Oh really? I'll have to check it out. I used to have a gruv gear strap but I kept losing the pins. It was a great strap but an awful design! Thanks for the heads up!
Funny thing is that I started learning bass by playing with my fingers and it felt natural to me. I did attempt to play with a pick but never actually committed to learning it properly so I guess I have the opposite problem
Thanks for sharing your story. It's funny how despite learning the other way round, the solution is still the same. Get some pick exercises in your routine and commit to doing them regularly. You'll find the technique comes pretty quickly!
My finger playing is fast enough that I can and I have played those and other Ramones songs with my fingers but there’s no way to do Dee Dee downstrokes with fingers. I’m not interested in trying to downstroke Ramones songs with my thumb. 👍 BTW, Chuck Dukowski plays with his fingers. Here’s practice challenge for you: try playing TV Party Tonight with your fingers.
Regarding point 1 I, who took up the bass a year ago, have one huge advantage. Several decades ago I used to play the violin/viola. I've seen too often what happens when musicians neglect pain. So avoiding any has been my top priority from the start. As soon as I feel some I stop playing, try to figure out what the cause is and search a solution. Regarding point 2, the first time I had my bass on my lap, immediately after finding the optimal posture, I tried both plucking with my fingers and using a pick. Little did I know about this silly controversy. Plucking felt easier. Never say never, but for the time being I'm gonna stick to it. But several if my favourite bass players use a pick. Btw from the start I practised both two and three finger plucking. What I should have learned at an earlier stage is raking. That's the fate of an autodidact, I guess.
That's fantastic on all fronts! It should never be one technique over the other. That would be a little like only learning staccato but not legato with a bow. It's so strange that classical players don't get subjected to this as you point out. Maybe because they're using the bow all the time and we switch between fingers, pick, slap etc. I agree with you. At the end of the day, it's a different articulation that requires a different technique. It's not an either/or.
I learned alternate plucking right from the start and it always felt natural to me. I never played with a pick (yet, I've only been playing for 7 months hah). I do have a question about raking, is it necessary to do it? I've just done strict alternate plucking all this time and when I tried raking it felt strange, probably because I'm not used to it and already programmed a habit.
In my view, whether it's necessary really depends on what you want to play. If you really want to build speed then, yes. Raking will be a crucial part of economy plucking which many players use as they descend through the strings. It's particularly useful for playing fast solos or unison lines. However, if you just want a general speed increase when you play more regular basslines then you could likely get by without it. I'd always recommend learning it. It can't hurt to know more!
Interesting. I played guitar for a few decades and started playing bass almost exclusively a few years back. I hate playing bass with a pick or even with fingernails on my plucking hand 😁. I find that playing bass requires much more focus than guitar because any slight problem in note production is much more apparent on bass (there's only playing in most songs, it's only playing one note and it's more harmonically important than guitar). It's always a challenge to remain mentally focused while still staying as physically relaxed as possible.
You make such a great point! With bass, if we make a mistake, everyone is wrong as a consequence. You really do have to focus and know the song better than anyone!
When I started learning to play bass i learnt with my fingers so i have the opposite problem where i find it really hard and challenging to use a pick.. I’ll just go with the davie504 excuse that real bass players only use their fingers 😂
It’s funny cuz I’m just now learning to use a pick. My teacher was so on me to never use a pick when I learned years ago so now it’s actually hard and I get lost in the strings. lol
From my observation, there are 3 types of bassists.,(1) bassists that are originated from upright bass before transitioning to electric bass (2) bassists that are originated from learning 6-string acoustic or electric guitar first before transitioning to electric bass (3) bassists that are originated from none string musical instruments before transitioning to electric bass. Bassists from (1) will play pinky with ring finger at low registering notes and avoid playing pinky at higher registering notes. Bassist from (2) like to use a pick , doesn’t like to use pinky finger at the lower registering notes , like to play at the higher registering notes, often pluck with fingers closer to the fretboard than near or above the pickup because electric bass fretboard is longer than 6-string guitar fretboard . Bassists from (3) like to play with 1 finger per fret technique because they are new to electric bass. They have not developed a long term muscle memory from playing an upright bass or a 6-string guitar .
