How To Avoid Wrist Angles On The Bass Guitar (Best Tips)

[@TonyLysy]

Another thing that helps a lot is to hold the bass in classical guitar position; body of the bass almost flat against your belly and neck pointing up, that way the first fret or the headstock should be on the same level as your eyes, and when sitting down you rest the bass between your legs so it keeps the neck on that same angle (you will need a guitar foot stool for this). Just a tip for anyone who might be interested.

[@anacrusisinthailand]

Totally with you on this style when sitting. I play short-scale bass and this compensates for headstock drop on this type of bass. Resting the instrument on my right thigh I was always fighting this dro[ that caused the bass body to 'slip off'' my leg. It also promotes the 'lower body / higher neck angle' approach discussed in the video.

[@insubbeckley3326]

My Man! I had started to shotgun position my bass a little to get it off of my belly to make singing easier. I had not noticed that it improved my fret wrist angle too. Thank you so much for pointing this out!

[@InspireBass]

hi insubbeckley3326! that's great to hear! thanks for watching :)

[@rovaldorobinson9929]

yesterday i was practicing left hand technique to get faster and I thought the pain from the wrist angle was just pain from just practicing a new technique thanks for the video

[@InspireBass]

Rocker Robyster! thanks for watching and leaving a comment. wrist angle can play a big role in feeling discomfort when you're playing for a long period of time. some people have a high tolerance for it than others. i have tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, so i got to be aware of my body position often to avoid feeling pain. glad you liked the video. Keep advancing on the bass!

[@SoggySandwich80]

Thanks so much man. Ive been playing guitar for like 5 years and 2 weeks ago i bought a bass, but relized I couldn’t play for more than 2 hours without significant wrist pain in my fretting hand. Your shotgun tip was the thing that made it soo much easier Thank you so much

[@InspireBass]

Hi OrganOrgelOrgue! Thanks so much for watching and congrats on buying a new bass! That's exciting. I'm really happy to hear that the shotgun tip was helpful for you!

[@jackbraaten726]

A good tip is also to fret lightly.

[@anthro3396]

The shotgun position tip fixed my problem! +1 Sub 4 u my friend

[@InspireBass]

that is great to to hear!

[@dealer1237]

Same here!!

[@dealer1237]

That and the floating thumb technique.

[@lobov1387]

I need to say thanks for the Tip, I have been playing Bass for a long time without even knowing I was playing it wrong, no wonder I felt my left wrist got so tired and started hurting, I thought it was maybe because I need to condition it for a while to get used to, mostly because I could play the slow songs fine but the ones that required more movement were really a pain in the ass, just now I was trying to play "Long road to ruin" from the Foo fighters but my wrist started hurting so I stopped, I had a clue that maybe I needed to change the position of the bass more than the position of my hands, but I thought that was more for show than for anything else lol, but I just tested it again with that song and I didn't felt that pain again... This is something most of the people don't tell you when you start, they tell you about the position of the hands and all but not this that is really important.

[@InspireBass]

hi LoboV1! thats great to hear that you didnt feel pain the next time you played that song. always listen to your body, and take breaks if you have to. thanks so much for sharing your comment

[@akaCottonmouthh]

Thank you so much. The shotgun tip helped a lot! I saw a few videos criticizing beginners for poor technique/developing pain in joints but not helping either, this video was very helpful. Thanks again!

[@InspireBass]

hi Gaby Sanchez! i'm to glad to hear that you found my video to be helpful.

[@frankie7826]

Great tips thanks , sometimes whilst practicing my wrists will start to bend too much so I’ll keep more aware of my angles now .

[@InspireBass]

thanks Frankie. it happens to many of us, myself included. so, i'll often practice with a mirror nearby so that i can keep my posture and body positions in check. keep advancing on the bass!

[@LMaia14]

Man this video was a life saver! I recently bought a 5 string and I couldn't stand the wrist pain on both my wrists. Thanks a lot, truly.

[@InspireBass]

Hi Leonardo Maia! That's fantastic to hear. Keep listening to your body and be sure to rest especially if you're feeling pain.

[@joshuajenkins3248]

This is exactly the video I was looking for.

[@CountryFenderBass]

After years of trying to figure out my wrist issues I found the answer right here! Now I need to learn to stand and play 😂

[@InspireBass]

hi Eric! thanks so much for watching. I hope something in my video works out for you!

