Developing Safe Left Hand Technique for Bass Guitar

[@turtleCalledCalmie]

You colud totally revisit this topic with proper quality just so more people would see it. Very helpful

[@McDoinky]

killme But what about the *M E M E S*

[@mackenziecolt]

So true, was about to skip because of video quality. Thank God I gave it a chance

[@TachyBunker]

? This has taught me how to not injure myself, that's the goal.

[@ih8suvs]

And lose the "In my bedroom at my parent's house" vibe!?

[@alexambroise111]

Yes plz

[@drew-shourd]

Hey man, retired professional drummer from Los Angeles here, at the young age of 57, finally bought a bass and this video, even 13 years later, helped me out tremendously, thank you bro.

[@Jesuswinsbirdofmichigan]

Totally, same here🦉🇺🇸

[@AvianSavara]

Adam, you are my hero. No joke... 20 years ago I was taught to position the thumb between my middle and ring fingers... I commited to this and for the life of me I could never play bass for more than an hour a day before it got too painful. And now this 10-year video has lifted that pain away. Thank you so much. Ugh.... And this is why you don't learn bass from a guitarist....

[@roachdoggjr6961]

hey man, I'm a guitarist and think this is fucking uncomfortable too hmmph

[@rs41596]

The same staff. I'm new to bass-guitar and started with this "academic classical position"& After 2 weeks my wrist was hardly bended because of the pain. When it get more painful I started to look for some videos like this one. And as soon as I tried to hold the neck with my thumb moved a bit to the left, the tension, that caused pain is gone. No, my wrist still hurt because it's already injured. But it doesn't get worse when I have guitar in my hand. So I hope that if I give my hand a rest and then continue playing with proper left hand position I will avoid this painful feeling. Thanks god that this guy recorded this video! 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@halfwayinfinate6342]

I'm a guitarist and I must agree. Even Jimi Hendrix didn't put his thumb on the neck often

[@AndreiGrozea]

Adam doesn't age

[@dantekross6489]

They only play the BASS

[@marselmusic]

i knew it

[@alexkairis3927]

If you didn't say it, I would have. I call it "Keanu Syndrome"

[@kameronpeterson3601]

its only been 9 years, its not like hes a preteen here

[@BudderB0y2222]

He looks about a decade older, although I'd agree that he looks good for his age

[@chrisb9026]

I was recommended this video by a Redditor. I've been playing for nearly a year and have around 30 tunes down for a covers band I joined. I want to step up my playing, so was following advice on fretting and thumb position which led to my hand clawing up, just as demonstrated. My hand and wrist are still sore from just 30 mins practicing with me forcing my thumb behind index and middle fingers. What this video has shown me is that I was on the right track to begin with. My thumb was to the side a bit and pointing up headstock. And it felt good. I got no hand or wrist fatigue even after rehearsal sessions of 2+ hours. Thank you for the reassurance. You have yourself another subscriber.

[@mainetimmermans8033]

As a physiotherapist i agree with you completely, important video folks!

[@mikarage3677]

naturally started playing like this but everybody keep telling me "NO you have to keep your thumb in the middle of the fretboard and never ever pointed toward the neck like a hitchhiker." your video just confort me to play in a more natural position no matter what so called expert says. thanks for this another great video.

[@zacharymendenhall2859]

I would argue that Adam Neely is the expert, meticulously researching content for the betterment of his students. Whilst the expert apprentice will teach you the prior teacher's knowledge.

[@Traumglanz]

Who even are those "experts" who make such nonsense claims?

[@chrisb9026]

I'll gladly hitch a lift to groovesville (instead of the osteopath)

[@VeganStance]

Me too,now ive seen this video i can i can go back to my natural position,ive only been playing bass a few months.

[@Cruel_hunter]

1) Shoulder 0:53 2) Elbow 1:03 3) Wrist 1:18 4) Fingers 1:35 5) Thumb 2:09

[@rapalva4083]

Finally someone who's teaching safe ergonomic techniques. So many folks that teach don't get this right!

