Beginner Bass Guitar Lesson: Left Hand Technique

[ReginHero]

lol my little finger went crazy while doing this xD

[fowter1]

4:40 is so hard for me =/ broke my hand when i was 12 and now my pinky finger and knuckle are just totally messed

[xsvmaster]

Byfar the most important video for beginners.

Well, I'm off to relearn years of bass playing!

[bunsenburger]

can't get my thumb flat down... i can only get it side on, and it feels sooo unnatural. i physically can't turn my thumb so it's flat down on the neck. might it have to do with me being a piano player?

[IceyFlame500]

the thumb on back of neck is a lie i've seen steve harris have his thumb stick out above the neck like es griping it, unless u wanna say steve harris is bad at playing bass

[ENC14]

@IceyFlame500 Man, it isn't a lie, it's just the most comfortable position and it gets the best tone. It's the same for the guitar, but a lot of guitarists prefer to stick their thumb above the neck, but it doesn't mean that they are bad guitarists.

[TheSonsofHorusx]

nice hawiian shirt

[SuspeciousComedyCall]

hey why is everyone on youtube freaking prejuiced !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLAY A LEF HANDED GUITAR FREAKIN Ass whipe

[AustralianGuyyy]

brilliant. thanks mate.

[carl6154]

he dresses like tyler the creator.

[bassharmonica1]

Is that an Ibanez GSR200? If so, I have the same bass, also, in red.

[VinniePaah]

It's interesting how many left hand techniques are suggested for playing bass guitar. This is a varation on the OFPF (one finger) per fret approach. Other variation would be to stretch over the first four frets and some people with spider fingers can do that just fine. Another method would be to not to pivot on the thumb but use 124 over frets 123 with ring finger unused in low positions.

The method Russ offers is logical, it doesn't break the OFPF but how efficient the shifting (pivoting) is?

[drew25kra]

The thing I don't get is, I see professional bassists (everyone from Wooten to Entwhistle to Burton to Geddy to everyone) break alot of these rules.....I see guys go over the top of the E string all the time with their thumbs (I'm guessing for muting purposes)....should I begin slowly with the techniques in this video and build my way up to what those guys are doing or what?

[electric6Funeral]

@overture13 thanks for the response!

yeh dude! sabbath rock! geezer is an influence \m/ :)

[johnthegreek178]

@electric6Funeral Lol I want to listen to Electric Funeral now!

[howtoplaybassgood]

Love it!

[electric6Funeral]

hey im just starting out bass,

when you play a fret (say #6) with your middle finger can your index stay pressed down on the string as long as it is behind the note your playing an not interfering with the sound?

can this also be done lower down, playing with your pinky and your other fingers can stay pressing behind the note your playing?

a response from any bass player would be great! hope it made sense! :)

[overture13]

@electric6Funeral Yeah, man. It's perfectly fine to do that! It's a good habit to have. I see your user name is Electric Funeral, which suggest you've got a good influence in Black Sabbath and Geezer Butler! Good luck with your playing.

[capl1]

Thanks Russ, this is the 1st time I have seen your lesson and it has been very helpfull.

[richardxs]

I dont know how fucking play a bass but at 6:30 ...I CAN DO THAT :)

[yatah]

@richardxs I almost pissed my pants laughing. Good one mate

[drexloc]

my thumb is a lot longer and is giving me problems.

[GoreWhoreNemesis]

ok so i have really girly hands it seems, because this i just cannot do. and it even hurts my wrists. maybe my bass career is over before it even begun D:

nooooooooooo

[bestNameimaginable]

@GoreWhoreNemesis WAIT! Don't quit bass, I am doing the exact same thing, my wrist really hurts, but look how High that is on his body, you try it, and the you can reach. But don't keep it that high, looks stupid, looks cool real low though. Don't listen to half the stuff he's saying, I agree with some of it, just don't believe it all.

[SDRockman]

Hi Russ. I really thought this video you made is very good, as I have never even seen any body talk about the left hand like you have done in this video. The only problem I'm having is that when I have my fingers arched like that, when I play the E string, it's impossible to keep the other strings quiet. I know that I'm doing something wrong, but I was wondering if you could give me a little bit of advice?

[BassByTheBay]

6:28 - 6:36 :-D

[Aapgeboren]

very good txs

[1380monkeys]

Thanks Russ this is a very good video and just what I needed.

[ericcoet]

quite hard To play if your hands are small, still a really useful vid

[aansar]

@ericcoet Try a Fender or Squier Jazz Bass -- the neck is really thin. The SoundGear line by Ibanez is also pretty good (I don't like the Ibanez tone as much though). The other thing for small hands is to get a shorter scale bass -- standard is 34inch, but you can buy them in 32 inch and even 30" (McCartney's violin bass was a 30 inch...if it's good enough him, who are we to argue?)

