Is There A "Correct" Way To Play

[LeftyP]

Since getting back to playing the bass I have followed various YouTube courses and read several booklets about how to play "correctly".

I have tried the one finger per fret but even on my short scale bass I struggle at the lower end of the neck.  I do use two alternate fingers to pluck the strings.

Recently, I was at a church gathering and there was a small combo providing the music for the hymn singing.  I vaguely knew the bass player but hadn't studied his technique that closely.  He was left handed and played a right handed bass turned upside down but still strung for a right-hander - the E string being furthest away from him with the G string at the top of his stroke.  He also just used his index finger to pluck the strings.  As a "lefty" myself (who plays right handed) I was intrigued enough to have a chat with him and found that he plays acoustic guitar the same way; that is, he uses a right handed instrument simply turned upside down and works out his own fingering for chords.  The singer Dan Seals used to do the same.

His bass lines were really good which made me wonder; does it really matter how you play the bass as long as it sounds good?

[Happy Jack]

Of course it doesn't matter ... it really is all about the music you make. The technique is irrelevant.

If I rebuild a multi-cylinder motorcycle engine so that it works better than when I started, does anyone really care how I used the socket set? Or what make of socket set I used?

[dave_bass5]

It can make a difference health wise though. Having a bad technique can cause wrist  strain etc. 

[lurksalot]

1 hour ago, Happy Jack said:

Of course it doesn't matter ... it really is all about the music you make. The technique is irrelevant.

If I rebuild a multi-cylinder motorcycle engine so that it works better than when I started, does anyone really care how I used the socket set? Or what make of socket set I used?

Errrrr , no ...until the next dude finds you used a cheapo AF set and rounded  the heads on every bolt on the motor , thus rendering further improvement a total PITA 

 

[chris_b]

There certainly is a "correct" way to play most instruments, but this is Rock and Roll so "correct" doesn't always mean much or sound best.

On the other hand, the guys who know music theory and have learnt a good technique will always be better players, think James Jamerson, Nathan East etc.

 

PS one finger per fret is not as good a technique at the low end of the neck, as you found out. 1,2,4 is much better.

[musicbassman]

Regardless of whether you're playing an upside down RH bass or not, the 'one finger per fret' concept is pretty well essential, IMO.

So if you have a smaller hand, you'll really need a shorter scale bass to make progress.

[upside downer]

8 hours ago, LeftyP said:

He was left handed and played a right handed bass turned upside down but still strung for a right-hander - the E string being furthest away from him with the G string at the top of his stroke.

This is how i play. I use a pick and get around the fretboard just fine. Technique is a little slack as i'm self taught but i'm happy with what i'm doing and none of my many bandmates over the years have ever screamed at me that i've got it all wrong, and nor have any punters stormed out of any gigs tutting, "just what is he playing at?". What works, works. Just enjoy it!

 

 

8 hours ago, dave_bass5 said:

It can make a difference health wise though. Having a bad technique can cause wrist  strain etc.

My wrists are just fine. As is my eyesight 😁

Edited April 16, 2018 by upside downer

[lojo]

Like most things you'll find outstanding people achieving great things going against the agreed norm, so really there are no rules for most things we can chose to do as a hobby 

However established "best" ways of doing things do seem to have been time tested and seem best for the average person to do things as well and a safely as possible , so is always advised to follow the "rules"

This goes for bass player, skiing , Diy, racing or anything in life 

what a silly post for a Monday morning , sorry 

 

 

 

[Frank Blank]

After over 35 years playing bass I have just recently started having lessons and learning theory. I play with the index finger only plucking the strings and through exercises I am realising that I’ve played 1,2,4 instead of 1,2,3 resulting in finger 3 having to be dragged around like a reluctant slug. The aforementioned exercises are improving my third finger dexterity and I find myself using it more on some of our songs but not always. I think this is the key, especially if you have been playing a while and have settled into your own style, there is a ‘traditional’ way of approaching playing but I’d stop short of calling it ‘correct’ because that implies that people who play like me are ‘incorrect’ rather than just slightly different. I also respectfully disagree with @Chris B that the guys who know music theory and have learnt a good technique will always be better players, they will usually be better players, sure, but not always, one of my favourite bass players, Mick Karn didn’t know any theory at all, even which notes his open strings were, he would bowl into rehearsals, ask the title of the song being worked on and write some of his bass lines solely inspired by the song title, the band would then sometimes have to restructure the entire song around his bass line. This sounds like a drag but imho that’s what makes Japan’s music sound so fresh and interesting becaus it isn’t necessarily structured around a traditional or classical route. I have often played in bands with classically trained musicians who wonder about my choice of notes, the polite ones will say some of my choices are interesting, others say will say wrong, sometimes I am swayed by their arguments, other times I will stick by my decision because it is right to my ear and by ear likes dissonance, granted it isn’t a classically trained ear but sometimes I think that training will filter out some of the more interesting ideas in order to tread the traditional route. I’m waffling, essentially I am now being tutored and I’m finding the tuition extremely helpful but then my tutor is not insisting that I use two finger plucking technique, he is showing me the traditional route but not insisting how I walk it because he realises I already have a style of my own involving technique and choices of note by ear.

[Coilte]

There is no "correct" way to play the bass. There is however, tried and trusted safe ways to do so. It is up to each individual to find a technique that both suits them, and is not going to cause any potential injury problems at a later stage. For example. constantly playing with severely bent wrists is almost certain to cause the likes of CTS at some stage. 

 

SO IMO the secret is to "play it safe" while finding your own technique.

[Coilte]

1 hour ago, upside downer said:

 

 

 

My wrists are just fine. As is my eyesight 😁

 

Glad to hear this.   However, the thing about the likes of CTS and RSI is that they take some time to become apparent. Often by then, the damage has been done and a visit to a physiotherapist is the order of the day.