[@CountryFenderBass]

@@InspireBass it has . Thank you

[@marknieuweboer8099]

No matter which instrument, feeling pain is always bad. As soon as I feel some I stop playing, relax, try to figure out what causes it and adapt my posture. Now I have relatively small hands, long fingers and long arms (that's one reason why I shifted from the violin to the viola as a teen). The very first time I picked up the bass guitar (I am in love with her; my son, who is learning the guitar, laughs at me) I found out that resting her on my left leg easier (I pluck with my right hand). Recently I learned that playing while standing is even easier than that. It was a matter of adjusting the strap. Now I can keep my both wrists straight. I only need to bend them slightly inward. So I really recommend taking enough time to search the optimal posture to minimize the angles; check them time and again. One of my biggest problems now is my muscle memory from the viola. Pretty often I forget to put my left hand fingers in a 90⁰ angle to the fretboard at its upper parts. It's the same again - it pays off to pay attention to all those details. I can't watch a music video anymore without checking the bassist ... Good video again. I like very much how you're not preaching but always remain practical.

[@InspireBass]

Pain is definitely always a sign to take a step back and just check whats going on. Before music I was involved in a lot of sports and was always taught to just work through the pain. not knowing any better at the time, i took that mentality to learning to play the bass. it took a lot of pain from getting injured, relearning, and reframing my mindset to develop patience and actually enjoy taking breaks! thanks for watching mark and thanks for sharing your experience.

[@Pgarcia468]

Thanks !! Tips helped me understand why I was feeling pain ..

[@InspireBass]

hi Peter Garcia, thanks for leaving a comment. Hope you find a good balance for your wrist positions and that your pain goes away so that you can keep making music!

[@Komoreeebi]

Love the shotgun tip, fantastic advice

[@nootypenguino]

Thank you so much. Good pointers which I think are helping me to understand how to best position my hand

[@InspireBass]

hi nootypenguino! that's great to hear and thanks for watching!

[@karvatupsul2175]

first few minutes already in video helped me realised my bosom is uh.. occupying good bass position, so i lowered it a lot and got good angles to play bass with more neutral hand feeling. I got starting arthritis and these tips really helped my hands to not feel pain! thank you

[@InspireBass]

Hi Karva! That's so great to hear! Thanks so much for watching. I'm really glad these tips helped.

[@Endwankery]

My God, you may have just saved my hopes of being a pro bassist someday. thank you!

[@InspireBass]

My pleasure Edwankery! hope you can play the bass for a very long time and do become a pro bassist!

[@Christ_Follower1020]

Helped me out a lot was wondering why my left hand was hurting so bad thanks

[@edvandelden9310]

A huge Thank You for this lesson. Since a couple of years I got painfully fingers while playing bass. Especially during cold days. I even tried playing with a pick (a whole new world opened for me, which was and still is, a lot of fun). But most of all I prefer fingerstyle. Now I can play and practice without concerning harming my wrists and fingers.

[@InspireBass]

hi Ed! sorry to hear about the pain you've been having with your fingers especially on cold days. thats great you're listening to your body and even trying out different techniques to keep music alive in you. i hope some things in my video do help you out. thanks for watching.

[@rachelnicoleeeee]

The under side of thumb palm area on the bass tip is already feeling so much better for me! Thank you!!

[@InspireBass]

That's awesome to hear Rachel! Thanks for watching :)

[@tancredelegalileen9777]

You have no idea how much has this video helped me. I've always struggled with wrist tension since I started playing and never really felt comfortable. I considered multiples times giving up due to how uncomfortable I'd feel. Thanks!!!!

[@InspireBass]

hi Tancrède! that's so great to hear that my video helped you! i hope you find the right handling and positions for the bass that works for you and eventually overcome any physical discomfort and tension with your wrists. thank you for sharing your message.

[@miloh.9194]

Thank you! I just started learning and I'm having so much fun with it! But my left wrist has not been happy. These tips were super helpful.

[@jaredwhite9552]

great tips man. The shotgun position especially. I also have a lot to think about keeping my plucking hand closer to the bass. Im about two weeks into my bass journey and I thank you very much!

[@InspireBass]

hi Jared White! thanks for watching. and i'm glad you liked the shotgun position! that's exciting that you've begun your journey into bass!

