Thank you, Cici! Sincerely, as a guitarist that wants to get better at playing bass, this was invaluable information. The way you show and explain things just clicks. If you ever do a full course, I'll definitely be one of the first to sign up. Much respect. Thank you again, Cici!
The key to right hand fluidity for me was to get into floating thumb. Anchoring on the pickup and bottom string worked decently as long as I was playing 4-strings, but once I move to 5-strings it no longer worked for me at all. Whatever works and keeps your arm relaxed is the way to go.
If you haven’t done it yet, Moving into the world of 6 string bass will put you into a whole new “Balancing act”. For me, I had to play from a completely different position (The bass much higher up) so I could get up under the neck to get my hand into position to access the super wide fretboard. Of course that position puts your right wrist into a wacky position, but knowing the “floating thumb” technique really helps. If you haven’t done it yet, a 6 string bass is kind of different animal than 4 & 5, but really fun to play. 🤘🏻
Not enough people doing "how to" videos touch on the importance of wrist positioning in finger technique... A straighter wrist not only has impact in your playing it will also help prevent injury. Thanks Cici!
practcing c'mon girl now....thats a great one for practice...i get up to half speed, i think :)i play with my wrist in an angle (70 degrees ,or so? ) see if i can play a with a little less angle , and realax....tnx again ,Cici,good one again !
Fascinating video; thanks for posting. For the thumb-positioning technique, it helps if you have a pickup which doubles well as a thumb rest (one of my basses has this, the other doesn't). For the one that doesn't (a 5), these days I find I'm letting my hand "float" for the B and E strings (essentially resting wrist/forearm against body), then switch my thumb to the bottom string for A, D and G. It's not a perfect solution, but it seems to work. Physical relaxation: yes yes yes. Used to find that I would be relaxed when practising on my own, but would tense up when playing with friends, and it just slowed me down and led to cramping in hands and forearms (on plucking and fretting hands). Really like the multi-finger "roll" into a single note; will have to try that for a couple of songs where the bass returns with a "crash". Something I still need to work on is that, on fast runs, I find it slightly harder to shift to the higher strings than when descending to the fatter ones. Not sure why that is, other than an old dog trying to learn new tricks . . .
@@CiciVonStrangelove I've been depressed all my life but music keeps me going. We are so blessed to have you in our life. CICI never stop smiling and playing music ❤️
@@littledittymusic727 Music really is beyond this world isn’t it. Thank you so much, loads of love to you, and if there’s every anything I can help with please let me know :) 💜
Talk about timing! Yesterday I was like "What if I just kept my thumb on the E rather than floating around?" Immediately noticed a boost in smoothness in playing. Then I click this video today and like DUH! You're the best.
As a long term guitarist and only "hobby" bassplayer I , honestly spoken, prefer a Plek. But of course fingerstyle is the "real" stuff. Enjoyed your lesson and love your tasteful live sound with the DS Trio. Keep on rockin !
Finger snob here, fingerstyle is a funner more personal way for the player to access the bass. Pick has been on a huge number of popular records. It's a different way of accessing the groove and cutting through the mix.
As a pick bass player, I totally agree. If you're good playing bass with a pick, then you don’t want to go back to picking with your fingers. Pick is a very useful tool for string instruments to get even and precise tone, and I honestly don't understand why so many bassists refuse it.
@@GenaKosenko I like doing both techniques..If I'm doing faster styles then the pick is the best,if I'm doing more slower and funky styles I play with fingers.. Although having said that in all honesty Im more at "one" with my bass when I play fingerstyle..
@@patrickr6505 Actually I do the same. I delimit the areas of application. Pick is good for some technical stuffs and high BPM. Fingers provide fat sound but kind unstable smooth attack, and they are good doing slow styles. For all that, I'm a pick guy - I love this focused even tone and bright attack I get from a bass guitar with the pick, more control and efficiency. If you need, you can get very warm deep tone with the pick too, because it depends of a pick itself, bass player skills, and EQ settings. But the main advantage of the pick - for me - is eveness and clarity of attack.
Lots of interesting stuff in there, definitely some good suggestions for more aggressive tones especially. Interested in muting technique, its not something I noticed you touching on unless I missed. Saw some clips where it looked like you might be using your ring/pinky to mute lower strings while playing up high, its hard to tell though when the focus is on demonstrating other elements of playing. I used to play with my thumb firmly rooted on the pickup and 1st string until I got ripped to shreds in the studio for bad muting technique. It's taken me a hell of a lot of time to undo bad practices and prevent unwanted string noise when playing D and G strings. It felt like starting from scratch for a good month until I started to make progress. For any people coming into bass fresh, its better to get that technique locked in early albeit using your thumb or ring and pinky fingers. Nothing kills a take quicker than sympathetic resonance, even if it's passable live or playing at home. Great content as always and fantastic bass choice 🤘I love my P4 exotic and J4.
Sorry I’ve just seen your comment! But you’re absolutely right, I do use my pinky to mute strings in some cases. Not something I noticed myself doing for quite a while! Thanks for watching :)
any instrument is about economy of motion. very good tips cici. it is important to remember that everyone’s biomechanics are different, what works for others may not work for you. once you have decent finger strength, focus on the smallest possible movements you can make while still sounding how you want. and USE YOUR WHOLE ARM!! for any note you play, it should start at the shoulder. then the elbow, then the forearm, then the wrist, and THEN the fingers. play with the same posture every time you practice. most importantly, stay loose and stay groovy baby. once you figure out the most efficient movements for you, you just gotta keep doing them, slow and fast, until they become instinct. repeat. this is how you become a virtuoso
Great thing to talk about right hand stress if right handed finger bass player, same applies to left handed finger bass players, many years ago after a show I went to emergency room, right tendons were so stressed from playing harder instead of letting the amp do the job, I felt that the action I wanted to provide needed the added effort from my 5 fingers, I do use all five fingers on both hands, Mostly I used 4 fingers 99% of the time, throwing the thumb in where needed. After the hospital visit, I began letting the amp do more work and it did help a lot. This all was back in the 70's, I'm retired now. I think it's great that people are discussing these things today so muscle issues are at bay, just think 50 years ahead, do you want that pain? So CiCi, Great Job!!!!
