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Big leap forward in my playing ability.


Twincam
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Last few days ive made a big leap in how well i can play. I have been putting a lot of practice in, however the big leap forward was forced upon me.

I was struggling with Muting, Overtones, fretting noise, fatigue, and i was just playing a little too sloppy in general.

Last month i started playing with Fender tapewounds and could not control them due to the low tension. I really like there sound so i stuck with them but with high action, i had gotten used to low action with very high tension strings.
Things just didn't feel right so i lowered the action and forced myself to play with a very light touch. Still feels a little wrong to be playing so lightly.

Muting is much easier, the overtones and fretting noise have improved due to my fretting hand also falling into line with a gentle approach, Fatigue has gone and my playing has tightened up, also im maybe slightly quicker.

Was always scared of light touch, thinking i would get no volume, tone and the dynamics would be ruined, turns out for me it is in light touch i get better tone, volume control is on the amp, dynamics is more than just plucking hard or softer.

I wish i discovered this much sooner (like 20 months ago), i guess being totally self taught does have disadvantages.

Oh yeah next door has a new baby, for the first time they complained this week, this has further improved my gentle approach, because when i said "Babies love low frequency" they did not look amused!.

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Going through a similar thing myself - I've just switched to flatwounds and because I'm not used to them and they sound different it's throwing me, I've also turned up the volume and am trying a lighter touch. I'm also self taught and finding out all these things the hard way through trial and error :huh:

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[quote name='Highfox' timestamp='1423838183' post='2689574']
Congrats and well done.

I'm the opposite unless I'm digging in I don't feel the force.
I do use some palm muting and soft thumb on a few numbers tho.
[/quote]

Yip, I'm the same. I very much doubt I'd be able to change after so long anyway. I just like to feel the beef!

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[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1423826619' post='2689409']
Was always scared of light touch, thinking i would get no volume, tone and the dynamics would be ruined, turns out for me it is in light touch i get better tone, volume control is on the amp, dynamics is more than just plucking hard or softer.
[/quote]

I now play with much less force in the plucking hand, and let the amp do the hard work. As a result my playing is both faster and smoother. If I need to go louder I have plenty in reserve though!

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That's what amps are for, to make you louder and to be heard. If you're already 'digging in', how can you term....dig in ?

Seriously though, watch any great finger style player, they make it look easy because they're not really working hard, they can dig in when they need to/want to for an accent.

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Always great to make those discoveries yourself. After 30 years of playing I'm still learning (and trying to unlearn some bad habits).

I find I can practise at home on my own with the light touch, playing faster and smoother, good tone, but as soon as I'm with the band I am back to digging in to be heard. I've tried turning up the amp but find it hard to control dynamics. Am I missing a compressor in my life?

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Not sure about the compressor, but this is what I find, no matter how loud I am, unless I`m digging in it doesn`t sound right to me. I think much of my sound is the hard-hitting attack with the fairly heavy picks I use. I`ve tried lighter playing a few times, once as it was a boiling hot day with rehearsal room to match, and have to say I really enjoyed playing with a lighter touch, the dynamics available were so much better. The other time when I was depping for a band. But get me at a gig with my own band and it`s full pelt, though with the music I`m currently playing that`s a requirement anyway.

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I have always played with a light touch. It provides the headroom required if/when you do on occasion, need to up the dynamics. This is not the case when you are permanently digging in.

OP, better late than never to discover the merits of a light touch.

Your hands (not to mention your neighbor... ;) ) will thank you for it.

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In the early days I never thought about how I played the bass. It was OK, the bands liked it, but it just happened. Over the last decade I've been working on technique and my touch has been gradually getting lighter as my playing has improved.

These days I'm using bigger amps turned up louder, the action on my basses is half what it was and I put a lot less energy into hitting the strings. The benefits are more even playing, better dynamics and better groove because I'm not fighting the bass anymore.

I have never played a style that would benefit from a compressor on a gig. I would imagine one would detract from the dynamics of my playing.

This is also why I don't understand the need for ramps. My fingers never touch the pickup covers. I'm playing [i]on[/i] the strings not [i]through[/i] them, and IMO anything more is overplaying and a waste of energy.

Edited by chris_b
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[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1424512930' post='2697069']
I have never played a style that would benefit from a compressor on a gig. I would imagine one would detract from the dynamics of my playing.
[/quote]

I dont really go in for pedals or effects of any kind, but have on occasion, thought about trying out a decent compressor.

However, as someone mentioned on another forum...if you only [i]think[/i] you need one...the chances are that you dont. ;)

Edited by Coilte
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[quote name='bootleg' timestamp='1424457043' post='2696591']
Always great to make those discoveries yourself. After 30 years of playing I'm still learning (and trying to unlearn some bad habits).

I find I can practise at home on my own with the light touch, playing faster and smoother, good tone, but as soon as I'm with the band I am back to digging in to be heard. I've tried turning up the amp but find it hard to control dynamics. Am I missing a compressor in my life?
[/quote]

I took a bit of an extreme approach to controlling how hard I play live- set a compressor to severely squish your sound right down if you play too hard. That way when you play too hard your volume actually drops and you have to lighten up to be heard :-)

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