[@jmasno5]

I don't have wrist problems (playing since 1978) but I do switch between using a pick and fingers. Using a pick automatically puts my wrist in a neutral position. Also, another trick I use is to turn up my amp and play lighter.

[@jackbraaten726]

Good tips! 👍

[@hayleycomet8029]

Man thank you so much, my wrist was killing me playing Paradise by Sade because my wrist was like 90 degrees lol... I just raised my neck and shotgunned it and now my hand is way relaxed! You just saved my wrist xoxoxo

[@InspireBass]

hi Hayley Comet! that's so awesome and nice to hear that your hand is more relaxed now :)

[@CurseTheVulgar]

I've played for about 6 months, and up until recently stuck to thumb anchoring on the pickup. I noticed it caused issues by needing to stretch/angle the hand for the higher strings just as you said, but I also started noticing that my muting had gaps when I played on the high strings (thank you distortion for making it obvious when strings are not muted). So I've since started experimenting/"relearning" with a hovering/floating thumb so I can mute E & A with the side of my thumb when plucking the G string. Really helpful advice on the headstock angle away from the body, sometimes ended up like that by accident/without thinking and wasn't sure if I should correct it back to being flush against the body or not. I will pay a little more attention to my comfort/posture now and probably shorten my strap just a tad. Great video!

[@InspireBass]

thanks for checking out the video and leaving a comment Julien Nebbout! everyone's body is built different, so i think it's always good to explore and observe any discomfort with the body. i think it's great that you're experimenting. glad to hear that you like the advice on the headstock angle. keep advancing on the bass!

[@CurseTheVulgar]

@@InspireBass Just wanted to say that the past week I've been really considering my neck angle and having it point away from the body have really helped me find a more relaxed wrist position for the fretting hand. Thanks for that! =)

[@PosidoVega]

@@CurseTheVulgar that's really fantastic to hear

[@Genius5800]

3 weeks into learning how to play bass and I practice a few hours daily because I simply love it, but I don't love the pain I felt earlier this morning in my plucking wrist. The sharp pain really terrified me and was no doubt due to my T-Rex wrist. Now I'm taking your advice and using the Shotgun position and life is good again. I feel like I can actually maneuver the frets a little better too. Thank you for making this video and explaining so well.

[@InspireBass]

hi Genius5800... feeling pain is scary! so glad you found this video helpful and it's exciting to hear you are loving to play the bass!!

[@donvape336]

Thanks, my plucking hand is playing games. I will try to learn your method.

[@InspireBass]

hope it's helpful Don Vape!

[@erneststephens254]

Thanks for sharing this important info. Please can you do a lesson on developing your musical ears? God bless you

[@InspireBass]

Hi Ernest! I plan to, on my new KZbin channel: kzbin.info

[@arupchatterjee9443]

Thanks a lot buddy, I m suffering De Quarvain Tenosynovitis due to the uncomfortable wrist angle of my right hand techniques. Ur video ll help me to find the perfect balance of left n right hand posture.

[@InspireBass]

hi Arup Chatterjee! i have never heard of De Quarvin Tenosynovitis. i just looked it up on Google and it sounds painful. i'm so glad to hear that my video has helped you find the right balance for your left and right hand posture. take care of yourself and i hope you recover from DQT!

[@johnfollis2357]

I have the base height at my belt buckle. That’s in the middle between high and low for me. So when you think about the body of the base, it is just above my belt buckle. And then I have the neck going upwards towards the ceiling at a 45° angle. When I’m sitting down, I am right handed. I pick with my right hand and fret with my left hand. I have the base the contour of the base body on my left leg toward my knee on the left leg. And like you, when I am playing on the lower frets the base tends to go a little into my body. When I am playing on the higher frats it kind of moves or tilts away from my body. It helps me to play melodies and chords. Now I tend to do a lot of string bending and vibrato when I am playing melodies to make it sing. So my wrist will probably been a little bit here and there because it has to.

[@talesofpurrfection]

Thank you so much for your advices! I just started my lessons and my teacher plays some really hurtful techniques. So I will have to convince him that I learn what you showed in this video :)

[@InspireBass]

Hi talesofpurfection! thanks so much for watching and always listen to your body. if something doesnt feel right, it likely isn't.

[@jackbraaten726]

Our first priority should be to avoid injury. My online teacher Dan Hawkins really stresses that in several of his videos: if it hurts, stop playing for the day!

