LesDong Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I'm new to the bass guitar and I'm finding it difficult to stretch more than 3 frets, seems impossible. It's quite disheartening actually! Is it just a case of practising or will I really struggle? I have a Fender Squier vintage modified 70s jazz bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 [quote name='LesDong' timestamp='1341326756' post='1717080'] I'm new to the bass guitar and I'm finding it difficult to stretch more than 3 frets, seems impossible. It's quite disheartening actually! Is it just a case of practising or will I really struggle? I have a Fender Squier vintage modified 70s jazz bass. [/quote] Welcome to BC. How small is small? I have short fingers but get around ok on Precision style necks, wider than the Jazz. It does take a while to get used to fretting, yes. And you can do quite a lot without having to stretch more than 2 or 3 frets. Hang on in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackers Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I think it is a case of practising I am currently teaching my girlfriend to play bass, and she is having the same issue, as she has small hands. When she first started she couldn't stretch from the 5th fret to the 7th fret using her index and little fingers, but now she can comfortably do it without thinking. Although, if after a while you find yourself really struggling, there is always the option of getting a short scale bass like a squier mustang and jaguar, which will be easier on your hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanovw Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I dont have large hands. For years I have watched the likes of Stanley Clarke and Les Claypol and their oversized mits stretching effortlessly across multiple frets. I do what I can, it hasn't stopped me in 25 years of playing. Practice stretching you will be surprised what you can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Another with small hands. You get used to it and you get better but it has to be easier if you have big hands. You learn to shift your hand position a bit more too. I still struggle with things like 'Stuck in the Middle' with a 2nd to 5th stretch held pretty much throughout the song especially when a new band member says 'can we run through a third time' but apart from that the pain has gone. There are things you can try to make it easier; a five string means you rarely go below the 5th fret, a Fender Jazz style neck is narrower and there are short scale basses as has been mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debwilliams Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I'm another one with child sized hands - I've got a Fender Jazz and find that it is a case of having to move lots around instead of stretch elegantly between frets. Just work with what you have and practice seems to be the way forward guys! I was pleasantly surprised last week to have a quick go of a MIA Precision and didn't find the neck the same size as a house brick, I really didn't think I'd be able to cope at all but it was much more manageable than I expected (i.e just as much of a stretch as the Jazz ) Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Check out Steve Bailey, famous fretless 6 string player. He has tiny hands, yet with practice he can manage some huge stretches (particularly when using artificial harmonics). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I have small hands for my size. I started on a Precision bass and after that went through the grades on the double bass. I think that with practice and improved technique, small hands should rarely be any kind of issue as your fingers when trained can stretch quite a bit. I think some of the 'small hands' problems comes from people who try to play every interval with the index and third finger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 There are lots of professional, female, double bass players---having small hands is not a show stopper when it comes to learning the bass. I used to find that lots of stretches were just impossible, but then I started going for lessons and my teacher helped me to realise that it was poor left hand technique holding me back, not the size of my hands. It does get easier with practice but it might be worth getting a few lessons to make sure your technique is correct too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesDong Posted July 3, 2012 Author Share Posted July 3, 2012 Thanks for the replies! My middle finger measures just over 3" and my span(from thumb to little finger) is 8.5". I can play a little guitar and thought this was always holding me back, I really struggled with barre chords! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FelixGubbins Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Heck! I've just measured my span from thumb to little finger - 8" at full stretch! You make me feel so inadequate ;-) I play a Jazz and a Ricky, and although I used to struggle with the P bass neck, I realise that was as much to do with neck finish as much as neck size. I can play Geddy Lee bass lines reasonably well but maybe I just work within my limitations. I doesn't need to hold you back, that's for sure. There's a long way between zero and the likes of Billy Sheehan or Jeff Berlin (or 101 other great bass players you could mention). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Transaxle Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Another with small hands here. Paradoxically I find the massive baseball bat neck of the CV 50's P more comfortable that the jazz neck on my P bass. I have had to give in to the lure of small scale basses recently but that'd because I seem to be developing OA at the base of my thumb meaning some days, but not all a long stretch becomes painful (and on very bad days there is a painful bang from the joint with certain movements - not only restricted to bass playing). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 [quote name='LesDong' timestamp='1341326756' post='1717080'] ....I'm finding it difficult to stretch more than 3 frets, seems impossible.... [/quote] Size doesn’t matter. You don't stretch; [i]ever[/i].... you move your hand so that your fingers are where you want them to be for the next note. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Get a P bass copy and learn on that neck. Then you can more or less play any bass neck. Worked for me and I have small hands. I learnt on a bass with fairly high action and it was a traditional P bass size. My teacher just took me through scales etc and now I have zero issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muttley Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Have a look at double bass fingering. Instead of the "one finger per fret" approach of guitarists the hand doesn't reach more than a tone before changing position. Index to second finger is a semitone, second to fourth finger is the next semitone etc (the third finger generally isn't used until you get to half-way up the fingerboard). As [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/180652-learning-the-bass-guitar-with-smaller-handsfingers/page__view__findpost__p__1717169"]uncle psychosis wrote[/url], there are lots of female db players with small hands who cope perfectly well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentalextra Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 On a slightly different tack, I've got hands like a gorilla and fingers like pork sausages but I dont think I can move stretch as well as I could when I was 16! Interestingly, didnt the victorians used to have "stretching tools " for piano students. I think I remember seeing one of these instruments of torture on the antiques roadshow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jellyfish Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Over time, as someone with small hands also (my little finger is under 2 inches ) I learnt to make up the shortfall by applying less pressure to the back of the neck with my thumb which helped me move my hand more freely and really helped with the one finger per fret. Practice will also help you get a slightly better hand span without it being too much of a strain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 [quote name='LesDong' timestamp='1341330970' post='1717183'] Thanks for the replies! My middle finger measures just over 3" and my span(from thumb to little finger) is 8.5". I can play a little guitar and thought this was always holding me back, I really struggled with barre chords! [/quote] My middle finger is the same as yours and my thumb to little finger stretch is less (although IMO the first to fourth finger stretch is a more meaningful measurement) and I play a 36" scale bass. As overs have said it's all about practice and finding the right technique for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I once saw Girlsschool play - they had a /very/ petite redhead lady playing a precision that looked huge on her. She coped fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chilli Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Hi Les Practice-practice-practice, muscle memory will build up slowly in your fingers It does take time if your new to bass but perserve and you'll get out what you put in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 [quote name='LesDong' timestamp='1341330970' post='1717183'] Thanks for the replies! My middle finger measures just over 3" and my span(from thumb to little finger) is 8.5". I can play a little guitar and thought this was always holding me back, I really struggled with barre chords! [/quote] Well my middle finger is 3.5", and my span from thumb to little finger is 9.5". So you`re not too far away from it seems the majority of us on here. Hand speed is better than stretching, seen some amazing players only use forefinger and the finger next to it, but they`re quick over the neck. For me, I mainly use forefinger and wedding ring finger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesDong Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 Cheers for all the replies, I will let you know how I get on. I feel a little better now though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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