Bass Positioning

LuttiS

How do y'all do it?

I've been learning a new song, the actual bass line is not that hard but i'm finding it damn near impossible to play fluidly as most of it is on the first three frets of the low E (classic bassist joke lols) - first time i tried it my had actually did a couple of spasms.. which i assume is a bad thing.. I've been adjusting the strap to try different positions but none really help, even playing sitting down is uncomfortable as bass head is "too far away" to be comfortable. 
Is it a case of practice and perseverance, or does anyone have any tips for not being Achey McBasshand?

Bridgehouse

Where’s your thumb? On the side or at the back of the neck?

LuttiS

Hmm.. Good question.. not really sure off the top of my head.. both? Initial thought is back but tried side too.. it's a little comfier but i don't have the reach there.

fftc

Do you have a particularly long scale bass, or are you perhaps short of stature?
I wear my P bass fairly low and have no trouble reaching the low end of the neck. Would a shorter scale bass help?

ICBM

What type of bass is it?

(Sorry, stuck record ahead... )

One of the things I like so much about the Rickenbacker 4001/3 is that the upper horn is quite long, and the body is ‘reverse offset’, so no matter if it’s on a strap or sitting down, the first fret is not too far away even for my short arms. The very slightly shorter scale (33.25”) helps a bit too.

Most other basses are not like this.

Bridgehouse

I struggled until I got into the discipline of having thumb on the back in the “classical” position

ICBM

Bridgehouse said:

I struggled until I got into the discipline of having thumb on the back in the “classical” position

This what worries me about my broken arm. If it doesn’t go back to how it was before I might have to start playing “properly”...

It’s but a short step from there to a fretless 5-string Jazz.

Bridgehouse

ICBM said:

Bridgehouse said:

I struggled until I got into the discipline of having thumb on the back in the “classical” position

This what worries me about my broken arm. If it doesn’t go back to how it was before I might have to start playing “properly”...

It’s but a short step from there to a fretless 5-string Jazz.

Get a 6 string and you’ll be totally unable to hook your thumb over the top

JezWynd

Play it an octave up with an OC-2. 

Bridgehouse

JezWynd said:

Play it an octave up with an OC-2. 

Cheat!

Man Bass or go home

LuttiS

Erm.. not sure on the scale of the bass.. i'd have to go with.. normal? is that a thing?
@bridgehouse - It's the green one with the buggered neck pocket from the jam.


I'll try again while making sure thumb is on the back as i can't guarantee that's where it is.. 

Bridgehouse

LuttiS said:

Erm.. not sure on the scale of the bass.. i'd have to go with.. normal? is that a thing?
@bridgehouse - It's the green one with the buggered neck pocket from the jam.


I'll try again while making sure thumb is on the back as i can't guarantee that's where it is.. 

Yeah I reckon that's full scale 34"

steamabacus

LuttiS said:

How do y'all do it?

I've been learning a new song, the actual bass line is not that hard but i'm finding it damn near impossible to play fluidly as most of it is on the first three frets of the low E (classic bassist joke lols) - first time i tried it my had actually did a couple of spasms.. which i assume is a bad thing.. I've been adjusting the strap to try different positions but none really help, even playing sitting down is uncomfortable as bass head is "too far away" to be comfortable. 
Is it a case of practice and perseverance, or does anyone have any tips for not being Achey McBasshand?

One thing immediately springs to mind for me, something I've seen over and over again in guitar players - so many players seem to keep their left elbow (right-handed players here) 'clamped' against the side of the body when playing towards the end of the neck. This forces the wrist into a quite twisted posture which, in turn, causes problems in the hand and fingers. The longer scale of the bass makes matters even worse.

So have a look at your left arm posture - is there any 'air' under your armpit (imagine holding a tennis ball under there or something similar). Try to keep the whole, arm from the shoulder down, fluid and flexible. It's very common to 'tense up' physically when concentrating hard.

Bridgehouse

steamabacus said:

LuttiS said:

How do y'all do it?

