Bass confessions

[GreeneKing]

Here's my bass profile (yes I have the 'lurgy' and I'm stuck at home bored):

I've been playing bass for over 15 years. It's my 1st instrument and I didn't start playing until I was almost in my mid 40's (post divorce mid life crisis - surely not?). I'm originally self taught and although I've had lessons over the years I've never had any advice on technique. It all came from books. In the early years I was mostly a very shy bedroom performer having regular lessons but loath to emerge and have a go in public. BC and it's precursors and Finnbass were/are fundamental in keeping me going. Various bass bashes have highlighted my lack of skills/the relative skills of others and given me the incentive to improve. I started getting out and doing the odd jam night about 7 years ago (scary stuff) and joined my 1st band 5 years ago. I've done 3 gigs! The 1st one was at a mini festival, the next an unpaid 2 set pub gig (unless you consider fish and chips payment) the last gig, about 3 years ago, was a charity gig in a large garage. This band has struggled with egos (yes you guessed it - guitards) and getting a singer and has been imploding for a while. About two months ago I saw an ad for a more local classic rock band in a music shop and fingers crossed, things are progressing well. We've about a dozen songs on the go (nothing too challenging) and I feel like I'm holding my own. I've just told the guys in my old band the news and they are chuffed for me.

I play 4 and 5 string basses. I've owned a seriously obscene amount of basses and I presently have 10 with one up for sale. I play finger style only and don't slap. I have thought about learning to slap and to use a pick but it's never got any further than that. I like nickel wound strings (Super Slinky's, D'Adarrio or DR) and I'm open minded when it comes to gear. I play to perform, that's where it's at for me - gigging.

Now to the main point of this post.

I've been sort of aware/avoiding the issue of having an almost right angled kink in my left wrist especially at the far end of the neck. If I practice a lot I get RSI issues in my left wrist. I just couldn't work out why this was and even thought I must just be 'different'. Then a Google search brought this up:

[media]http://youtu.be/VRkSsapYYsA[/media]

Voila!

I've noticed recently that although I have a fairly light right hand touch I get a lot of clanking and need a fairly high action to play clean. Today I was struggling with a new (to me) bass and I realised that I wasn't plucking across the strings so much as diagonally into them. A slight shift of angle of attack and all is good again.

These issues have been persisting for a long time and it took a very short time and a simple step to sort them out

I just thought it'd be good to share

Peter

Edited October 25, 2012 by GreeneKing

[LukeFRC]

yay! it's good to get that sorted- I have a few friends who do really really wierd things with their wrists when they play

[Coilte]

Fair play to you for having the interest and awareness to investigate and correct your technique. IMO technique is very important, not just for playing to a high standard, but for avoiding injuries such as you describe. It is very often overlooked, especially when advising people who are starting from scratch on the bass.

I have referenced that link many times to people experiencing fretting hand problems.


Good to see it getting another airing.