Two handed playing?
Speaking of two handed playing, I have been practicing it for some time and still I stink at it but that is another story. Anyways, as I watch these vids (the George Smed ones) I noticed how effortlessly, softly he is hammering and the tone is spot on. When I try to do the same I find I need to really attack the strings.
I have tried putting my p/ups close to the strings (just to the point where they do not touch but it looks as though they are), lowering the action as low as possible, playing with ALL the eq settings on the bass and amp but no luck.
Anyone have any helpfull hints or ideas? I am lost and I have been writing a tune that will require me to play two handed. Yeah I could change it so I do not have to but why take the easy way?
CHeers
HAZ
Perfect Practice Makes Perfect--YOU Said that!! LOL!
Honestly Haz, I just think we're going to have to force ourselves to perfect this stuff. It's weird for me because it seems like learning a whole new instrument. Basicially, it is!!
I mean think about it, we're learning to play an instrument in the guitar family the same way a piano would be played. Hand independence must be established and we must also learn to get our right hands as comfortable with the neck as our left (vise versa for lefties) hand is.
I am simply going to start going through scales with my right hand for strength, dexterity, and accuracy. I am also going to get a freekin' Scuncci thingy to mute those bloomin' strings so I don't get that awful harmonic that happens when I tap a note high up on the fretboard.
I really think you, Wheat, and myself should be in contact a lot about this since we all seem to be of the same mind about it. If we do that, we'll learn stuff from each other and grow. I think it will just take time to master.
BoH
Getcha' Groove ON!
Bo
You don't love me, you just love my FINGERSTYLE!
Peavey T40; SX/Squier P-bass; Spector Legend 5
Roland Bass 30 Cube
Well, I do not have the hand
Well, I do not have the hand coordination problem you speak of since I can do it on my guitars. My problem is getting the notes on the bass to sound decent whithout having to use a sledge when I do the hamer-ons. Shyte, I just had a thought, maybe I should go with lighter guage strings? Have not tried that yet.
Stay in contact?? Well I was told by the CIA to stay away from ya'll crazy fools. (Hey Wheat, you got no smileeees we can use to show our good nature)
Feel free to drop me a line any time as long as you do not ask theory questions. NO THEORY!! I am still in second grade when it comes to theory. Technique I can do but not the book stuff. This is me brain on theory
Cheers
HAZ
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"Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect."
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"Carburetors man!! That's what life is all about."
Musicians Collaboration Studio
Sledge Hammer!?!? Guitars!?!?
Haha! Great .gif! I love it!
I'd go with lighter strings, if I were you. As for me, I don't want no namby-pamby .040s on any of my basses! LOL! I'll stick with the .045s! Yeah, like that's a big difference! Hahahahaha!
BoH
Getcha' Groove ON!
Bo
You don't love me, you just love my FINGERSTYLE!
Peavey T40; SX/Squier P-bass; Spector Legend 5
Roland Bass 30 Cube
Mayby-pamby 40s!
Ha! Thanks for that Bo. I am, in deed, playing maybe-pamby 40s on my fretted bass (and I'd like something lighter for my fretless as well. I have some regular RotoSounds on there that my wife, sweetheart that she is, bought me for Valentine's day. Flats even. I think I'm ready to go back to something lighter and probably a roundwound or at least half-wound.
Wheat
bassplaying.com
What works for me...
Haz,
I've found it hard to get the right attack. It's easy to play too hard or not hard enough when you're doing the tapping thing. I do use light gauge strings: Hartke HSB 440's (40/60/75/95). I'm sure that helps. You also don't want to go too low with the action, as you need some distance between the fret and the string in order to get a good hammer on.
That what works for me, at least. I'm no genius with the two-handed thing, though I'm making progress. It's cool that we're all working on this technique right now. I think we'll really be able to help each other out.
Wheat
bassplaying.com
Thanks Wheat. Although I
Thanks Wheat. Although I have tried string hights from 5mm down to 0.5mm and still nothing. I have more to post but the little bear just awoke so I gotta run.
Cheers
HAZ
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"Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Carburetors man!! That's what life is all about."
Musicians Collaboration Studio
I'm with you...
It really is a whole new instrument. What's hardest about it, I think, is the interplay between the two hands. I'm starting to find some patterns that work for that, and I'll be happy to share them as soon as I can find time to write them down. I used to try to think of the two hands as completely independent, but I think that was a mistake. If I think of them and working together to play one line, it seems to work out better. It ends up sounding like two lines (one low and one high) a lot, but that's really a illusuion. Of course, it may be less of one once I have more independence in the two hands.
The scrunchie thing works. My wife got me one! It's blue, though, and I need a black one to match my bass. :)
Wheat
bassplaying.com