It's such a good point. So much of what you learn from one instrument transfers to another without you realising. I often see piano players with hands that struggle to get out of a pianists hand shape and into something good for the bass. Great comment!
@@OnlineBassGuitar1 I’m just kidding…sorta..I do play better when I’m relaxed having a beer and playing with friends not taking every mistake so seriously….im definitely not talking about doing A Duff Mckagen at every practice…but relax have fun
@@CountryFenderBass I hear ya! To be honest, I don't think it's always such bad thing. For me, the key is in what you said after. To relax and not take it so seriously. I, and many other musicians I know, have all noticed we played better when we aren't so invested, serious, and when we just accept what happens during a gig. If they way they relax into a show is a drink before then, as long as they aren't hurting themselves, anyone else or ruining the gig, then why not?
@@OnlineBassGuitar1 The older I get (61) the less upset I get about a screwed up triplet or whatever. For me it’s the love of the instrument and the music.
Hahaha touché! In fairness though, I did say that using a pick in and of itself isn't bad. My point was that using a pick as an excuse to not develop your fingers is the problem. Paul McCartney does have some killer pick lines for sure!
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Coming up on 46. Levy’s has a 3” cotton strap. Game changer. But I also like the 4 1/2 leather on the Reverend.
Oh really? I'll have to check it out. I used to have a gruv gear strap but I kept losing the pins. It was a great strap but an awful design!
Thanks for the heads up!
Nice lesson. I'm in my 40's and the ergonomics matter :)
Appreciate the comment! Thank you!
Agree and it even goes further, to shoulders and the back, all important.
@@fastend totally! The body is all connected so you have to view things holistically when you get pains and problems.
Funny thing is that I started learning bass by playing with my fingers and it felt natural to me. I did attempt to play with a pick but never actually committed to learning it properly so I guess I have the opposite problem
I'm the opposite because I play guitar I am using the pick more naturally
Thanks for sharing your story. It's funny how despite learning the other way round, the solution is still the same. Get some pick exercises in your routine and commit to doing them regularly. You'll find the technique comes pretty quickly!
Nice! How long did you play guitar before moving over? How have you found the change?
@@OnlineBassGuitar1 about 2 1/2 years I don't find it that hard at all i guess plucking would be the only thing
That's great that guitar gave you the foundation!
I play punk bass. Try it Ramones - "Poison Heart" on Finger or Blitzkrieg bop. 😅
🙌
My finger playing is fast enough that I can and I have played those and other Ramones songs with my fingers but there’s no way to do Dee Dee downstrokes with fingers. I’m not interested in trying to downstroke Ramones songs with my thumb. 👍
BTW, Chuck Dukowski plays with his fingers. Here’s practice challenge for you: try playing TV Party Tonight with your fingers.
Regarding point 1 I, who took up the bass a year ago, have one huge advantage. Several decades ago I used to play the violin/viola. I've seen too often what happens when musicians neglect pain. So avoiding any has been my top priority from the start. As soon as I feel some I stop playing, try to figure out what the cause is and search a solution.
Regarding point 2, the first time I had my bass on my lap, immediately after finding the optimal posture, I tried both plucking with my fingers and using a pick. Little did I know about this silly controversy. Plucking felt easier. Never say never, but for the time being I'm gonna stick to it. But several if my favourite bass players use a pick. Btw from the start I practised both two and three finger plucking. What I should have learned at an earlier stage is raking. That's the fate of an autodidact, I guess.
That's fantastic on all fronts! It should never be one technique over the other. That would be a little like only learning staccato but not legato with a bow. It's so strange that classical players don't get subjected to this as you point out.
Maybe because they're using the bow all the time and we switch between fingers, pick, slap etc.