[@deblynne9440]

You are a natural born teacher. I'm brand new and you just took the pain out of my left wrist

[@charlesfewlass2120]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Finally an instruction on left-hand technique that doesn't say put your thumb behind your index or middle finger. I kept trying but my wrist was uncomfortable and was bent. It just didn't make sense. I was starting to wonder if my wrist was deformed since I couldn't follow the "Common" technique. I have always had my thumb pointing to the headstock. In fact, it lays down completely against the neck when I have to stretch my pinky to a fret.

[@NickHarman]

Yes indeed, I'm new to bass and I was finding the recommended thumb placement very awkward. I notice too that many bass players wind their thumb over the top of the neck. I suppose the recommended thumb placing is best for long term technique and super skilled playing but for most of us it may not be necessary and we can just go with what feels most comfortable.

[@pringelsthegamefreak]

Lol 5 year old comment

[@dns1235]

pringelsthegamefreak Whaaaaa......

[@scottrankin4501]

@@pringelsthegamefreak 10 year old video.

[@extras5164]

@@NickHarman so is it different than guitar technique where you are supposed to do that? I’m learning guitar also and everyone says thumbs should be in line with the string I’m playing on and it should be behind my middle or index but idk what I should do and I’m not sure if the thumb to the left of the hand applies to guitar also??

[@mastod0n1]

was doing some googling and this video was the top result. I'm a fan of the channel and subscribed but these old videos never show up in the recommended videos. Man, you've come a long way! In terms of production quality; the content is great as always.

[@Aeon135]

What I love about this is that Young Adam doesn’t do the whole “different people have different playing style preferences” spiel. You know the thing where the teacher basically says you should do what “feels right” to you and no one way is best. Listen, no matter what you play, you’re still a human with all the same ligaments, tendons and bones as me. There is definitively, mechanically, a best way to fret a fingerboard. What intuitively feels right to a lot of beginners is to death grip their neck like a baseball bat. That’s bad. Classical guitar players figured this out and no matter what genre you play, proper fretting technique is universal.

[@AdaGonzalez42]

12 years later and this is still extremely helpful. So happy I found this video! Love your channel!

[@JosephBales]

As someone just starting out on the bass, this is by far the most helpful piece of instruction I've seen so far. This makes things so much easier even though I still don't really know what I'm doing yet. Thank you.

[@Lacroix67]

I'm so glad that this was posted. I played Bass for 16 years in bands and loved every minute of it, but after breaking my hand in a car accident and 2 surgeries I couldn't use my left-hand to play the fingerboard. Now if I can play lefty Bass, I will be able to play again. This will be a big help. Now I can really look into doing this! Thanks again

[@AlexandarShmex]

Did you recover, I hope you did!

[@mackenziecolt]

Dude thank you. I keep being told relax your hand. But no explanation whatsoever how to do it. Your explanation worked for me immediately. Even while have pain currently tried your technique. Relieved my pain and could still hold my bass.

[@KyleS.1987]

I just picked up bass after years of playing guitar and was killing my left hand trying to apply the same (classical guitar) technique. This video saved me a lot of pain. Thank you.

[@JLuisCastaneda]

Great rundown. I picked up the bass after 25 years. I practiced until I was more capable than I had ever been back in the day. The improvement was so marked, my band leader pointed it out. The he feeling of encouragement was so great, I started practicing daily. Then the pain started in my left hand. Thank you for this I watched several videos on left hand technique, but this puts it all together. One that thing I would stress more is practicing scales with the thumb off the bass altogether, pulling the bass towards your body with the right arm and pulling back the fretted note with the left arm instead of pinching it between thumb and fretting finger. I got this piece from Ian at SBL.

[@esmelouise2317]

Thank you for this almost 11 year old video. I'm a self-taught guitarist and have been playing for 20 years this year. I recently saw some videos talking about "proper" left hand technique, which was as you describe with the thumb behind the middle finger, which causes my wrist to bend uncomfortably. I had a moment of wondering if I'd been doing everything wrong for such a long time that I'd never be able to unlearn it, until I thought "surely lack of tension is the goal, having to try harder to play worse and be less comfortable doesn't seem like good technique at all" - Thanks for confirming that for me, it's put my mind at ease.

