Too quiet - turn up the volume?

[Bobthedog]

I have been playing now for a couple of years but am still seeing a weekly tutor to get me through my grade exams. One of my "features" according to my tutor is that I play too quietly. He wants me to dig in a lot more to bring the volume up from my fingers. If I do that I lose any finger speed. I tense up with any volume, but staying relaxed means playing relatively quietly to get the speed and tone.

I am sure my tutor is right but why can I not just turn the amp up? I am never going to play in big stadia or with huge great bands but do have my 1000w Glock and as of this coming Friday a Barefaced Big Twin II.

When I sold one of my RS212 cabs recently the guy that bought it played each of my basses and was materially louder than I am without any more apparent effort and without changing the amp settings.

What is the secret and what is wrong with just turning the amp up?

[RhysP]

Your tutor is wrong.
If you prefer to play with a light touch & turn the amp up to compensate for any perceived lack of volume that is up to you, there's nothing wrong with doing that at all.

[Dad3353]

It depends, perhaps, on what you want your teacher to teach you..? If it's [i]his [/i]goal to have you 'dig in' more, then discuss it with him, and maybe change teacher. If you've asked him how to play like [[i]Insert appropriate bass god here...[/i]], then maybe try it out and see if it gets you where [i]you [/i]want to go..?
In general, it's recommended practise to turn the amp up and use a lighter touch, letting the amp do the work, but that doesn't suite all styles.

Edited May 10, 2016 by Dad3353

[Moos3h]

Yeah, I'm not sure it should be a target to play harder unless there's a particular reason. The majority of players whose playing I have admired in person actually have a very light touch and I often wish my style was lighter, so don't be in a rush to hit the thing!

[ezbass]

None other than jazz-fusion great, Gary Willis, is a huge advocate of light touch. Each to their own and, as you say, there is always the gain/volume control on one's amplifier for those who play lightly.

[Bobthedog]

Many thanks guys for the responses. My preferred music is for slow / mid tempo blues per SRV, some Joe Bonamassa type stuff and some Benson style jazz: that is the type of music I play when not "grading". The Rockschool grades, however, include a lot of rock type stuff. I think the tutor issue probably comes with the rock stuff. Notwithstanding that and based on the responses here, as long as I have enough amp to turn up and perhaps add a little overdrive, I am going to carry on as I am.

[Norris]

Perhaps your tutor is saying that digging in a bit better suits the style of your exam pieces. I wouldn't advocate digging in if you really don't want to, but having a wide gamut of playing styles in your arsenal is never a bad thing imho

[Bobthedog]

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1462912411' post='3046961']
Perhaps your tutor is saying that digging in a bit better suits the style of your exam pieces. I wouldn't advocate digging in if you really don't want to, but having a wide gamut of playing styles in your arsenal is never a bad thing imho
[/quote]

Based on his comment that he could hear all the notes last week against the backing tracks, I think it is pure volume related but then I believe that some consideration is given to sound matching in the exam itself.

[Twincam]

Am I having deja vu I'm sure I've read this exact same post a year or more ago. Weird!

There's nothing wrong with learning a new style or having your own and sticking with it. Isn't music very personal and subjective. So you can either give it a go if it works it's another string in your bow if not then you gave it a go. Or stick to your guns and say that is your preferred style, be polite but don't let anyone say you should do something as you don't in music.

People are not all the same, as you seen with the other player his fingers and style just naturally generate more tone.

In my view the secret of music is that there is no secret and that we are all different. Hence so many different types of music from punk to classical.

[zbd1960]

It's a common issue with people learning any instrument (or singing) to not 'play out' (or sing out). It was interesting to hear my teacher say when having lessons on another instrument that he liked that I wasn't afraid to make some noise. He was saying that a common problem he experiences is people just not playing out and making a decent full sound. He thought it was related to people not wanting to be heard making mistakes.

The poiint about style is valid too

[chris_b]

You can always turn the amp up but there is a difference between loudness from the amp and putting some weight into the note when you pluck the string. Most people play better when they play harder. I don't mean digging in, IMO digging in too much usually makes you sound worse, but striking each note with confidence and firmness.

As you're paying your tutor to train you and give you advice I guess you should try to do what he asks.

[Bobthedog]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1462968800' post='3047364']
You can always turn the amp up but there is a difference between loudness from the amp and putting some weight into the note when you pluck the string. Most people play better when they play harder. I don't mean digging in, IMO digging in too much usually makes you sound worse, but striking each note with confidence and firmness.

As you're paying your tutor to train you and give you advice I guess you should try to do what he asks.
[/quote]

I totally agree with what you say but this was not about tone, just volume. I am able to adjust my tone to some extent for different genres, just not loud enough for my tutor. I accept I could be louder, I just struggle with the use the amp vs use the fingers bit.