Coilte

Speed comes with playing at a comfortable tempo, then increasing it gradually. Just keep alternating those fingers. You can even do this while watching TV etc. without the amp. After a while it will become second nature. As for your thumb.....float it (see link). BTW, if you ever experience pain while playing, STOP immediatly. Never play through pain. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU

[quote name='BassMan94' timestamp='1336209614' post='1642451'] How would I look for the soloution though ? Any kind of checklist laying around ? [/quote] While you may not have a complete solution,(there is none IMO), you certainly have a few things to be trying out, from this thread, i.e. 1. Have a spare set of strings and soak the other set in Meths. 2. Wash your hands before each practice session. 3. Wipe down your strings (preferably with Meths) after each session.

You could do as EssentialTension suggests, though I would not be too keen on boiling them, as water can get into the steel core and rust will occur. Wiping down your strings with Meths (make sure you protect the fingerboard by putting plastic paper under the strings) after playing helps to prolong string life. Washing your hands before playing, also helps. As also suggested above, flats are an option, unless you prefer the bright tone of rounds. Flats can last for up to ten years, so are very cheap in the long run. There tone is not for everyone though.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1335710181' post='1634824'] Yes, but I happen to think 'technique technique' is vastly overrated. [/quote] That was my point to a degree, i.e. it is up to everyone to find their own technique.

Looking at his fretting hand, he seems to throw all the "rules" of technique technique out of the window.

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1334743848' post='1620469'] I'm unsure mate. They don't do a lot for fingers - if you'd asked for physio, you might well have been laughed out of the room. I've had several finger breaks in my sportier years, and the most you get is splinting and sent on your way. I know you say you're resting it by not using it - but I think she might well have meant a more significant rest, i.e. your whole hand, to allow some window for recovery. If you don't give yourself time for recovery then you're only asking for a repitition and worsening. Anti-inflam might help along the way, but I'd be asking to know more about the root cause. Hard to treat if you don't know what the cause is. So: [list] [*]Find out what the injury genuinely is (tendonitis?) [*]Rest. Really [*]Understand what it is in your playing which is really causing the problem and allow for it (warm-up, limit technique whilst recovering, etc) [/list] [/quote] +1 to all of this. The doctor probably meant complete rest for the hand itself. Unfortunately that means no playing for awhile. Better that than to do more serious damage by continuing to play. Bear in mind that your problem could possibly be non bass related, and playing merely aggravates it. When you do go back to playing regularly, as advised above, be sure to warm up first, with gentle stretches and check your technique. Video clips for both of these are on You Tube. Finally, NEVER play through pain, in the hope that it will go away eventually. It seldom does so. More often than not, it gets worse.

Here is another bass set up link from a guy on the Harmony Central bass forum. [url="http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?2067718-Kindness’s-Bass-Setup-Thread&highlight=kindness%20set%20up"]http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?2067718-Kindness’s-Bass-Setup-Thread&highlight=kindness%20set%20up[/url]

[quote name='Dave Tipping' timestamp='1334099409' post='1611049'] To compare the effects on your fingers twiddling with a grip gadget with a bulky weight lifter not having "stamina" is retarded. [/quote] That would have been me who made that comparison. I respect your opinion, but I think you are missing the point. My point was that different results need different approaches with regards to training. The weight lifter's main goal obviously is strength, while the gymnists is stamina and dexterity. So, neither of them will do well in their appropriate goals if they adopt the training schedule of the other.

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1334129988' post='1611149'] Yep, that's my take on it. I don't think that the grip thingy has had a detrimental effect on your playing but it may not have developed the muscles you were aiming to work on. [/quote] +1. IMO, this point is the hub of the debate about the "grip thingy".

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1334060891' post='1610260'] My rubbish Kay bass took massive effort to get the string to fret. The tension in the string was always high and the action was so high that it was a physical effort to get the strings to fret. My JV has quite a high action but takes little effort to fret. My Warmoth will fret just by looking at it, almost,...it just needs the string to be touched and it frets... Not all basses are the same, believe me. [/quote] Lets not split hairs here. Yes, the strength required will vary with string tension, action etc., but generally a minimal amount of pressure is required to fret a string.

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1334053839' post='1610071'] +1 to the Gripmaster/Fretmaster for building strength. A little trick I borrowed when I damaged the nerves in my right arm, very useful. [/quote] There is no doubt but that it builds strength......the wrong type for playing bass though. I'm sure it is useful in the situation you describe.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1334053933' post='1610074'] Not if you get your roadie to do it for you. [/quote] Would you trust him with your 5000 pounds bass ???

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1334045479' post='1609899'] Not sure I can agree with you there, old chap. [/quote] I mean as far as fretting a string is concerned. You still have to press down on a string to get a note, no matter if your bass costs 50 or 5000 pounds.

[quote name='jonsmith' timestamp='1333817863' post='1606976'] You've obviously never played a bass like my first one! [/quote] Unless your action is a foot off the fretboard and you are using cables instead of strings, (!!), then all basses are the same. Granted, some strength and stamina may be needed to endure a heavy bass strung over your shoulder for a two hour set, but presently we are talking merely about fretting a string.

