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BEGINNERS COURSE – Part 4 – Fretting hand position and technique
BEGINNERS COURSE – Part 4 – Fretting hand position and technique
24 thoughts on “BEGINNERS COURSE – Part 4 – Fretting hand position and technique”
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I’m reviewing the Fretting Hand Position, is there any type of advice you can give on strength and stretching of the fingers?
Yes there’s a bunch of dexterity exercises here that will help with those issues. The more you play the more flexible you’ll become
I’ve been playing guitar for 10 years and just started playing the bass in the past 3 months…couldn’t work out what was going wrong with the sound and why it sounded so twangy until this video! That sweet spot is different to guitar! I gotta clear my mind and start on a clean slate, my notes sound so much clearer now
Oh wow! That’s so awesome! Glad it can help
What position the bass should be in when holding it, sure this would help with fingers on fret board.
The bass should be sitting on your right knee while sitting, and if you’re standing it should be held in the same place as if you’re sitting. Hopefully I answered your question
Yes
awesome! glad i was able to clear that up for you!
Just can’t wait to start putting it all together.
Also the neck of the bass should be held closer to your body
Would be great to add some dexterity exercises to the course to build this skill.
Hi I’m an older Basscat but I have wanted to play for a very long time. to ..something about the soul in the bass!
Anyway is there an age where you say it may not be a good idea? Also you added more dexterity exercises?
Great question, I believe it’s never too late and also we’re constantly adding exercises to the Academy not specifically inside of this course but they’re always added, you can do a search on the main page for dexterity exercises. 80% of the lessons are based on dexterity, and will help you with it overtime!
thank you…sure wasn’t expecting an answer this fast
BRO!!!! I’ve been messing around on my bass since Christmas and could not for the life of me figure out why I couldn’t get a clean tone or move my fingers as quickly and having trouble fretting. It’s the thumb!!! Thank you man…Great stuff!
haha! my pleasure! sometimes its the little things!
Hey! When hand plucking my notes sound pretty sloppy but when I use a pick I sound significantly better (note: I have small hands and a 5 string bass) would you recommend learning bass with a pick or should I just get better at hand plucking?
https://player.vimeo.com/video/518186380
Hi there!
How long do I have to practice this exercise?
Hey Joel! You actually continuously practice this whenever you pick up the bass to play. You will eventually become more comfortable. Also this particular lesson isn’t necessarily an exercise but more of technique and posture
Greetings Daric…I’m making the transition from keys to bass and I’m having a hard time with the hand placement on the neck. It seems simple but my thumb doesn’t want to stay put when I play a note or try the scale. Your thoughts…..
Hey, thanks for reaching out about your issue. What exactly is your thumb wanting to do? is it effecting any other elements of your playing?
It wants to lay parallel with the neck vs. perpendicular…
Ahh I see! Super common problem a lot of beginners have that can definitely be fixed. One of the main reasons why that happens is just because your thumb is trying to compensate the strength of your fingers. And also the technique you’re using. Just imagine holding a soda can or eve gripping a door knob. It’ll help you visualize the right technique while you’re playing. So focus on that and your grip strength as well