[@pure.panic.productions33]

Im 32. Im a guitarist who has had a bass since I was 17. I NOW am learning so much in just the first 4 and a half minutes of this. So stoked. Im finally teaching myself how to properly play bass and it’s just so exciting.

[@Gothgalactica]

13 years after you posted this, I’m glad I found this video it’s super important. Thank you. If you see this. Lol

[@jamesivey7339]

Just started playing the bass and no one has advocated the thumb aligning with the headstock.... Thank you for your wisdom - this stopped my niggling aches.

[@MashPotatoJohns]

I was teaching on of my friends how to play bass, and I couldn't articulate to them how to properly fret without fighting the bass. I pulled up this video and they instantly got it. Amazing stuff.

[@dawnpoint]

Brilliant. I’ve always believed in letting the body’s natural physiology guide your technique, no matter what instrument.

[@woodfamily5229]

@AdamNeely, dude. Wow. I just learned my first song on my first bass last night and was experiencing wrist pain. This was so good to learn, especially at this infancy stage of my development. Thank you so much.

[@fatheroftwo852]

I wonder how far you've went in the past 5 years? I hope your bass journey has fared well :D

[@apetska4817]

You're probably a beast now!

[@woodfamily5229]

@@apetska4817 yeah, I stopped after a month. Not because I was frustrated or anything, just didn't have passion enough to keep doing it.

[@mrkz8864]

Great video, as a pro bass player who's been injured and had to stop playing for a whole year I confirm this is the way to go. It took me years to change posture but the thing you want is NOT TO BEND your left hand wrist, and play with your fingertips, it's good for health and also to get a better tone. Unfortunately many - probably too many - really good, and famous bass teacher all use the C-shape on the left hand, and play with their wrists bent. And many of them actually teach that as the correct way to go to not experience pain, while it's actually quite the contrary. The point is: if you're genetically blessed with strong wrists and tendinis, and have a certain shape of arms, height and shouders, you may never experience pain bending your wrist... but most of the player will, because, as you perfectly said, it is a very tense and unnatural position. Thanks again man!

[@jimjarnagin5344]

Totally agree. I've been playing a long, loong time and never really paid attention to technique. Recently started trying to break the habit of hanging my thumb over the top of the neck. All the vids I found online were telling me specifically not to point the thumb towards the head-stock and bend the wrist.. After four days of trying their approach my wrist was cramping and hurt like hell. Adam's approach here is much better. I can keep my thumb planted in the center of the neck up and down the neck with no pain. The 45 degree angle tip for the lower positions helps too!!!! Thanks Adam!!! :-)

[@loavesofbread2911]

I'm having trouble keeping my wrist straight

[@mrkz8864]

@@loavesofbread2911 if you want follow me on tiktok as @zeusmichele I do give tips about this or DM on insta, same handle

[@spiketaterman5181]

I'm a sax player and recently took up bass (full scale G&L Tribute LB100). Even playing 20 minutes a day is killing my left wrist. I thought I pulled a muscle at the gym or something. I appreciate your weighing in, from the pro experience that this guy is onto a better way with his "natural" position thing. Is it possible to get carpal; tunnel from playing bass? I have no such problems with guitars.

[@mrkz8864]

@@spiketaterman5181 unfortunately yeah, it is possible. But I wouldn't bother with that for now, I had pain for years and then I recovered just changingn posture, strenghtening my tendinis working out, stretching... it takes a looong time though to both recover and find your perfect position. Anyway I recently did a vid about this on my tiktok if you want, you'll find me there as @zeusmichele good luck!

[@ErnieLeblanc]

This is a "Must-See" video of all guitarist, bass and otherwise. I've been teaching these physiological needs to my students since I started teaching way back when...

