| Many
of my students, whether beginners or advanced, have had one problem in common:
proper fretting hand position. In this lesson, I will address the most common
problem, which is where the finger meets the fret. The
next time you pick up your bass, take a look at where your fingers meet the neck.
Watch other bassists when they play. Many players place their finger in the middle
of the fret, and this can lead to serious problems if not corrected. The
proper place to put the fretting finger is at the very front of the fret, actually
touching the fret wire. This pinches the string between your finger and the wire.
This in turn means that the string will only vibrate in front of the wire, not
behind it. This ensures that the note sounds out clearly and distinctly. The
other reason to fret in this manner is that in so doing you are teaching your
fingers accuracy. Think about it for a minute: If you are fretting in the middle
and you fall short, you could end up with a buzzed-out indistinct note. If you
fret as described and fall short a touch, you still have a clear note. This may
not matter when you're playing at a slow tempo, but when you are flying through
notes at light speed, it can mean the difference between a cool-sounding riff
and a train wreck. To
master this technique, start at Square One. Choose a scale or riff and play at
a very slow tempo, paying attention to where your finger connects with the string.
Do not increase tempo until you can play your chosen pattern at least ten times
in a row with perfect accuracy. At that point you can speed up a notch or two.
Make note of the fastest accurate tempo for the day and write into your practice
log. The next time you practice this, start two notches below your fastest previous
tempo and continue working on building speed while maintaining perfect accuracy. Most
of my intermediate and advanced students only need a few hours of focused time
to change their fretting habits. It becomes second nature very quickly for most
people. And spending the time to teach your muscles the right way to fret a note
is repaid many times over when you play with others. ©2004
- Lane Baldwin, Reprinted with permission of the author from laneonbass.com Lane's
Music Bio | Lane's Company Bio | Lane
on Bass Web Site
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