Frets

[chris in seattle]

I played a little 20 years. I'm reading a book for beginners and it says to be succesfull I need to be able to put 4 fingers on 4 frets at one time. Is this true?

[butcherNburn]

It sounds like that book is as usefull as the instructions that come with a harmonica.

 

Welcome!

[73 P Bass]

I can not make that stretch, and I've given up trying.

I need to be at about the 7th fret to use one finger per fret.

Small hands.

You know what they say about small hands don't you?

Small gloves.

 

That was for you Getz!

[g.]

Seems like there are too many rules - or too many people who think everything should have a rule. We are fortunate that their are also people who find their own ways. Those include most of the great musicians, I think. It also includes many others who may not always be thought of as "great" but show an indomitable spirit - and truly are great:

 

How do you play with no fingers?

[Luke73]

I'm still a beginner, so don't pay too much attention to me - but I would say that if you can, it would be wise to work on being able to make that stretch.

 

It's very difficult at first, and it took me a while to get it, but I'm getting more and more comfortable playing in the first position now with one finger per fret. It reduces the amount of shifting you have to do, and things can sound cleaner as a result.

 

Find some good stretching/strengthening exercises and practice them often. It makes a huge difference and you'll see results quite quickly. I have a few routines that I practice each session that I play my bass, and I feel that it helps tremendously.

 

If you have very small hands, and just can't manage it - so be it. I'm sure there are many great bass players that don't do that stretch. But if you're able I'd say it would certainly be advantageous.

[g.]

Eberbachl,

 

Actually it's kinda stupid to put any premium on that. It can easily lead to physical problems later on - some people have done irreparable damage in fact. Much better to get proficient at position shifting, learn some variation of Simandl (really since it is ELECTRIC bass and not upright, Simandl is just a decent guide in my estimation), and get good at THUMB PIVOTING, as I think has been discussed here many times, and as recently as probably 5 or 6 days ago.

[Luke73]

Yeah, I guess that's right, and it's certainly a very valid point.

 

You do need to be careful not to do yourself an injury, and like I said - if you've got small hands and can't make the stretch, then so be it. Lot's of great bass players don't do it.

 

But then again, if you can do it I'm sure it's a good thing. For me, mostly the exercises have helped strengthen my third and fourth fingers so I can fret the notes cleanly. It's hasn't really had much to do with "stretching" my hands as such.

 

[g.]

You seem unusually persistent. This has nothing to do with hand size per se. Just like back injuries don't just happen to "short people" (thank allah Randy Newmann wrote that before PC was so rampant).

[Luke73]

Persistent? I thought I was just agreeing with you that there is a risk of injury, and that you should be careful.

 

Anyway, just out of interest - do you advocate not using one finger per fret for fear of injury, even if you can comfortably do it after strengthening the muscles in your hand/forearm?

 

FWIW - I guess I don't really use one finger per fret "at the same time" in the strictest sense. I do use some thumb pivoting in the first and second positions...

 

[g.]

The MUSCLES can be as strong as you want. Though strength isn't the issue in playing an instrument either (those stupid grip things won't do a tenth of what playing your instrument will do for you - this is MUSIC, not weightlifting.)

 

Anyway. The MUSCLES can be as strong as you want.

That doesn't do much for the TENDONS ; }

 

I can play with the big spread. I just don't valuate that very highly or think it is better just because I can.

[Luke73]

Don't get me wrong when I talk about strengthening - I don't mean pumping iron, or squeezing those silly grip things.

 

I'm talking about the strengthening of the forearm which comes from regular playing of my instrument.

 

I guess on the tendon injury issue, another important factor would be that of wrist position - not simply the four finger stretch.

 

I'd say it's important to mantain good technique with a straight wrist to help reduce injury through carpal tunnel imflamation and tendon damage regardless of whether or not you're using one finger per fret or not.

 

Would you agree?

 

[davebrownbass]

Most of the guys I know use a Simandl-type 1-2-4 on the lower positions, and move to 1-2-3-4 on the upper positions.