[@JingTheChickenWing]

another thing to keep in mind is how hard you press the strings down. Youd be surprised how little force is actually required to cleanly play a note. I was having wrist pain because I was too tense. a lot of the tension was going directly to my thumb and wrist simply because I wasn't relaxing my hand enough. being a beginner is hard, folks. but with enough practice anything is possible :)

[@larryknicks]

JingTheChickenWing Is there a way to build a feel for the top strings? I keep getting a lot of rattle when I use my pinky or ring fingers

[@tj0068]

jumping in to +1 Larrys comment same with mei get the same problem but it seems to just be some frets not my fingers

[@schmengar9896]

Oh my God... thanks.

[@NickHarman]

I find that as my finger tips toughen I can use less pressure. Initially I had to press down very hard because my fingertips were just so soft.

[@mcrekkr]

Was the paing on the thumb side of your wrist? I'm finding that at tye moment

[@betsyred4830]

Finally! I have been playing bass for about a year, was taught the thumb to middle finger technique and just got a sharp pain in my wrist for the first time. It never made sense to me how unnatural an uncomfortable that postion was, This feels so much better, easier and fluent. Thank you, you saved my life! :D

[@JonathanHernandez-en4on]

I've played the guitar for close to 18 years now and have always studied proper technique. Whenever I've dabbled in bass I tend to take a very punk, anything goes approach. This video really helped to show how to apply some of what I like to call the straight arrow technique where you're making sure everything is in line and anatomically relaxed! Thanks so much for this!

[@TheHelicapt]

Big help. Glad I found this. I was forcing my hand as all the other vids and lessons show and the fret hand was hurting. This makes so much more sense.

[@tallulahjean3077]

Thank you SO MUCH for posting this! I've been looking for someone to help with this forever, and frankly, every successful bass player I watch does NOT do the thumb-at-the-back-of-the-neck technique, yet all of them tell me to do that! Then they go up on stage and do this thing where the neck is cradled in the V of their thumb and forefinger and the thumb is creeping over the top, their whole hand engulfing the neck, nothing like what they tell me to do. (I used to wonder if it was just because they were men and their hands were bigger, but I see other female bass players do it too.) I have no strength doing the thumb-at-the-back-fingers-perpendicular thing, my shoulder hurts like hell and my wrist looks like it has a palsy. I look at the shape it makes my wrist take and say 'THAT CAN'T BE GOOD FOR IT. YOU ARE ALL ON DRUGS." I'm so glad to find someone who advocates for not hurting yourself. I'll be checking out your other stuff. Thanks again!

[@DJCJamI]

Almost five years old and still helpful. Thanks, insightful and well presented.

[@greasygamer6433]

This video needs to be shown to all bassists. Some of the biggest bass channels teach the "C shape" hand placement with the thumb behind the index or middle finger, but this is the proper way. Wish I would've seen this sooner, would've saved me a lot of time and pain.

[@brunopeers4330]

I've been searching forever for a lesson about the left-hand thumb. Pleas make a new video about this.

[@brunocyclist]

How come literally no other source - at all - teaches this thumb position? I really like the philosophy behind this!

[@gregpantelides1355]

I would love to see you revise this topic to see if you've modified this technique any throughout your years of playing. It is stellar advice though, Adam. Thank. you so much for this!

[@TheZwooon]

Found this video after developing shooting pain in fretboard thumb and palm whenever tried to play. Might be too late for me to heal the damage done by fretting as I was taught. But this could save others from ending up with an injury that can end your playing days.

[@jennshar67]

These videos about hand position technique are so helpful! I switched from guitar to bass while keeping the same teacher (I just like bass better lol) but I wasn't ever taught any technique. My shoulder, wrist, and knuckles hurt after 30-40 minutes of practicing but these positions have helped me so much:)

[@nancy955]

Arm pain has limiting my practice time, and changing my arm position has really helped, thank you for this :-)

[@AdamNeely]

@joncast64 There is a very real and constant threat of painful repetitive stress injury that can come from playing bass, or any instrument, without body awareness and safe technique.