I've been learning a new song, the actual bass line is not that hard but i'm finding it damn near impossible to play fluidly as most of it is on the first three frets of the low E (classic bassist joke lols) - first time i tried it my had actually did a couple of spasms.. which i assume is a bad thing.. I've been adjusting the strap to try different positions but none really help, even playing sitting down is uncomfortable as bass head is "too far away" to be comfortable. 
Is it a case of practice and perseverance, or does anyone have any tips for not being Achey McBasshand?

One thing immediately springs to mind for me, something I've seen over and over again in guitar players - so many players seem to keep their left elbow (right-handed players here) 'clamped' against the side of the body when playing towards the end of the neck. This forces the wrist into a quite twisted posture which, in turn, causes problems in the hand and fingers. The longer scale of the bass makes matters even worse.

So have a look at your left arm posture - is there any 'air' under your armpit (imagine holding a tennis ball under there or something similar). Try to keep the whole, arm from the shoulder down, fluid and flexible. It's very common to 'tense up' physically when concentrating hard.

Yes, this - and the thumb position can “encourage” one elbow position or another..!

LuttiS

Bridgehouse said:

steamabacus said:

LuttiS said:

How do y'all do it?

I've been learning a new song, the actual bass line is not that hard but i'm finding it damn near impossible to play fluidly as most of it is on the first three frets of the low E (classic bassist joke lols) - first time i tried it my had actually did a couple of spasms.. which i assume is a bad thing.. I've been adjusting the strap to try different positions but none really help, even playing sitting down is uncomfortable as bass head is "too far away" to be comfortable. 
Is it a case of practice and perseverance, or does anyone have any tips for not being Achey McBasshand?

One thing immediately springs to mind for me, something I've seen over and over again in guitar players - so many players seem to keep their left elbow (right-handed players here) 'clamped' against the side of the body when playing towards the end of the neck. This forces the wrist into a quite twisted posture which, in turn, causes problems in the hand and fingers. The longer scale of the bass makes matters even worse.

So have a look at your left arm posture - is there any 'air' under your armpit (imagine holding a tennis ball under there or something similar). Try to keep the whole, arm from the shoulder down, fluid and flexible. It's very common to 'tense up' physically when concentrating hard.

Yes, this - and the thumb position can “encourage” one elbow position or another..!

Yes - i think it's the wrist more than anything - will try this thanks

Bridgehouse

Let us know how you get on!

EricTheWeary

I have to position my fretting hand quite differently for bass - strict thumb over for guitar, thumb behind for bass. Sometimes you can get in a bad position just because you are learning something, crouching over to see the fretboard and everything is shoved out. If you can relax into a playing position without looking at the board  ( side dots are allowed)that might help.  

LuttiS

Well... Howbowdah? 

Got home and left wife and child playing with the front door while I went and got 'changed'

Thumb behind the neck, arm out. Quick play through - it worked mostly! Did have to tilt bass up to reach so attack on picking hand (fingers not fast enough yet) was a bit odd.
It's a definite platform for Improvement though. 

Thank you bassboard masters

Bridgehouse

LuttiS said:

Well... Howbowdah? 

Got home and left wife and child playing with the front door while I went and got 'changed'

Thumb behind the neck, arm out. Quick play through - it worked mostly! Did have to tilt bass up to reach so attack on picking hand (fingers not fast enough yet) was a bit odd.
It's a definite platform for Improvement though. 

Thank you bassboard masters

Good! Nice one - looks like a few practices and you’ll nail the position..

Funkfingers

Bridgehouse said:

Where’s your thumb? On the side or at the back of the neck?

I often find that my thumb is not touching the neck at all. In old photographs of Mike Rutherford, it is often possible to see him doing the same.

Imagine, if you will, the edge of the bass neck nearer the highest string resting against your fretting hand roughly where the third joint of the index finger meets the palm. It should be possible to articulate without involving the thumb at all.

I occasionally go thumb over. This only tends to help on instruments with a low B or when a D-Tuner device is in use on the E string.

For Chapman Stick, both thumbs have to remain in contact with the flat back of the instrument in order to maximise hammer-on strength.

ICBM

LuttiS said:

Did have to tilt bass up to reach so attack on picking hand (fingers not fast enough yet)

The clue is in the name .