Cramp

[LITTLEWING]

Hi guys, not sure which section this should be in, but once in a blue moon my 'neck' hand index finger will cramp up in a fixed down position for a minute while playing a certain pattern during a long song. It goes after the particular riff is done, but it's damn annoying. I'm 54 years young, probably doesn't help, but it's embarassing when you're trying to give 100% and you fail for those few moments! Any ideas - more fluid intake, bananas (potassium), drop that particular number?

Edited August 14, 2011 by LITTLEWING

[Acebassmusic]

Have you checked on some of the other posts as to positioning of your bass? There is no "right or wrong" way but some positions make it easier on the hands and arms. I used to get problems in my right arm and hand - numbness, tingling, lack of grip etc and was quite worried about my long term chances of playing bass. After checking things out I changed my position so that my right elbow was not tucked into my side so much and was more in line with the bass body. This straightened my wrist, stopped me from resting my arm on the edge of the bass and allowed the blood to flow back where it should! It felt strange at first but after a while of being conscious of this change, it just became my new normal playing position. 10 years later - still playing with no problems...phew!

Edited August 14, 2011 by Acebassmusic

[Lozz196]

Bananas, cranberry juice, and ready-salted crisps. All are good for the circulation, which in turn should hopefully put cramp at bay.

[Slipperydick]

[quote name='Lozz196' post='1339515' date='Aug 14 2011, 12:15 PM']Bananas, cranberry juice, and ready-salted crisps. All are good for the circulation, which in turn should hopefully put cramp at bay.[/quote]

So would Aspirin help ?

I have similar roblems, mainly with tha base of my thumb though. Your not alone mate, but in my case I think its just old age.

[risingson]

You're right about the potassium. But just like regular exercise, you need to warm up to get the blood pumping to your hand muscles before gigging. There are loads of scales you can practice, and if the cramp is localised in your fretting hand then I would also advise that you look at how your fretting hand is working. If you use the tips of your fingers as opposed to keeping your fretting finger flat against the fretboard when you fret a note then you're going to be less likely to seize up mid-song. Playing flat fingered means that your hands don't get the chance to space out enough and you'll always cramp up faster.

[Coilte]

All the advice so far is good, though I would not accept the salted crisps advice. Things that help with cramp would be staying well hydrated, eating foods which contain potassium, warming up with gentle stretching before playing, not having a death grip on the neck, not pressing down too hard when fretting, and keeping the hand relaxed. If this troublesome pattern can be played higher on the neck, that might help too, as would playing open strings if possible

Edited August 14, 2011 by Coilte

[Johngh]

I had both my hands cramp up within a minute of each other at a gig the other week. It was near the end of the set but they went just as I was going to launch into a bass solo. Needless to say I couldn't play it and it was very embarrassing.

I wear my bass quite high up and have always used my fingers rather than a pick, I always seemed to rest my wrist over the edge of the basses body at a strange angle on my plucking hand, since the problem I've looked at my technique in more detail.

I've straightened my plucking hand out, and I also found I was using excess pressure on the strings on my fretting hand, so I've relaxed that as well.
I've also practised a lot more, as I got into the habit of only playing when we had a gig or rehearsal, and that's helped as well.

[LITTLEWING]

Wow, thanks chaps. Glad I'm not alone! I'll try all those before I do next Friday and Saturday's gigs.

[clarkpegasus4001]

You certainly are not alone. I get cramp playing the Budgie track In For The kill but only while playing the main riff. I have no idea why, not every time I play but most of the time and always the same track NO other song.....it's very odd. So when it comes to the guitar solo part of the song (if i'm cramped up at that point), i'll use my thumb over the neck to play (because it's a very simple part) and it gives my fingers time to recover! it may seem odd but it seems to work for me.

[MacDaddy]

gently squeezing a foam ball or one of stress balls (or whatever shape they are - I have a beer bottle one) can help but remember to work both sides of each hand.

Also keeping your hands warm can help.

[WalMan]

I find on the long gig we have where this can happen that drinking loads o water throughout the night helps. The second set can othen run to close to a couple of hours, it is a hot & sweaty & I perspire a lot (OK too much info but possibly relevant). I can get through nearly 3 litres of water on particularly hot nights and doing that to keep hydrated seems to help with not cramping up in the fretting hand

[uncle psychosis]

I'm always amazed that at a gig I can play a 40 minute set of our original material with next to no bother....but when sitting at home, can I manage to keep "Billie Jean" going for the duration of the whole song? Can I heck.

Coming from other instruments I find the physical aspect of bass playing is possibly the hardest part of learning the instrument.

[chris_b]

[quote name='LITTLEWING' post='1339470' date='Aug 14 2011, 11:41 AM']....Any ideas - more fluid intake, bananas (potassium), drop that particular number?....[/quote]
You're cramping up because you're tense and not relaxed. Just practice and improve your technique until you can play the number with no effort.

[Acebassmusic]

[quote name='chris_b' post='1341866' date='Aug 16 2011, 01:31 PM']You're cramping up because you're tense and not relaxed. Just practice and improve your technique until you can play the number with no effort.[/quote]

Over a period of months I was struggling to learn and play "Hit me With Your Rhythm Stick” my fingers just wouldn’t do what they were told and were really struggling to achieve or keep up with the speed. They felt as if they were seizing up as opposed to cramping. The more I tried the worse it got – I was just tensing up from the thought of trying to get all the notes in (hopefully in the right order….lol).