[@bevinroue5788]

My gosh. Thank you for this ugly, flip phone quality video with solid teaching. Eleven years later and it's still saving wrists. (tips hat)

[@AdamNeely]

@fingerboy18 Hopefully the photos I just added to the video information will help you... I took them when I owned a 7-string bass. Try angling your forearm at more a parallel angle to the neck that you might be used to. Remember also to point the thumb towards the headstock. It's hard to help without being there to show you!

[@alexkairis3927]

Went from this level of speaking to a presentation for Ableton. I'm so proud of this community.

[@GeneralxMayhem]

Lol! Adam, I watch your videos every day, and the new ones as they come out. In some of your Q&A's, you mention keeping your wrist straight, and so I go searching for KZbin videos to show me how to get that right. And here you are - just a pup! - in your nascent KZbin phase, with a killer lesson from the man himself on how to get this right. Time warp from the pro KZbin studio of 2021 to the bedroom of 2010, but still delivering the goods. This is great. Thanks so much for this and all the knowledge you've given me.

[@MrBurnlan]

I hurt myself SO MUCH having my thumb and wrist in really incomfortable position because I wanted to keep everything at 90 degrees and my thumb behind the middle finger. Thank you so much !

[@ross6668]

I have just started playing the bass, been at it for a short while and my left hand and wrist was killing me as I simply could not keep my thumb behind my middle fingers. It felt wrong and unnatural to do so and it was ruining my enjoyment of the instrument, now though with my thumb pointing towards the headstock as I am naturally inclined to do I am getting on much better. Your video was the most clearest no this subject and has encouraged me to keep going as I was at the point where I would throw in the towel, Thanks for your clear instruction..

[@sailorelgee]

You have such a gift for teaching. Explaining and showing every angle down to the degree... it’s perfect for how my brain learns! Truly, this has been the most helpful video I’ve seen on fretting technique. Thank you!

[@Wolfness]

This helped so much. SO MANY of the videos I was watching said very vague things that weren't helping my issues with stretching or my issues with wrist pain. Its nice to know that my hand should just feel comfortable and how it rests naturally. My first instrument is drums and I ALWAYS make sure someone is holding their sticks properly when they ask cause its the same situation where if you grip too hard, or in the wrong way you could really impact your playing and the health of your hands.

[@veronicam5383]

Simply saying to point the thumb towards the headstock... blew my mind!! Thank you! Thank you! My wrists thank you too!

[@brianheir]

Brilliant adam! You're not only a fantastic bassist, but an insightful communicator as well. Your right and left hand neutral position vids addressed my needs as if you read my mind. You answered my questions of many years spot on, in eloquent and concise manner. You're a great educator! Thank you and please keep posting. Keeping the bass safe is a noble endeavor indeed.

[@AzuriteCoast]

This deserves a remake.

[@MandKStudios2]

Adam Neely (great KZbinr in his own right worth checking out) did a couple of videos on safe left and right hand technique that might really help you get things feeling more fluid/easier. Sounds great though, keep at it!

[@lukasmiklo5815]

Oh my god I want to hug you so hard! I have been playing guitar for more than 3 years. And I was always taught to keep my thumb behind my index. This technique showcased in the video helped me so much with everything, because I never even thought of relaxing my hand. I know, silly... Anyway thanks 💘

[@SlavSquatSenpai]

I giggled when I realized that I've been doing this wrong for a while two years. Thanks for this extremely important insight!

[@carlosg8716]

Man. This video was great. Way better than the ones from “professional” instructors. I started learning how to play the bass about 6 months ago, and this is the first time My fret hand feels comfortable while playing. Thanks, great job.

[@f30dac]

Best first Bass lesson(s) ever. As a studied violinst trying to learn the Bass from scratch on his own, this was rly enlighting.

[@dkross82]

Thanks Adam. It's blowing my mind how far from healthy my bass posture has been all these years.