[@bonniejang8377]

Thank you so very much! I have a previous martial arts injury to my wrist and it can cause me pain when playing. I think these tips are going to make all the difference! ♥️

[@InspireBass]

Hi Bonnie Jang! Thanks so much for watching. It means a lot to hear that these tips make a difference for your playing. I hope you heal and get back to playing pain free!

[@Bug-vl3pb]

the shotgun tip just saved my life thank you thank you

[@InspireBass]

That's awesome to hear Bug! Thanks for watching :)

[@oliverwallin4131]

Took so much pain and pressure off if my left hand! Thank you so much!

[@InspireBass]

that's so great to hear oliverwallin4131! thanks for watching!

[@marylewis3311]

My first bass lesson was my teacher just adjusting my posture, hands, wrists, fingers and bass. I came out confused and with a bass three inches higher on the strap. My bandmates all laughed at the new look with both my wrists straight but after a couple of weeks there was no going back it was so much easier.

[@InspireBass]

thanks for sharing Mary!

[@vkimz6183]

Thanks man🙏great tips..i already had a carpal tunnel iny my left hand ..but i found this. Somehow i rehabilitate my both hands because i have no idea ..but when i found this so great🤘

[@InspireBass]

thats so awesome vkim6183! Thanks for watching

[@peterdenyer3002]

Brilliant. I am a new learner, and this is a piece of advice a lot of lessons don't give.

[@InspireBass]

hi Peter! Thanks so much for watching and you're comment :)

[@MerrickMcDonald]

Thank you so much, i don't what I will do if you never made this video. I will keep an eyes on your videos so i keep looking out for your new ones coming up.

[@juancarloslunacardozo6989]

As a self taught bassist (4+ years) this video was incredibly helpful hehe

[@InspireBass]

Hi Juan Carlos Luna Cardozo! That's really great to hear! Thanks for watching.

[@yoloyo7019]

Man, really excellent work here. This is going to help me a ton. 🙏

[@InspireBass]

Hi yolo yo! Thanks for leaving a comment. I'm glad to hear that you find this helpful!

[@noxart2410]

Thank you so much! I’m really having a hard time to figure out how to position my hand because I used to play cello and because the instrument is not in the same position it’s really hard for me to find a comfortable hand position 😅

[@InspireBass]

hi Mahaut PREBET! i hope this video is helpful for you! thanks for watching!

[@charlesfarmer5354]

great job. I have playing for while and this is some of the best information that I can use for my future and wrist health. Thanks

[@InspireBass]

Thanks so much for watching Charles! Glad you like this information.

[@watahhelium9056]

I think it's the best video for understanding both hands technique. Thank you!

[@InspireBass]

hi Watah Helium! Thank you so much for the kind words! 🙏

[@robertlafalce3957]

Feels more relaxed. Thanks. Will work on it. Please cover "muting". Thanks

[@InspireBass]

Thanks Robert LaFalce! Good to hear things feel more relaxed :) I plan on covering muting in the near future!

[@deanc.5984]

1st yr bass player, my fret thumb is killin me after 10min. I think angle and pressure, I usually sit without a strap. Ill strap up high and try that.🍺😎👍

[@InspireBass]

Hi Dean C. experiment with the height. Because if the bass guitar is too high, then the wrist of your plucking hand will bend to much and in the long run that sharp angle can cause problems. thanks for watching my video.

[@ObviouslyNotItalian]

I love your channel. The explanations are great, simple and to the point and I love how you stress how much important good form is to prevent damaging your body:) love your vids, thanks for the good content

[@InspireBass]

hi ObviouslyNotItalian, thanks for watching and the kind feedback. glad you are liking the videos.

[@crystalpretorius3052]

I started playing bass two months ago, but Ive had serious problems with my hand positioning. Im going to try these techniques, hope it works. My right hand has been killing me

[@InspireBass]

hi crystal pretorius pain is no fun. i hope these techniques help you. but always listen to your body. so if anything feels awkward, off, or painful, that's a sign to stop and reevaluate things. i wish you the best in your journey and hope you can continue playing the bass for a very long time :)

[@matthiazH]

very well explained

[@MARLONdaman]

Good video! YOU NEEDED TO TALK ABOUT THUMB POSITION ALSO TO GET GOOD FRETTING TECHNIQUE!