Another bass playing mate was watching me and quickly identified that I was tensing up and told me to “breathe”….eh? Yes , he was right, with tensing up I’d stopped breathing and made myself tense with concentration. He advised to concentrate more on my breathing than the playing. It may sound strange but it actually worked! Once I started to think about getting a steady flow of air, not just play the notes, the rest of me relaxed more and I found the piece “easier” to play. I’ve tried this when I’m doing new tracks and it works….for me at least

[jcater]

I used to have cramp attacks all the time since i was about 20. Now in my fifties. Heard about some people who had worn magnets to help with this, no idea how it was meant to work. Tried wearing one about 15 years ago - never had cramp whilst playing since then.

Try them - Bio-flow website address below

www.ecoflow.com

Jeff

[Coilte]

[quote name='jcater' post='1342733' date='Aug 17 2011, 09:08 AM']I used to have cramp attacks all the time since i was about 20. Now in my fifties. Heard about some people who had worn magnets to help with this, no idea how it was meant to work. Tried wearing one about 15 years ago - never had cramp whilst playing since then.

Try them - Bio-flow website address below

www.ecoflow.com

Jeff[/quote]

Sounds like a good idea, but if you are talking about a kind of wrist bracelet magnet, it may not work unless it is of benefit when worn casually, away from the bass. Most people complain of cramps when actually playing. If a magnetic bracelet was worn while playing, it would surely affect the pick ups ?

[jcater]

The magnet is on the underside of a strap so no problem with the pickups. Also it can be worn on either wrist.i

jeff

[Chris2112]

Just remember those warm ups! I never thought much of it until I listened to Stuart Hamm talking on the subject. They're definitely worthwhile, especially in colder weather. There is nothing worse than feeling like you're fighting your hands to get them play that bass! I've never suffered from cramps but I know they can be exacerbated by playing without having a warm up first.

[Coilte]

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1343518' date='Aug 17 2011, 06:51 PM']Just remember those warm ups! I never thought much of it until I listened to Stuart Hamm talking on the subject. They're definitely worthwhile, especially in colder weather. There is nothing worse than feeling like you're fighting your hands to get them play that bass! I've never suffered from cramps but I know they can be exacerbated by playing without having a warm up first.[/quote]


+100 to this.

I think another thing that can cause cramp is when people jump head long into fast and maybe complex playing as soon as they pick up the bass.

[TimR]

[quote name='Acebassmusic' post='1341933' date='Aug 16 2011, 02:21 PM']....
Another bass playing mate was watching me and quickly identified that I was tensing up and told me to “breathe”….eh? Yes , he was right, with tensing up I’d stopped breathing and made myself tense with concentration. He advised to concentrate more on my breathing than the playing. It may sound strange but it actually worked! Once I started to think about getting a steady flow of air, not just play the notes, the rest of me relaxed more and I found the piece “easier” to play. I’ve tried this when I’m doing new tracks and it works….for me at least [/quote]

This.

If it just the one song, it's more likely to be psychological.

[LITTLEWING]

HEY, HEY!!! I took all the advice and did everything, bananas, fruit drink, exercises, warm-ups, breathing, relative hand/neck position and it worked a treat. Not a hint of cramp, no embarassing odours and I can now ride a bike, swim and do all the things I was afraid to do before.

No, seriously, as with all activities it all makes sense. If you're going to play for two hours pressing down thick lumps of wound wire onto a hard wooden fretboard with your fingers, just get ready for it. Simple as that.

Thanks again guys.

[tonyclaret]

Thank god it ain't just me. Ive just got back from gigging tonight and probably had my worst gig ever. Second set just went totally pear shaped. Severe cramp in my fretting hand, pinky and middle finger totally locked together. Had this happen a couple of times previously but have always managed to shake it off pretty much immediately. Tonight was a different story, wanted the ground to swallow me up. Now I do have quite small hands and fingers and as a side thought wondering perhaps I need to change to a shorter neck, although ive been playing long scale for donkeys years. I don't know perhaps I need to go back to basics and re-evaluate my technique and kick out the bad habits. Any more advice is welcome.

[risingson]

[quote name='tonyclaret' timestamp='1318724184' post='1405657']
Thank god it ain't just me. Ive just got back from gigging tonight and probably had my worst gig ever. Second set just went totally pear shaped. Severe cramp in my fretting hand, pinky and middle finger totally locked together. Had this happen a couple of times previously but have always managed to shake it off pretty much immediately. Tonight was a different story, wanted the ground to swallow me up. Now I do have quite small hands and fingers and as a side thought wondering perhaps I need to change to a shorter neck, although ive been playing long scale for donkeys years. I don't know perhaps I need to go back to basics and re-evaluate my technique and kick out the bad habits. Any more advice is welcome.
[/quote]

Some advice to you is not alter your equipment in order to amend a problem that can be addressed with some very simple solutions. The neck or size of your bass is very unlikely to be the problem, I have small hands but never suffer from cramp on stage and I play regular scale basses with varied size necks.

Before playing a gig: 1.) Don't eat salty foods in the few hours before a gig 2.) use potassium supplements or alternatively, try eating bananas 3.) invest in a powerball. A powerball is a weighted, rotating ball inside an outer shell that will aid the momentum in your wrist before gigs. They're very handy. 4) Most importantly, if you don't do anything else... warm up!! Scales, nothing too intense to begin with, then up the game a bit. Playing bass exerts a vast amount of pressure on your hands and wrists, and like any physical exercise it will require you to warm up your muscles if you want to perform to the best of your abilities!

[tonyclaret]

Thanks Risingson, tried one of those powerball things before and it was hard trying to get it to work. My mate has one so will ask to borrow it, see if I can get it working this time round. I'll take it all onboard and hopefully work towards being crampless(is that a word? If it ain't it should be!)
Cheers
Tony

[Happy Jack]

I bought one of them there Powerball thingies a few years back - never could get it to work.

Anyone wants it, just PM me. Yours in exchange for a modest donation to Basschat funds.