[@meesterboo]

bless you for this video!!! im hypermobile and have been trying to get started on bass but am doing so super carefully since i know im more at risk for injuries than the average cat. all the advice ive been given has led to wrist pain, and i more or less came to the same conclusions you did just by trying to keep my wrist as comfy as possible. so glad to see a pro confirm the conclusion i came to!! :,)

[@matthewblackwell5274]

I'm at a point where I'm good enough to play pretty complex stuff, sort of like inbetween an intermediate and advanced player, and I just felt like my playing form was holding me back from getting any better, and when I stumbled across this video, it was just what I needed to relax my form and feel better while playing, thanks for the tips adam

[@colinbarbeau8678]

Eye opener to my left hand pain! I've been teached to pinch mi middle finger with my thumb and have been playing like that for years...Now on my recently purchased 5 strings, it hurts bad... Thanks a lot for this lesson Adam!

[@lewishahn92]

This just fixed so many of my left hand issues I built up from learning incorrect guitar thumb position, great stuff!

[@YeowooBBCVIP]

Dude, this is gold. You capture the fact that everyone's body and style is different. I saw some advice that put me in an uncomfortable position and I wondered why. Now, I know! Thank you.

[@vagabond7883]

Great advice Adam! Ergonomics is even more important when playing the bass and one has smaller hands.

[@gregmoses5172]

Oh this is timely. Mr Neely thank you for simplifying complex ideas.

[@MiltRodgers]

Thank you Adam. I play one-finger-per-fret and find that the "neutral position", especially thumb placement, makes it much easier to play. It works for me.

[@gcanaday1]

I concur. I blew out both of my wrists with bad technique about 13 or 14 years ago. I've only recently been able to really dig in again. The threat is real; and it is ultimately quite painful to disregard comfort in left hand position in the long term.

[@limiabean]

Really helpful video. I would have never guessed that the thumb was the main culprit in all my left hand woes. Much appreciated.

[@CameronCrowleyMusic]

This video is extremely helpful and I'm beginning to send it to students after using it myself to begin my serious bass journey probably 6 years ago. Thanks Adam!

[@jackbraaten726]

A great lesson for a sore-wristed player. Really helpful. Thanks a lot! ❤

[@AbdullahMikalRodriguez]

This video is god tier for everyone trying to learn bass

[@theRealAV8r]

Absolutely agree with your philosophies. I have completely abandoned any 'formal' methods which are inflexibly applied to all body types regardless of (unnatural) discomfort. And thanks for the upper neck thumb position tip!

[@jazzartphotography]

AWESOME!! I was having a very difficult time with the fingers thinking that I should have my thumb in a certain way, This Helped alot Thanks!!

[@daniels5675]

Thanks a lot! i just started play bass and i felt a lot of tension on my left hand because of the thumb. now it's better!

[@duffmasterofpuppets]

This is really helpful. I've been playing for a while, but I've never really considered moving my thumb to the bottom of the neck in the upper positions. I just tried it, and I immediately noticed a huge difference. Thanks.

[@Sanemancured]

I've been playing for 15 years and this video has helped hugely, thank you. I've been keeping my thumb behind my middle finger and my wrist has been all wrong. I do find that my middle finger now seems glued to my 1st finger though.

[@sparker7600]

I'm playing a 4-string bass. I'm having trouble playing my E string when employing this technique. I'm having trouble reaching it while trying to keep my arm/hand in the neutral position.

[@Jefferson-ly5qe]

This is a pretty awesome lesson in guitar ergonomics too. Wish I'd seen this a few years ago! What I would say about teachers is that they often don't really think deeply about ergonomics. I had two guitar teachers over 7 years, and neither attempted to correct my poor posture (even though one of them was heavily into Alexander technique). My posture problem involved having the elbow too far forwards and dropping the wrist, which I think I started doing in order to reach wider stretches more easily. I only started thinking seriously about changing my posture once I left lessons altogether. The main point is, if something about your technique doesn't seem right, experiment and look for more sources of information. Teachers haven't always had the same experiences as you and might not see the problem.

[@j.paulsokal9709]

Thanks so much for a clear explanation. I understood that my left hand was pained because of the acute angle at my wrist but couldn't work out the remedy. Thanks again.