I agree with you. At the end of the day, it's a different articulation that requires a different technique. It's not an either/or.
I learned alternate plucking right from the start and it always felt natural to me. I never played with a pick (yet, I've only been playing for 7 months hah). I do have a question about raking, is it necessary to do it? I've just done strict alternate plucking all this time and when I tried raking it felt strange, probably because I'm not used to it and already programmed a habit.
In my view, whether it's necessary really depends on what you want to play. If you really want to build speed then, yes. Raking will be a crucial part of economy plucking which many players use as they descend through the strings. It's particularly useful for playing fast solos or unison lines.
However, if you just want a general speed increase when you play more regular basslines then you could likely get by without it.
I'd always recommend learning it. It can't hurt to know more!
Interesting. I played guitar for a few decades and started playing bass almost exclusively a few years back. I hate playing bass with a pick or even with fingernails on my plucking hand 😁. I find that playing bass requires much more focus than guitar because any slight problem in note production is much more apparent on bass (there's only playing in most songs, it's only playing one note and it's more harmonically important than guitar). It's always a challenge to remain mentally focused while still staying as physically relaxed as possible.
You make such a great point! With bass, if we make a mistake, everyone is wrong as a consequence. You really do have to focus and know the song better than anyone!
When I started learning to play bass i learnt with my fingers so i have the opposite problem where i find it really hard and challenging to use a pick.. I’ll just go with the davie504 excuse that real bass players only use their fingers 😂
It’s funny cuz I’m just now learning to use a pick. My teacher was so on me to never use a pick when I learned years ago so now it’s actually hard and I get lost in the strings. lol
It's crazy how what you learn first always feels most natural. Stick at it though. I'm sure you'll master it in no time!
From my observation, there are 3 types of bassists.,(1) bassists that are originated from upright bass before transitioning to electric bass (2) bassists that are originated from learning 6-string acoustic or electric guitar first before transitioning to electric bass (3) bassists that are originated from none string musical instruments before transitioning to electric bass.
Bassists from (1) will play pinky with ring finger at low registering notes and avoid playing pinky at higher registering notes. Bassist from (2) like to use a pick , doesn’t like to use pinky finger at the lower registering notes , like to play at the higher registering notes, often pluck with fingers closer to the fretboard than near or above the pickup because electric bass fretboard is longer than 6-string guitar fretboard . Bassists from (3) like to play with 1 finger per fret technique because they are new to electric bass. They have not developed a long term muscle memory from playing an upright bass or a 6-string guitar .
It's such a good point. So much of what you learn from one instrument transfers to another without you realising. I often see piano players with hands that struggle to get out of a pianists hand shape and into something good for the bass.
Great comment!
To relax I suggest a whiskey during practice….works wonders
😂😂 if it works for you!
😂😂 to each their own!
@@OnlineBassGuitar1 I’m just kidding…sorta..I do play better when I’m relaxed having a beer and playing with friends not taking every mistake so seriously….im definitely not talking about doing A Duff Mckagen at every practice…but relax have fun
@@CountryFenderBass I hear ya!
To be honest, I don't think it's always such bad thing.
For me, the key is in what you said after. To relax and not take it so seriously.
I, and many other musicians I know, have all noticed we played better when we aren't so invested, serious, and when we just accept what happens during a gig.
If they way they relax into a show is a drink before then, as long as they aren't hurting themselves, anyone else or ruining the gig, then why not?
@@OnlineBassGuitar1 The older I get (61) the less upset I get about a screwed up triplet or whatever. For me it’s the love of the instrument and the music.
Or..you can use just ONE FINGER !
Hahaha you can indeed. Each to their own at the end of the day!
Tell Paul McCartney that playing with a pick is a mistake......
Hahaha touché!
In fairness though, I did say that using a pick in and of itself isn't bad. My point was that using a pick as an excuse to not develop your fingers is the problem.
Paul McCartney does have some killer pick lines for sure!
first
Ahh you have problems tensing up?