Twigman Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 Never really thought about it and sitting here I couldn't tell you.... <off to youtube to watch me in some videos to see what I do with my plucking hand....> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjb Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 (edited) I'd recommend either the floating thumb (which is what I use) or a moveable anchor. Stretching your hand from a static thumb position on a pickup could really hamper your playing, IMHO. Each to their own, however! Edited March 15, 2010 by rjb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman69 Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 [quote name='rjb' post='775209' date='Mar 15 2010, 01:40 PM']I'd recommend either the floating thumb (which is what I use) or a moveable anchor. Stretching your hand from a static thumb position on a pickup could really hamper your playing, IMHO. Each to their own, however![/quote] Yea, its even been suggested that constant stretching etc can cause injury. Carpal tunnel syndrome, ouch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 [quote name='Musicman69' post='775247' date='Mar 15 2010, 02:11 PM']Yea, its even been suggested that constant stretching etc can cause injury. Carpal tunnel syndrome, ouch![/quote] I always thought that CTS was more as a result of wrist position - so having your bass too low can cause it in the fretting hand and having it too high (a la Mark King) causes problems in the plucking hand... I could be wrong of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I think you're more likely to get CTS in the plucking hand by having a sharp wrist angle or by resting your forearm on the top of the bass. If you have a fixed anchor point,like the pickup,you will naturally get sharpen the angle of your wrist to reach the higher strings-especially on extended range instruments. Using the floating thumb does alleviate this,but I find it awkward as I've got double jointed thumbs-that's why I use the moveable anchor. Remember though,if you are anchoring your thumb-either fixed or moving-don't apply a lot of,if any,pressure. It's another sure fire way of knackering your hand and hindering your mobility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman69 Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 (edited) I think if there is constant stretching and tension when playing its going to cause problems in the long term. Certainly bass height is very important too. Probably not an issue if one only plays for short periods of time. Edited March 15, 2010 by Musicman69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 [quote name='Musicman69' post='775262' date='Mar 15 2010, 02:34 PM']Probably not an issue if one only plays for short periods of time.[/quote] That's a very good point! Some guys on here are probably playing several hours a day, whereas others may only get to pick up their bass once or twice a week for half an hour or so... Still, I think it useful for people to know if their technique is likely to cause them problems - even years in the future. Since joining this forum I've actually started looking more closely at how I play. Not from an anal "I must sort out my technique" point of view, but just realising that I've played for donkeys years and never really thought about how I do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 [quote name='Musicman69' post='775247' date='Mar 15 2010, 02:11 PM']Yea, its even been suggested that constant stretching etc can cause injury. Carpal tunnel syndrome, ouch![/quote] Eh? Who told you that? CTS and other infammatory conditions are normally caused by prolonged flexion, extention, and ulnar or radial deviation in the wrist. Nothing to do with "stretching". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman69 Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 [quote name='silddx' post='775284' date='Mar 15 2010, 02:54 PM']Eh? Who told you that? CTS and other infammatory conditions are normally caused by prolonged flexion, extention, and ulnar or radial deviation in the wrist. Nothing to do with "stretching".[/quote] Heard about it on a tutorial for floating thumb, 'the guy' said he got CTS due to bad technique/bass position. Stretching, straining and tension cant be healthy no matter what youre doing IMV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHUFC BASS Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='774573' date='Mar 14 2010, 07:08 PM']It's usually on the top part of the plectrum [/quote] Me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 [quote name='Musicman69' post='775290' date='Mar 15 2010, 03:07 PM']Heard about it on a tutorial for floating thumb, 'the guy' said he got CTS due to bad technique/bass position. Stretching, straining and tension cant be healthy no matter what youre doing IMV[/quote] Agreed, but that's a combination of things. You need to relax and hold your wrist at a natural angle to ensure blood flow is not restricted. Any prolonged stress position will potentially do you some damage. That said, I've probably got terrible picking hand posture and I play so hard live sometimes that my fingers go completely numb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman69 Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 [quote name='silddx' post='775319' date='Mar 15 2010, 03:34 PM']Agreed, but that's a combination of things. You need to relax and hold your wrist at a natural angle to ensure blood flow is not restricted. Any prolonged stress position will potentially do you some damage. That said, I've probably got terrible picking hand posture and I play so hard live sometimes that my fingers go completely numb.[/quote] Bad habit of mine, hitting it too hard. Poor old fingertips get a hammering.. they go numb also. I always say Ill take it easy next time but never do. Its a bit like se Ooops better stop there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 [quote name='Musicman69' post='775329' date='Mar 15 2010, 03:43 PM']Bad habit of mine, hitting it too hard. Poor old fingertips get a hammering.. they go numb also. I always say Ill take it easy next time but never do. Its a bit like se Ooops better stop there.[/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 According to Dr. M. Stoppard's glorious Family Health Guide, which was lovingly given to myself and the good lady M by her mother, CPT.. "...occurs because the soft tissues within the carpel tunnel swell and press on the median nerve at the wrist. Such swelling may occur during pregnancy, as part of rheumatoid arthritis and after a wrist fracture. It may be a feature of RSI. In most cases there is no clear-cut cause." Splendid. Hopefully we are no further forward with that one. I've just reassessed my thumb position, and as I thought it's all over the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I always play light.... so I get nowhere near the volume out of a bass than others might do. This can be either good or bad in various ways... but it does protect the hands. Using the B string makes most sense to me and also the E if using a 5 str Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I rest on the pickup or the low E depending what i'm doing, i don't really pay attention to it to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 Well I suppose I'm using some kind of moveable anchor/floating thumb technique. I find it to be more flexible personally allowing for quick changes to tapping, slap or double-thumbing (none of which I tend to do at gigs!) I always found thumbrests to get in the way when playing a jazz bass, also I have small hands so I always find them to be too far away from the strings! Probably why I move my thumb about as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I've just learned something about myself... I don't anchor or rest my thumb anywhere! It usually just hangs out above the E string without actually putting any weight on anything. What a freak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='775644' date='Mar 15 2010, 08:30 PM']I've just learned something about myself... I don't anchor or rest my thumb anywhere! It usually just hangs out above the E string without actually putting any weight on anything. What a freak.[/quote] That's because your basses don't have enough pups! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 Thumb on "E" when playing G,D or A. Move up to pick-up when playing E. However... I damp the string above the one I'm striking with my third finger so I can "follow through" into it... Odd. but it works. Only leaves index and middle to pluck / strike with, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 PUP or E string depending on what I'm playing. ALthough I will move my hand up towards the neck for a more full mellow tone for some parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 Hmm.. I'm not allowed to vote for both! My thumb comes to rest in various places and positions, depending on which string I'm playing and what kind of tone I'm after.. kinda random! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velvetkevorkian Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 n/a- I try and avoid anchoring as it tends to introduce tension to the hand IME. Floating thumb all the way for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beardybass Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 I'm another 'whatever fits' kinda guy. Normally on the bridge pickup at the moment maybe because I'm playing a jazz all the time. But tends to move around a bit, depending on what I'm doing. I even use it for playing sometimes! When I'm trying to be clever! I'd like to say I use a pick too, but I've never managed to keep hold of one long enough to play anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62P-Bass Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 A question for you pickup resters! How do you mute the other strings you are not playing? With your 'spare' (3rd & 4th) fingers? Or another way? The main advantage of 'floating thumb' or 'moveable anchor' techniques are that they mute strings that you are not playing. Just wondered what the main way of dealing with this is for people who never move their thumb off the pickup. Andrew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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