 

So, while your wrists may be fine...at present...IMO it would be prudent to be aware that your technique can contribute to potential injuries if continually used over time.

[upside downer]

24 minutes ago, Coilte said:

 

Glad to hear this.   However, the thing about the likes of CTS and RSI is that they take some time to become apparent. Often by then, the damage has been done and a visit to a physiotherapist is the order of the day.

 

So, while your wrists may be fine...at present...IMO it would be prudent to be aware that your technique can contribute to potential injuries if continually used over time.

I do try to avoid bad habits that could cause harm. There's plenty of info out there worth checking up on. Plenty of it being on here. Bravo, everyone! 👍

[chris_b]

1 hour ago, Frank Blank said:

I also respectfully disagree with @Chris B that the guys who know music theory and have learnt a good technique will always be better players, they will usually be better players, sure, but not always,

I'd guess that knowing theory and having a good technique will make you a better player than you would have been without it, but I didn't say only guys with good knowledge and technique would be better players. My heroes are John McVie and Duck Dunn. I probably know more theory than both of them put together, but they are way better players than I'll ever be.  

[bazzbass]

if your fingers are supple enough for one finger per fret then it would be the most efficient method. But if you have small hands, or arthritis, you just have to move the three fingers you use a bit faster Django Reinardt only had 2 fingers? on his fretting hand and we all know his name 60? years later

[ianrendall]

11 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

If I rebuild a multi-cylinder motorcycle engine so that it works better than when I started, does anyone really care how I used the socket set? Or what make of socket set I used?

Unless, like me, you end up with bits left over 🤪

[gapiro]

2 hours ago, Frank Blank said:

After over 35 years playing bass I have just recently started having lessons and learning theory. I play with the index finger only plucking the strings and through exercises I am realising that I’ve played 1,2,4 instead of 1,2,3 resulting in finger 3 having to be dragged around like a reluctant slug. 

1-2-4 is the Classical/Double bass way. 

I struggle on DB because i'm so used to playing 1-2-3-4 on bg, and going 3+4 as one note is just really confusing....

[Coilte]

1 hour ago, upside downer said:

I do try to avoid bad habits that could cause harm. There's plenty of info out there worth checking up on. Plenty of it being on here. Bravo, everyone! 👍

I agree entirely. It's just that a lot of people don't realise that playing a certain way can cause injury problems. It's only when the harm has been done and they start seeking reasons for and solutions to their problem that the penny drops.

[TheGreek]

Agree that if you're playing in the trusted method you're less likely to pick up bad habits and injuries, however it's the players who play the bass "wrong" who are pushing the boundaries.

Find what works for you but be prepared to learn and evolve your technique as needed...

BTW a lefty guitarist I knew played right handed upside down - I thought this was unusual at the time but it seems not to be...same is true for lefty golfers.

[mikel]

Possibly, but what is anatomically perfect for one person may be murder for another. Whatever gets you through the night as John Lennon said. If we always did what was supposedly "Correct" music, and indeed most things, would have stagnated. I have small hands, for a man, so I use  fingering for the fretting hand that suits me, and a pick, fingers or finger nail to play the notes, whatever I like the sound of at the time. Its rock and roll so there is no right and wrong.

[Frank Blank]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

I'd guess that knowing theory and having a good technique will make you a better player than you would have been without it, but I didn't say only guys with good knowledge and technique would be better players. My heroes are John McVie and Duck Dunn. I probably know more theory than both of them put together, but they are way better players than I'll ever be.  

Indeed you didn’t say only but you did say always and, as an outlier myself I find absolutes difficult.  Fundamentally I agree with you but I never want to put off players who don’t do things in a prescribed way.

[Japhet]

I'd imagine that the 'correct' way to play is far more important on acoustic instruments where poor technique would be much more audible. Amplified sound is much more forgiving.

[chris_b]

3 minutes ago, Japhet said:

 Amplified sound is much more forgiving.

Until you start using some of this modern gear that clearly replicates every bodge you've been getting away with for years!

[Bass Culture]

The thing about 'correct' technique is that it is intended to benefit the player by helping them conserve energy and play as efficiently as possible.  I worked at it simply because that made sense to me.  Of course there's many players who play really well without using 'correct' technique but I do find myself wondering much better they might play if they did have good technique.  Ultimately though, people are different so each to their own. 

[Barking Spiders]

13 hours ago, LeftyP said:

Since getting back to playing the bass I have followed various YouTube courses and read several booklets about how to play "correctly".

I have tried the one finger per fret but even on my short scale bass I struggle at the lower end of the neck.  I do use two alternate fingers to pluck the strings.

Recently, I was at a church gathering and there was a small combo providing the music for the hymn singing.  I vaguely knew the bass player but hadn't studied his technique that closely.  He was left handed and played a right handed bass turned upside down but still strung for a right-hander - the E string being furthest away from him with the G string at the top of his stroke.  He also just used his index finger to pluck the strings.  As a "lefty" myself (who plays right handed) I was intrigued enough to have a chat with him and found that he plays acoustic guitar the same way; that is, he uses a right handed instrument simply turned upside down and works out his own fingering for chords.  The singer Dan Seals used to do the same.

His bass lines were really good which made me wonder; does it really matter how you play the bass as long as it sounds good?

Exactly. As long as the output sounds good who really cares about input. I dont. James Jamerson played only with an index finger. Too many people get hung up on honing technique rather than making good music

[discreet]

13 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

Of course it doesn't matter ... it really is all about the music you make. The technique is irrelevant.

This. It's also about confidence, sense of rhythm, timing and that indefinable element we call 'groove'. Either you can play the bass, or you can't. How you actually play it is entirely up to you. If you're not confident, then get some lessons. That is all.