 

However, they will stretch if the need arises.

 

I do know one player (Lou Carfa) who ONLY plays electric, and who seems to be very strict in the use of his third finger. I'm not; my URB playing made that finger weak from disuse.

 

And Lou's a much better player than me. Was playing with Maynard Ferguson by age 19.

[g.]

UH, don't try and trick me now ; }

 

You might want to check out some of what Carole Kaye has said - or quite a few others on the w-w-web including some sports/performance therapists and doctors before thinking that just because your wrist isn't bent that you no longer would have physical liabilities.

 

I'll also mention Simandl again; it's not recent news by any means that finger #3 is a baddie. And that's NOT just because of the scale of the instrument.

[Luke73]

OK, I'll go and do some reading.

 

[hags2k]

Originally posted by 73 Tokai:

I can not make that stretch, and I've given up trying.

I need to be at about the 7th fret to use one finger per fret.

Small hands.

You know what they say about small hands don't you?

Small gloves.

 

That was for you Getz!

I'm with you.

 

I can stretch over an inch farther on my left hand now than when I first started playing, but I can't make the four fret reach in first position, and when I use one finger per fret, I MUST lift my hand slightly to accomplish it. I keep trying, but there is a limitation to how far hands of a certain size can go!

 

Seems there are more of us small-handed bass players than first meets the eye, though, and I don't think it's nearly the drawback I once thought it was.

[dcr]

Stretching is a good thing. Practicing stretching is very physical, though, so warm up to it, go slow, & be careful. (I had a teacher who used to run all kinds of drills with index on fret one, middle finger on fret three, & pinky on fret five! With increasing metronome speed! And multiple position shifting mid-riff! Youch. Don't go that far!)

 

But what is stretching good for? Well, it might help you make longer reaches when you need to. But I'd say it's real payoff is that it makes it even easier to play across smaller distances. I'd still rather shift &/or pivot than do wicked stretches. But having a strong, limber hand is good, even if you never stay within 3 or 4 frets at a time.

 

Chris, I might suggest finding a better book. Why not head down to Bass NW in Pioneer Square? They have a good selection & can point out a good'n. And then you can go down the hill to Ivar's--can't be bad!

[jeremy c]

Originally posted by chris in seattle:

I played a little 20 years. I'm reading a book for beginners and it says to be succesfull I need to be able to put 4 fingers on 4 frets at one time. Is this true?

No.

[Whacked]

well, I can do the 4 finger stretch in first position, however I dont make a point of doing it all the time.

it seems I can play faster and better when I shift instead of stretching.

[dhurstlmt]

Since I started out as a guitarist (oops) I used to be worried about dexterity in my left hand. I did stretches and practiced chords to help me extend my reach. Now, as a bass player I have kind of given it up. I have not yet run into a time when I needed one finger per fret. I can always get away with not, so to me it is not worth the effort when I don't need it.

[Fred TBP]

Originally posted by chris in seattle:

I played a little 20 years. I'm reading a book for beginners and it says to be succesfull I need to be able to put 4 fingers on 4 frets at one time. Is this true?

Read this and tell me what you think...

how do you play with no fingers (prior topic)

 

The only limits are those you place on yourself.

[Fred TBP]

Frets?

No wonder I have so much trouble with intonation on my fretless basses...

[EddiePlaysBass]

dumb part edited out

 

That book sounds like a load of

[chewstermaniac]

To be a technical genius you need to have a really good stretch over the fret board, but that is for technical wizardry only ( you know, 32nd notes for 10 minutes straight )

 

To be a great bass player you need only know your instrument, and have the rudimentaries of music down to start (but keep learning!) to get up and going.

 

So, no, I don't think you need this skill, however you can work on developing it. playing is more than having an understanding of music, it is physical as well, so the more dexterity you build into your fretting hand the better.

[SteveC]

No.

 

I have my students do 1-2-4, especially in the lower range. Once you get higher, I let them use 4, as do I. For MOST people, playing OFPF will cause pain and damage.