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1333821607' post='1607055'] in the words of harry enfield ..... OOOII !!! GRIPMASTER NOOOOOOOO !!! try this.............. rest a fingertip gently to start on a string as if youre about to fret a note start plucking the string with a pick or fingers - you will get a dampened sound to start with but keep plucking away as you pluck with your plucking hand, very slowly start to increase the pressure with the fretting finger intially you should have a dampened note sound - as you slowly press the string towards the fretboard it will eventually make contact with one or more frets and will start to buzz and rattle keep very slowly increasing the pressure with the fretting finger and listen to the buzzing and rattling slowly change as you increase the pressure eventually as you increase the pressure you will reach a point where the string is fretted and is giving a clean sounding note with no buzz or rattle keep trying this and get your brain hand coordination used to the idea of just how little effort you actually need to apply with your fretting fingertips once you got the hang of it then consider how that force compares with what you might have originally thought was needed i know it flies in the opinion of a lot of other basschatters but i am very strongly opposed to gripmasters for guitar playing and i know the topic comes up very frequently on here and draws quite a bit of 'heated discussion' imho if you are able to go about all your normal daily functions doing all the sorts of regular things that four fingers and an opposable thumb grip are routinely expected to do, and you can accomplish these things in your stride and dont have any physical disability or impediment, then you will have ample strength in your fretting hand and do not need to exercise it with the gripmaster to inflict some sort of vice like death grip on your bass neck and strings its more to do with agility dexterity and coordination than brute force [/quote] Great post !! Good to know that I am not alone in my opposition to grip devices with regards to bass playing.

[quote name='Dave Tipping' timestamp='1333748382' post='1606165'] ... Minimal strength is required for fretting a string but holding your arm up and playing for 3hours plus 3 nights a weekend after sitting at a desk most weekdays takes finger and forearm stamina ... Something I've found my grip gadget perfect for. [/quote] Sorry, but I have to disagree here. You seem to be confusing strength and stamina IMO. Holding your arm up for long periods requires the use of the shoulder muscle. I fail to see how developing your grip can be beneficial in this. The only strength required in bass playing is to fret the string (minimal as we said). The rest is down to stamina and dexterity, in which the grip device plays no part, as far as bass playing is concerned.

[quote name='Dave Tipping' timestamp='1333716623' post='1605649'] I sit with a grip master at work (mainly as a stress reliever!) .. it definitely builds hand / finger and forearm stamina. [/quote] Strength and stamina are two different things. As discussed, minimal strength is required to fret a string. To find out just how much, try fretting a string without the thumb on the back of the neck. These gadgets build gripping strength, which is not required for playing bass. I am sure they have their uses elsewhere. Stamina, and dexterity are what is needed. These involve the lifting of the fingers [b]off [/b]of the frets and onto another fret, (the opposite of gripping) without getting in each other's way. Again, these grip gadgets are useless in achieving this. The weight lifter and the gymnast come to mind here. Each need a different training approach in order to achieve their different goals.

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1333710870' post='1605532'] I think Dave Marks has a lesson on his website that discusses this. [/quote] He does indeed ! I think it's worth posting it here : [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXkxu_7Tn48"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXkxu_7Tn48[/url]

[quote name='Nibody' timestamp='1333705215' post='1605421'] Basic left hand exercises. Bought a book "Improvising Rock Bass" a few years ago - most of it was not much use, but it did have some good left hand exercises in it. Simple things but worked a treat. For example: Starting on the E string, play 1st, 2nd,3rd,4th frets using your 1st, 2nd,3rd and 4th fingers. Then move to the A string and play down 4,3,2,1, D string 1,2,3,4, G String 4,3,2,1. Then move everything up a fret, start on the G this time 2,3,4,5 then D 5,4,3,2 etc. keep going like this and work up the neck. .[/quote] This is a good exercise, except for one caveat. OP, this is known as the "one finger per fret technique". It is a very economical way of playing, but be [b]very[/b] careful when applying it to frets 1-5. The stretch can be too much for a lot of people on these frets. I'd recommend doing "Nibody's" suggested exercise starting on say, the 10th or 12th fret, working your way down as you get comfortable with the technique. On the lower frets, it is common for bassists to use the pinkie to fret where the third finger would normally. One more thing. Never play through pain. If you experience any, then stop immediately, investagate the cause and adjust accordingly.

[quote name='paulpirie8' timestamp='1333701750' post='1605360'] You should maybe look at getting yourself a "gripmaster" to use at work or even just sitting about the house. [/quote] Not good advice IMO. A minimal amount of strength is required to fret a string. These devices develop grip, where the main idea with good technique is to have the hands relaxed. Grip has no part in bass playing.

First off, I would not worry too much about speed for now. That will come with time. Technique wise, it is generally accepted that the best and safest way to play the bass is with both wrists as straight as possible. Granted, lots of players dont do this, so it's up to each individual to find a technique that suits them. I have posted some links below for R/H and L/H technique. Try to play with a light touch. If you need volume, then let the amp do the work. Warming up with gentle stretches (before you even touch the bass) is important in avoiding possible injuries. Warm down after a practice session. Search You Tube for clips on this. My advice would be to get a good teacher. A half a dozen lessons would get you off to a flying start. Failing that, some good books/sites I would recommend would be : [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hal-Leonard-Bass-Method-Book-2-Hal-Leonard-Electric-Bass-Method-Ed-Friedland-/120880288788?pt=Non_Fiction&hash=item1c2506d414"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hal-Leonard-Bass-Method-Book-2-Hal-Leonard-Electric-Bass-Method-Ed-Friedland-/120880288788?pt=Non_Fiction&hash=item1c2506d414[/url] This comes in three volumes. All three can be got in one spiral bound edition. Each comes with it's own CD. [url="http://www.studybass.com"]www.studybass.com[/url] A great all round bass site. Technique : R/H : [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU[/url] L/H ; [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRkSsapYYsA&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL1BCA4CD1AAF0FAE2"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRkSsapYYsA&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL1BCA4CD1AAF0FAE2[/url]

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1332782445' post='1593055'] That's applicable for any style though.....[/quote] I agree, but IMO, of all the different types of music out there, "feeling" is an absolute essential part of blues. Even if only root notes are being played.