Bass players who take their hand off the neck

[wateroftyne]

4 minutes ago, Linus27 said:

To take a photo of your guitarist obviously 😂

 

At the risk of being pedantic, your hand is still on the neck.

[Linus27]

2 minutes ago, wateroftyne said:

At the risk of being pedantic, your hand is still on the neck.

Let's not let facts get in the way now 😂🤣

[gt4ever]

Open string playing gives me a chance to adjust my levels on the nobs if I feel I need it.  Open string bass face is IMO the worst thing in the world lol

[seashell]

Haha, I was doing this only last week playing 'It's Only Rock n Roll' - lots of open Es in that.

What I lack in musical ability, I try to make up for in theatrics. I like to think I usually get away with it 😁😎

 

 

[Cat Burrito]

As the mighty Derek Smalls said, playing open strings leaves your left hand free to punch the air. Game over! 

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 3, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[chris_b]

I took both hands off tonight. . . . yeah, cool!

[skankdelvar]

I frequently remove my fretting hand from the neck in order to point at random strangers in the audience and wave to them, thus conveying to my band-mates the (false) impression that those at whom I am pointing are my own personal fan-base and have come to see me perform.

I have pulled this flanker on many, many occasions and can recommend it as an effective tactic for establishing psychological dominance over otherwise unbiddable guitards and front-persons.

[Newfoundfreedom]

As soon as I start to play I get psychological itchy noise syndrome. I can't wait for an open string section to come around so I can have a good scratch. Thank God I'm not an astronaut! 

[Geek99]

10 hours ago, Chiliwailer said:

Well you know, it’s better than bassists doing this.... 

 

Isn’t he taking his hands of the strings, whilst his other hand remains on the neck ?

[Geek99]

7 hours ago, gt4ever said:

Open string playing gives me a chance to adjust my levels on the nobs if I feel I need it.  Open string bass face is IMO the worst thing in the world lol

You adjust your nob while playing ? That’s not very cool 

[Chiliwailer]

44 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

Isn’t he taking his hands of the strings, whilst his other hand remains on the neck ?

My theory is that the opposite is far more cliche, therefore removing your left hand ain’t so bad  

[scalpy]

Guilty as charged, I do this in one song in our set because I feel like a total fraud pretending I’m using two hands at all. Dancing in the Street by the way. In my defence I try and wind the guitarist as much as possible whilst doing it.

[Geek99]

36 minutes ago, Chiliwailer said:

My theory is that the opposite is far more cliche, therefore removing your left hand ain’t so bad  

Agreed, I was just pedantic about your choice of image given the title 

[kevin_lindsay]

As I'm now an oldie, I often take my hand off the neck when playing an open string - just so I can adjust my glasses when I feel them slipping down my nose. 

[nikon F]

1 hour ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

As soon as I start to play I get psychological itchy noise syndrome. I can't wait for an open string section to come around so I can have a good scratch. Thank God I'm not an astronaut! 

nothing worse than itchy noise syndrome ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,apart from the already mentioned itchy bum syndrome of course,

[PaulWarning]

not many share my opinion then, us bass players are the most underrated members in the band, guitarist's think it's easier and the public don't really know what we do, not helped by being low in the mix a lot of the time, and only last night someone said to me " I've tried guitar and couldn't do it, might try bass it looks easier".

So standing there playing an open string with the freting hand dangling by your side sort of disrespects us IMO YMMV

Edited February 3, 2019 by PaulWarning

[Guest oZZma]

9 hours ago, gt4ever said:

 Open string bass face is IMO the worst thing in the world lol

"faces" and gestures some musicians do are so affected you can clearly see them practising in the mirror 

[oldslapper]

13 hours ago, PaulWarning said:

is it just me or does anybody else find it irritating when bassists take their hand off the neck of the guitarist 

Yes. 

[seashell]

And during the first verse of Honky Tonk Women, I take both hands off the bass and clap ostentatiously. I want everyone to know that I haven't forgotten to start playing - there is no bass on the verse and I'm deliberately not playing. 

Top tip - do not attempt this without strap locks 😁

[Dan Dare]

1 hour ago, kevin_lindsay said:

As I'm now an oldie, I often take my hand off the neck when playing an open string - just so I can adjust my glasses when I feel them slipping down my nose. 

Same as

[Skinnyman]

3 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

As soon as I start to play I get psychological itchy noise syndrome. I can't wait for an open string section to come around so I can have a good scratch. Thank God I'm not an astronaut! 

Be better with the right hand. Then you could use a pick.....

A pick, geddit? 

😜😜😜😜🤪🤪🤪

[seashell]

1 hour ago, kevin_lindsay said:

As I'm now an oldie, I often take my hand off the neck when playing an open string - just so I can adjust my glasses when I feel them slipping down my nose. 

Haha, reminds me of this. See what he does at around 1:38. Astonishing... both hands, both feet and still manages to adjust his glasses AND look cool. 

 

[Les]

How else would I respond to the singers 27th request for more monitor ? 

[oldslapper]

1 hour ago, seashell said:

Haha, reminds me of this. See what he does at around 1:38. Astonishing... both hands, both feet and still manages to adjust his glasses AND look cool. 

 

Wow! I usually dislike solos of any instrument over 10 seconds long, but that was the most musical drum solo I’ve heard, lovely. 

I get bored very easily which will account I suspect for my dislike of instrumental soloing.

Back on topic, I do take my hand off the neck when I can ,usually to stretch my hand out due to onset arthritis.