Members Cassius Posted July 23, 2005 Members Share Posted July 23, 2005 Hey, sorry this is probably one of the most basic things for bass guitar but im confused and a search failed to bring up answers. Should my index and middle fingers on my right hand be straight, or curved and tensed when im plucking? When i play too long with them straight it starts to feel like im hyperextending my fingers at the central joint, and when i play too long with them curved its tiring and imprecise. Whats the best way to go? Im not getting any real pain per se by letting my fingers remain roughly straight and bend back at the tip. But i dont want to bust my hand up long term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrcrow Posted July 23, 2005 Members Share Posted July 23, 2005 Originally posted by Cassius Hey, sorry this is probably one of the most basic things for bass guitar but im confused and a search failed to bring up answers. Should my index and middle fingers on my right hand be straight, or curved and tensed when im plucking? When i play too long with them straight it starts to feel like im hyperextending my fingers at the central joint, and when i play too long with them curved its tiring and imprecise. Whats the best way to go? Im not getting any real pain per se by letting my fingers remain roughly straight and bend back at the tip. But i dont want to bust my hand up long term. tickle the strings...sort of clawing movement...thats what i do.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cassius Posted July 23, 2005 Author Members Share Posted July 23, 2005 Originally posted by mrcrow tickle the strings...sort of clawing movement...thats what i do.. Ill practice that. Dont all hate me, i may be a guitarist who is playing bass in a band but i started on double bass! Any conflicting opinions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassman1956 Posted July 23, 2005 Members Share Posted July 23, 2005 Originally posted by Cassius Any conflicting opinions? No, really, I think McCrow stated it pretty well. Of course, there are thousands of variations. My biggest change from upright to bass, which took years, was to let the right hand sit sort of relaxed, and let the fingers curve a bit, and sort of crawl across the strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fran da Man Posted July 23, 2005 Members Share Posted July 23, 2005 For one thing if you're making the first joint of your fingers bend back...you're striking the string way too hard. Play something thats real easy to play, and play it with a softer touch than you would normally use, you should notice a difference with your plucking fingers being able and ready to actually move faster. The way you've been plucking it, will take extra energy, which in turn takes from your speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted July 23, 2005 Members Share Posted July 23, 2005 My piano teacher once told me that my hands should be cupped as though I was holding a bassball, and all muscles relaxed. I applied that to my bass technique with success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cassius Posted July 23, 2005 Author Members Share Posted July 23, 2005 Thanks very much all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted July 23, 2005 Members Share Posted July 23, 2005 Originally posted by Cassius Thanks very much all! Yeah, we rawk here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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