[sammyyyy90]

I'm a newbie to playing bass, and when I play my pinkie finger go's up, and I can't bring it down...ever. Any suggestions ?

[delyxstudios]

@sammyyyy90 practice :)

[emidiemaku]

The 9 people that didn't like this must be bass legends. Obviously.

I found it very helpful, though. Thanks :)

[987bowen]

eadg (guitar string notes) - eat all day G

[metalbassist2004]

you dont need to know your notes to be good

[aansar]

@metalbassist2004 Not at all -- I know some fantastic bassists who don't their notes... depends what you want though, and it sure doesn't hurt.  Bottom line is you gotta be able to play.

[SmokingKittyMusik]

Danke / Thanks

[Curlyfunksta]

My fingers are to small to play bass guitar :((

[Terruhcutta]

I figured it was always best to have your thumb behind your second finger, that way you don't stretch tendons, like when you close your hand like a mouth < like an accent, your thumb should be about on your second finger. A relaxed position

[thenalvo]

I've been reading other places that it is bad to have your wrists bent because it leads to carpal tunnel syndrome.

[rfactordave]

Now THAT was good info. A little late for me but better late than never! Thanks

[narlygirl2092]

I thought it was bad to have the wrist bent? With the thumb real low like that, my wrist bends at an extreme angle.

[D1SASTERarea]

thanks for your help :)

[voncoolio]

Don't interpret this wrong, but this lesson is useless. The best way to learn bass is to learn progeressively harder lines, until you are able to play Jaco's grooves, which test your attack, co-ordination and feel to the max. Always use a metronome and practice slowly before going fast. that's all there is to it.

[sliverhandsonbasses]

@voncoolio I disagree. It's obviously helpful learning difficult lines, but you need to do this kind of exercise because you can have some kind of lack in your knowledge of the instrument that can be way harder to fulfill.

[voncoolio]

@sliverhandsonbasses the legends of bass would disagree.

[sliverhandsonbasses]

@voncoolio Are you a bass legend??? Great!!!!

[voncoolio]

@sliverhandsonbasses No, but go ahead and waste time following this lesson, rather than playing music and learning how to play.

[delyxstudios]

@voncoolio ....please record how u do this exercise..beginning from 9:32 and video answer :)

[TheMetronomad]

@bradh716 ... he does not have the time to link lol

[VelvetDistortion]

Where is right hand technique? :[

[bradh716]

I have watched three videos of this guy and he didn't blink once.

[aansar]

@bradh716 keep it on the down low, 'cause he might read your comment and kick your ass... That gaze is intense!

[BassByTheBay]

@bradh716

Now I can't stop blinking!

[jallis12]

@bradh716 holy shit! lol

[Whiskeydrummer]

Questions for anyone: 6 years ago I crushed my pinkie (left hand) and it was pinned. I had no phys therapy. I still have good range of movement (75%). Now I am playing bass. Can I get away with using 3 fingers on my left hand? Or should i just stop whinning and do it with four?

[PunkRockAkatsuki]

the end was so hard core

[iamgrommie]

i have been looking for this type of teaching for hours. FINALLY! thanks so much for posting.

[metallicafan191]

1:04 - 1:05 just listen :-D

[Xxtomzda1xX]

wtf was tht?

[metallicafan191]

he threw up hahahahahh

[Xxtomzda1xX]

haaha

[sdfdsafs]

Its Hard To Get From One Note To The Other Such As Strecthing Your Hands Wats A Tip For That.....

[DevilSocke]

Ibanez ?

[sumwunhuis]

The idea of only the headstock side of the thumb touching is revolutionary for me. This makes it impossible for me to drop the heel of my hand, keeping my fingers in proper position, Only disagreement is that I've seen plenty of people say the thumb should be in the middle, along the axis, of the neck. That feels the most comfortable to me, especially since I have long fingers. I think each person can find what's best for them in that regard.

[KayKay1046]

it a great video

[fatfatat444]

Awesome

[mrlee192]

damn ive been playing nearly 6 years and ive had my thumb in the "avoid" position. I wondered why my wrist has been hurting

[jokersmile32]

i agree, ive been playing 8 years with my thumb way up on top the neck and my hands always cramp.

[Scriptednow]

Are you supposed to use your fingertips to press the strings down or arch your fingertips over the strings to hold them down?

