Pick holding hand (right hand) hurts while playing - HELP!

[larrikin]

What's going on, the muscle underneathe my thumb (don't know what it's called), hurts whilst i'm playing my bass, like a burning feeling that really affects my playing - has anyone else had this???

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='larrikin' post='337078' date='Nov 26 2008, 11:16 AM']What's going on, the muscle underneathe my thumb (don't know what it's called), hurts whilst i'm playing my bass, like a burning feeling that really affects my playing - has anyone else had this???[/quote]


I get this I have always put it down to cramp, I would like to know if there is anything that can make it stop.

[larrikin]

Oh, i don't use my fingers i use a pick

[Bass-ic]

I am constantly shifting my pick holding as I really have no idea how I should hold it properly, but then how difficult can it be, surely it must be intuitive?
My thumb hurts as well. Maybe I grip it too hard.
Matt

Mostly, I do try and use my fingers

Edited November 26, 2008 by Absolute-beginner

[Noisyjon]

Have had this myself in the past.

I found warming up properly before a gig and making a conscious effort to [i]try[/i] and not grip the pick so hard while playing helps.

[larrikin]

[quote name='Absolute-beginner' post='337082' date='Nov 26 2008, 11:18 AM']I am constantly shifting my pick holding as I really have no idea how I should hold it properly, but then how difficult can it be, surely it must be intuitive?
My thumb hurts as well. Maybe I grip it too hard.
Matt

Mostly, I do try and use my fingers[/quote]

i thought i gripped too hard, but then when i loosen it my pick just falls out of my hand, it's so annoying!!!

[William James Easton]

cramp in your right hand.........

[Raggy]

Its down to gripping too much. I get it occasionally, just relax your grip a bit when it happens and you should notice a difference.

[larrikin]

Yep, right hand cramp exactly!! I use the dunlop tortex green picks and have d'addario mediums on my bass.

Would one of those grip masters help or has anyone got some exercise techniques, i've tried gripping losely but it falls out my hand.

[Merton]

[quote name='larrikin' post='337138' date='Nov 26 2008, 12:13 PM']Yep, right hand cramp exactly!! I use the dunlop tortex green picks and have d'addario mediums on my bass.

Would one of those grip masters help or has anyone got some exercise techniques, i've tried gripping losely but it falls out my hand.[/quote]
I don't think a Gripmaster will help at all. Just lots of practice at not gripping the plectrum so hard. That's what I have done and now it's all good

[cheddatom]

Use a thumb pick! You can grip it as lightly as you like and it wont fall off.

[Dood]

[quote name='Raggy' post='337095' date='Nov 26 2008, 11:27 AM']Its down to gripping too much. I get it occasionally, just relax your grip a bit when it happens and you should notice a difference.[/quote]

Can also down to bad picking technique too. You *can* actually play down on to the string too hard at the wrong angle. If you multiply this movement by the amount of times you hit the strings in an average set, it's not surprising that discomfort will be felt.

[Raggy]

[quote name='dood' post='337150' date='Nov 26 2008, 12:24 PM']Can also down to bad picking technique too. You *can* actually play down on to the string too hard at the wrong angle. If you multiply this movement by the amount of times you hit the strings in an average set, it's not surprising that discomfort will be felt.[/quote]

+1

[Clarky]

[quote name='larrikin' post='337138' date='Nov 26 2008, 12:13 PM']Yep, right hand cramp exactly!! I use the dunlop tortex green picks and have d'addario mediums on my bass.

Would one of those grip masters help or has anyone got some exercise techniques, i've tried gripping losely but it falls out my hand.[/quote]
Try a really thin, flexible pick (thats what I now use) - it means that you don't have to strike the string as hard (less resistance) and I can play a lot faster with a thinner pick (useful in my punk band!)

I have tried tortex greens but found I have to play harder

These are what I use - Alien glow in the dark picks [url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/products/299-alien_ebe_glow_in_the_dark"]http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/products/29...low_in_the_dark[/url]

[Bay Splayer]

[s]proper bassists dont use picks[/s]

practice more with your fingers maybe

[andrewrx7]

I get this to, if I don't regularly play. For me, I put it down to lack of muscle tone. Lots of playing - no problems. I recently had a go with the ol' Gripmaster thing - I think it helps with the fretting hand, but I could not find a position to hold the thing that reflects using the same muscles as you do when gripping a pick. So I'd say no, it would not help with the problem. Just play/rehearse a bit more to build the strength in the thumb muscle.

[dangerboy]

I get this sometimes. Leave a little longer between songs and relax your picking hand.

A good time to get that stage banter going...

[andrewrx7]

[quote name='dangerboy' post='337257' date='Nov 26 2008, 02:03 PM']Leave a little longer between songs and relax your picking hand.[/quote]

Not if your guitarist/singer launches straight into the next song without warning...!!!

[DanOwens]

I regularly get pains in exactly the same spot as the OP. I'm currently trying a number of different picks, playing positions and gripping methods to try to alleviate the problem.

It seems it is a reoccurring thing amongst us bassists, but it appears everyone is trying similar techniques to control the pain and to build a resistance to it.

Dan

[cytania]

Most muscles work in pairs, one pulls one way, one pulls back. One of the problems with hands is they usually only grip inwards. The muscle to open your hand wide rarely gets a decent workout (unless you do jazz dance or surrender alot). Hence alot of the strains and pains.

Now I reckon when you're playing fingerstyle bass right (took me a long while to stop plucking it guitarist style) you are exercising both muscles. Never had right hand strain problems but then last time I tried using pick it felt a bit like playing with a slice of toast ;-)

[tombboy]

I have the exact same pains in my picking hand if I don't warm up for half an hour before I gig. This is due to an old football injury (goalkeeper) which has resulted in a reflux joint on my thumb. My right hand thumb is about half and inch longer than my left due to not being set properly. If I wanted to I could bend it completely backward to touch my wrist from the ulnar knuckle. You would hear the screams from miles away though!!

[BassMunkee]

[quote]proper bassists dont use picks

practice more with your fingers maybe[/quote]

/YAWN.
+1 for the constructive comment though...

[Kev]

its down to gripping too hard i think, one of the reasons i avoid using one, i just naturally grip and play hard, thus it being painful!

[ardi100]

I get exactly the same thing with my left while playing double bass.

I don't use picks often on electric but I do get pain when I do.

I'm practicing double bass as much as possible and I hope that will work.