Absolutely fascinating. I've never seen someone break down their playing technique to such an extent & I don't think I've ever seen someone play quite the way you do. Most excellent, thanks so much.
I can't figure out how to play like that without the head of the bass falling. Resting my forearm on the body of the bass is the only way I can keep it up and it's driving me insane help..
Great video - it’s nice to see how you have adapted your technique to be economical and work with how you want your sound. I’m beginning to play the bass, mainly punk stuff but I have short arms and fingers. I’m trying diffeeent techniques to see what is comfortable for me but allows me to get the sound I want. I’m playing near the neck with the bass lowish and quite angled up at the head, this gives me a good sound, I prefer the pluck near the neck and it allows a good picking speed but it also allows me to fret a little easier too with it angled up.
I have always been an admirer of your right hand technique (and have commented as such a couple times) so it was quite interesting to hear you discuss it in so much depth...thank you for that... I am primarily a guitar player but do enjoy playing bass, although I have no inclination to call myself a bass player...I have relatively small hands and play a Jazz bass primarily for the neck...you have stated in a few different videos, both on your channel and at Anderton's as well, that you don't like Jazz basses, and looking at the majority of your bass collection it is apparent that you prefer wider necks...the fingerboard on that Schechter has a very wide neck (I played one for a moment after seeing yours and immediately put it down)...I'd love to see you address why you prefer wider necks and also how you deal with them considering how small your hands are...
Very interesting. I often asked myself how players play to get different sounds. Your sound is kind of unique. But why don't you play with all four? Doesn't that give your more possibilities?
That was useful, it’s going to help me forward. My problem is getting my two fingers to alternate consistently it’s like my index finger is dominant. I suppose it’s perhaps a matter of going slow until alternating sticks?
If it helps, When I dealt with that issue myself, I noticed that I had less strength and control with my middle finger than I had in my index. Other than just practicing the two finger technique, I took a good deal of my practice time and devoted it to playing with just the middle finger alone. It was really weird to do in the beginning, but I quickly developed a ton of strength and control that I didn’t have before.
Thanks for this wonderful video Cici, some very useful insights and tips there. I really like the way you put information across and I’d quite happily pay you for one to one tuition if that were at all possible.
I play guitar but am pretty lost when it comes to good bass technique. Tips are really useful. Love your playing and the latest single is great. Keep up the good work and thanks. 👍
This was great! It seems as though, I'm holding good form for learning bass. I'm most comfortable with the same posture as you. The only difference, is that I'm pretty much always standing up, and I actually (currently) play, with my fingers hitting the strings between the neck and the neck pickup. Being that I'm learning on a 6 string, muting unused strings is quite tricky. I'm doing decently with it, but I'm also curious enough, that I'm going to explore into as many different techniques as I can, to see what works best for me. I'd love some insight on the way that you keep unused strings from making excessive noise (especially when running through distortion)
Good tips! Are you playing through your boss amp here? I just missed out on a nice old school gallien krueger rb series bass amp head that was pretty sweet looking Still considering that boss 160w 210, but it is amazing how many people speak poorly of it. especially the speakers , poor quality and farting. Guitar center has them for $600 here but no foot switch, $125, no blutooth transmitter, $60, and no expression pedal, $???. Would you recommend the 4 / 5? button foot switch, expression pedal and or blutooth mod if I do purchase one? I have been told point blank 'don' get that, get the fender rumble' so many time I am starting to wonder if fender is paying a commission to people.. I really do need to get a bass amp soon though. Maybe just find an old 15 inch speaker cab and a El Chebong head for now if not. Love the tips video. Great stuff for us peeps just learning to bass!
Thank you for the video Cici so much. You're really going to teach future bassists with this tape. You have a great finger style with playing. Have a great weekend.
Sorry I’ve just seen your comment! It depends on what I’m playing, it seems to happen naturally these days so I’d have to really analyse it depending on what I’m playing, but I have done both. I’d say go with what’s comfortable for you :)
Would I be right in saying that the way you hit the strings, as you describe it, is sort of a compromise or half way between a pluck and a slap? Or do I need to keep watching your explanation until it sinks in?
Great advice, i used to play bass and drums at school, I'm naturally good at rhythm, and had a bass for a couple year's but sadly had to sell it because at that time my kids was young and we needed money for Xmas. But I'm going to get another bass, i loved playing it, with and without pick. Question, i noticed with Lemmy he played alot of chord shapes, do you do this or play the natural one string picking? Ps you are such an amazing bassist, i honestly feel you could run with the popular bassists like Steve Harris, flea R.H.C.P and even Les Claypool, you just have that magic they have. My next purchase will be a bass because i really enjoy the sound and i love playing rhythm. I'm just not sure what bass to get as I'm on benefits due to mental health and other issues. I had pneumonia last summer and unfortunately I'm still suffering pain in my right lung which is being investigated by lots of scans, blood tests etc. Getting old sucks sometimes, especially with health. Any way rambling abit. But thankyou for the tutorial, very helpful. Take care CiCi ✌️🤘
