on the neck. any advice you or anyone else can offer would be really welcome. Thanks.
I almost didn't recognize you with those glasses and the beard... lol Pretty much self taught myself.. and I think I did this naturally without being shown, because of torch and how you can apply it when doing this to your ring, and pinky finger...rather than just a strong grip on the neck. Also, a good example is using a Slide on guitar as you have to hold your hand this way in order to use the slide properly and keep it level.
Thanks for all the lessons by the way.
Great technique tip for greater freedom of movement and finger reach!
A bit late, but this helped me for bass on Dani California. Thanks!
Wow, I didn't know you lived here in Leeds! I've been watching you since when I lived in Brazil.
That's cool!
Verry usefully video ! Thx
Nice video scott
How useful! Thank you....
I bet this is really helpful to a lot of people. I just see a cool jazz bass and a happy family. :)
I play guitar with the baseball grip but bass with the open grip--albeit with less air as my thumb is double jointed. I never thought about it before now.
barely been learnign for 3 months (self just watchign youtube) and been consious of your video and i cant play songs but its worth rather learn technique than bad technique! thansk for video
That gap between the thumb and the fore finger is called the fulcrum. Just like holding a drum stick. Excellent video btw.
Super helpful!
Scott I understand the left hand technique but I find little about right hand technique - re picking, but there are plenty about muting ! Could you do a video for proper picking techniques ?
Thanks for your time
0:56
the number one Techniqular.
- Scott
I love that part in the video where he says "take the kids outside and remind them there is fresh air out there."
4:44 "like a BASSball bat" xD
lovely family!! Oh, and great bass tips!! I'll check my technique, and I think I'm safe here after looking, but I'm not much of a player anyway! LOL
Hey Scott, It's nice that you are doing a trial on monthly membership; it seems a more egalitarian option to me. bass lessons for everyone; even those with very little disposable income. Hooray!! :)
Scrumple. What a wonderful word!
I believe I will a fashion a Sunday morning breakfast scrumple. It sounds delicious!!!
Damn I didn't know that! Thank you :D
Hey Scott, can you break down Sean Maloneâs technique? Heâs the bassist of Cynic and Gordian Knot. Definitely my favorite bass player, and the one who got me into fretless.
Love your Daughter....
She is so ADORABLE.
TX.J.P.
Together we can stop the scrumple epidemic.
damn I'm really digging that jazz bass you've got there
I think because I've played guitar for so long(and used my thumb to bar chords) retraining my wrist is gonna take some practice, but looks like it's time to teach this old dog, some new tricks, hahaha...Thanks for the great videos...Take it easy.
Same. Just tried it as I wasn't sure really which way I held it, and as a guitarist primarily, I was gripping away there.
That ugly thumb thing is handy, and difficult (if not impossible) to learn later. keep it!
Thanks, just gotta keep working on improving... Take it easy
yeah me too i play like hendrix with the wrap around so this is a little different but all the shrapnel guitarists i played with use the thumb ( im dr mastermind kurt james is the guitarist man these lessons are great
I play guitar from 10 years old (i'm 22 now) and I always played with the palm away from the neck. I didn't go to any teacher, I learned from magazines and videos. It's not about you played guitar for so long, it's because you learned the wrong way (I know about the Hendrix technique with the thumb in the 6th string but it's just a technique and you don't use that to play every note/chord).
Learn something when you learned wrong before it's hard but with patience, practice and time you will fix it.
Hi, Scott. Thanks for the lessons on Technic killing. I was a victim. I am waiting for the videos you talked of.
Just knew this yesterday, no wonder i couldn't play bass properly. as a beginner i had trouble on holding the frets for my first day practice
Pretty sure that's what gave me CTS.....I go out of my way to keep my wrist straight so my tendons are happy now...lol
another awesome video brother! thank you! ill be an ace bass player before i even get my first bass at this rate! ;-)
That Bootsy live w/Sanborn video ("Strechin' Out") is a kick-a** track and it used to be my ringtone. :)