[lilbanksboi]

good question...sombody answer dat

[sumwunhuis]

@Scriptednow I find that the more vertical I can bring my fingers down on the string, almost perpendicular to the fretboard, the better the tone I can achieve without having to press very hard. When done right, it almost looks like the hammer of a piano to me, where the finger actually strikes the string. You'll need good callouses on your fingertips though.

[canalopes]

Thanks Russ, Just got my first bass and want the proper tech. Like the way you teach!

[alanpachter]

This video is great for anyone wanting to learn proper bass technique. Better to start good habits early. Its very hard to un-learn bad technique. Been there, done that.

[Cambodia69]

I used to go to Atlanta Institute of Music back in the early 90's but was a guitar player back then. I remember, during performance class, a student of Russ' didn't have his shit together though he had plenty of time to prepare. Russ took him off stage and into a hallway, out of sight, but we could hear everything. The kid was one of those rocker types and seemed more concerned with his hair than the music. I saw him in tears a couple minutes later. I like Russ - he's a cool cat!

[RPLx12]

can anyone tell me if a fatboy bass guitar is good for begginers? plz

[SDRockman]

If the bass costs a lot, then, YES it is. If you buy a cheap bass, you will never in a million years get the action the way you want it and action is very important when it comes to bass and guitars. If you have horrible action, playing the instrument will be a struggle and you will be worrying about your technique. In short, buy the BEST bass you can afford. You will sound better, have good action and if it doesn't work out then you will get more money for it if you choose to re sell it.

[mikowal]

thanks a lot! It really helps!

btw. nice hat ;-)

[virtualbush]

Fret Hand, Fret hand, call it fret hand!! (Some folks hand the right hand on the neck) GRIN, I don't..

LOL great vid man. I retired from bass after years of pro work. I itch play Geddy Lee and John Myung again. Not to mention invent.

[dbates23114]

Is that a Tradition Bass?

[campbellmichael]

He picked that bass off the wall at the music store he teaches at. (I'm one of his students.) His regular bass is a Ken Smith 6 string.

[geez5557]

can you have the bass up a little higher it's not quite past your neck yet!

[HyphyG123]

lol

[jaapvorselen1]

@geez5557 is that sarcasme?

[fredsassy5]

@geez5557 ur so mean son

[babesgarden]

@geez5557 this question makes no sense! Watch some good Bassplayers and you'll know why they got that high. (Tal Wilkenfeld i.e)

[shooz4u]

This is an excellent video on left hand technique for bass playing. I strongly urge anyone who is thinking about or already playing bass to view and learn from this video. Outstanding work Russ!!

[EmantheBassist]

sangol88: i wouldn't say its completely normal, but its definitely not uncommon to use a pick (plectrum) on bass. I do it all the time. It doesn't make it sound bad or anything, and it doesn't make me a bad or "impure" bassist, it just depends on what is comfortable for you for the style you play. I can play much faster picking than not. Bass is bass. Pick or no pick.

[olmesy]

actualy the pick makes a different noise from fingers

[MrRubenz72]

Check Out Alexis Sklarevsky strumming the strings, bass guitar has no limits...

[sangolt88]

Is it normal to use a plectrum at bass?

[Dinggas123]

you can use a plectrum but it realy depends on the type of music.

if you are playing rock you would use a plectrum but for something like blues you would use your fingers. but it realy comes done to what u fell comfortable doing

[sangolt88]

Bass is all about scales isn't it?

[RG17o]

no, no it's not.

[sangolt88]

Thank you for you very informative comment, I must say I have never seen a bass player strum a chord.

[RG17o]

just because bassists don't bang out power chords all day doesn't mean playing bass revolves around playing scales.

[Dizkneelande]

really? because I've seen plenty

[NorwegianCrows]

O'rly? Bass are usually played fingerstyle with scales and slapping the strings, anyone who strum a bass guitar is mentally challenged.

[Dizkneelande]

I'm not talking about only playing freaking chords for a whole song. I've seen plenty of bassists hit a chord when it's appropriate for a part of the song.

[LinkBulletBill]

well in Heartbreaker by Led Zeppelin, when it is at the chorus, JPJ (great bassist) played powerchords given the song an extra edge, and cool sound... But that's the only time I seem him do powerchords, the only time!

[wysiwyg248]

sangolt88,

You can play chords (melody) on a bass, the problem is that you must play them pretty high on the instrument to make them sound nice.

This takes out the main purpose of the instrument which is setting up the foundation (harmony).

What scales are used for is to develop patterns to define bass lines.

On the comments about tapping, strumming, etc. you will find players who can do that, and in a very nice way (Manring, Rainey, Graham, etc.) one last thing: Picking is just for noses

[vonroden]

No ... It's more like outlining the chord proggression