[@irregulargamer1352]

thank you. im going to be practicing with this way of using my left hand and go to a teacher to fix any other bad habits i may have. that relaxed shoulder thing is the same one my bass book teaches me but you go into farther detail. I want to have a strong safe foundation of basics before i start practicing more intensely.

[@TheBoogerJames]

This really is the best instruction I've ever seen on this topic. I wish I'd found this video back in 2010!

[@OneInTheMosh]

I've actually brought the thump-toward-the-pegs thing over to bass from playing the cello, glad I did

[@billfranklin2256]

Adam, thank you I was trying to place the thumb behind the middle finger and it caused a lot of pain. This helps a lot.

[@Sandwisher]

Just saw Christian McBride last night (on upright) and noticed how his fingers are never spread out at all. His hand position looks so relaxed, and easy no matter what ridiculous runs he's playing, like yours. Thanks for sharing.

[@OngoGablogian487]

Man, I wish I had taught myself good playing habits early on. NEW PLAYERS: STUDY THIS VIDEO OVER AND OVER

[@27horses231]

Recently started playing again regularly. I've been playing since the 80s but this time I've got a problem with my left arm. Very painful from the outside of the point of my elbow down the thumb side. The difference has been, lower strap position and, sitting. I'd completely lost the neutral position eing talked out here. I think this is going to be a great help. THANK YOU.

[@JoeMode213]

This is really useful stuff, I feel like so many guitarists (especially self taught ones like myself) don't consider the principles required to play efficiently and safely.

[@cjlooklin1914]

Wow this really helpful!! I've been playing the ukulele for years and I recentky decided I wanted to learn bass. I had forgoten how dificult it can be to learn fundamentals for a new instrument, especiallu when all your instincts experience are wrong or don't apply. Thanks for helping me with my form!

[@makanekmalek]

There are a few things that you say here that are just enlighting. Thanks man, you saved my hand!

[@peanib2154]

thank you so much! I'm 15 and I got my first bass 2 weeks ago and this video helped me with my terrible technique!😅

[@Sam-lg9fx]

this video is still one of the clearer even after 10 years.

[@pianoman47]

Damn Adam, I'm loving these videos you made a long time ago that were just about bass. It's nice to get a glimpse of where you were at that point in your musical (and youtube) journey.

[@kurtownsj00]

I've been playing with that ****ed up grip for so long thanks to the 3-4 months of lessons I took long ago, sheesh. But to aleviate discomfort I've been playing with the body so high and neck so angled that well, practice is different now. Thanks.

[@fabioeliasreisritter8827]

This guy seems really talented, hope he gets more views in the future

[@ktc333]

Such a brilliant suggestion for position of thumb - no more pain! Thank you!!!

[@jimenaromero88]

You just saved my wrist! Now I know why my wrist was hurting so much - the thumb position. It's curious because I was following some online Fender classes that taught exactly the opposite: thumb should be in the middle. My hand was hurting so much!

[@MsJoeyJody]

Thank you!! :D The thumb is really the only problem here. I just tried what you said, and my hand wasn't in pain at all!

[@cincocharms1233]

Great advice. Thanks. I have always used proper technique, but recently, I believe I have developed tendinitis in my left wrist/thumb joint. It's really pissing me off and I was happy to find this on youtube. I'm doing everything right. Wrist is relaxed and thumb is off to the side without putting much pressure on the neck. I practice a lot and my playing is technically advanced. I guess I need to rest for a while. It ain't gonna be easy! Thanks again for posting this video.

[@punkntded]

hows it going man? I developed pain a week back and cant wait to start playing again

[@cincocharms1233]

Feeling better. I attribute it to resting and being careful when I play. I have been doing exercises where I try to use the least amount of pressure possible on the frets. I warm up with that idea and I believe it has helped. I'm thinking pressing too hard might have been the root of my problem. I hope you are able to get back on track quickly!

[@Derby420]

This is SO useful! Your left hand tips are helping to break 10 years of bad habits! Thanks Adam! =)