[@Frisbieinstein]

Fender basses have bad neck dive. On mine I relocated the strap buttons. Even that didn't completely cure it. Travis Beam basses with a metal neck had extreme neck dive. They didn't catch on.

[@jackbraaten726]

My squier shortscale dives big time. I actually sit on the strap when sitting down to play and that takes care of it.

[@antFRGU]

Great content, definitely improved my playing immediately!

[@InspireBass]

thanks for watching ag091112! that's great to hear!

[@garywall1572]

Great video very useful for old beginner

[@InspireBass]

Hi Gary Wall! Thanks for watching. I;m glad you found it useful!

[@michaelmegahmike1893]

I appreciate you thanks again

[@BOXDABOXERful]

Awesome. How about standing for a 5 string bass. Thank you

[@darryltolbert8950]

Great video. Great teaching. Thanks

[@InspireBass]

Thanks for watching and the kind words Darryl!

[@MARLONdaman]

Good explanation because of bass technique!👍🏿

[@antalantal2366]

clever tips! thanx!

[@michaeldarde8911]

thank you

[@InspireBass]

hi Michael Darde! thanks for watching!

[@Bazzguit]

The shotgun tip it's the holy grail of technique

[@InspireBass]

Thanks Bazzguit!

[@8FigureFlow]

This is exactly what I was looking for thanks !!

[@InspireBass]

Hi Paul! That's great to hear! Thanks for watching.

[@8FigureFlow]

@@InspireBass no I just need to unlearn years of bad habits hahaha

[@JACJAC70]

Thank you.

[@RockerProf]

Excellent video. Thank you.

[@InspireBass]

thanks for watching RockerProf!

[@MatheusTzimisce]

Amazing tips! Ty for sharing with us!

[@InspireBass]

Hi Matheus Martins! Thanks so much for the comment. I'm glad you like the tips!

[@johannphysio4977]

Great video- clearly presented! Thanks! 🙏🏻😊

[@LeeVerner]

Thank you! Great tips. I recently started playing bass and I already had a hurt wrist from guitar. Someone showed me the shotgun on guitar and that helped a lot. Made barre chords faster, too. So I will definitely carry that over to bass. I'm going to change my picking hand position, too. My bass teacher had me put the thumb on the pickup and bend the wrist a fair amount. We're going to have a discussion about that next lesson, I'm just not going to do that.

[@InspireBass]

Hi Lee Verner, I glad you're listening to your body. I hope you don't experience further pain. Thanks for watching!

[@susannelson-crowley4069]

Excellent information. Just what I was looking for. Thank you.

[@InspireBass]

Hi Susan Nelson-Crowley! 'm so happy to hear that this info was just what you've been looking for!

[@erike5066]

Thanks man! That was awesome

[@InspireBass]

Thanks Erik!

[@royaleclark]

Very helpful! Thanks so much!

[@InspireBass]

hi Royale Clark! glad you found this helpful!

[@swordsandstoriesgaming]

this is the only good video I've found on this topic, thank you so much

[@InspireBass]

oh wow, thank so much for the positive comment Swords And Stories! glad you liked it!

[@rssghb]

thank you so much. this helped a lot

[@InspireBass]

hi ceci! glad you found my video to be hepful!

[@CurtisGabrielMusic]

Neck high body low. Looks silly but works quite well.

[@templecatgaming]

Very informative man! Shotgun tip is awesome for beginners :)

[@InspireBass]

hi Charles Colfer, good to hear! thanks for watching!

[@dornelli1]

awesome tips

[@InspireBass]

thanks alex dornelli! i appreciate the love

[@gregpantelides1355]

All of this is gold. Thank you so much!!!!!

[@InspireBass]

wow thanks so much for the kind words Greg Pantelides!!!

[@rhymeswithbowie]

Wow thank you, very helpful

[@InspireBass]

hi rhymeswithbowie! i'm glad to hear that you found these tips helpful!

[@glenmartin9974]

Very helpful ideas to explore, thank you for the video!

[@InspireBass]

hi Glen Martin, thanks so much! glad you find these ideas helpful!

[@ianbaker2599]

I've also found that the wider the neck on the bass, such as for 5 string and 6 string basses, the harder it is on your left wrist. I think I'm going to have to stick with 4 string basses for this reason.

[@InspireBass]

hi Ian Baker, i've experienced the same, but not for all 5-sting and 6-string basses. i used to have a Yamaha 6 string John Patitucci signature model, and it was brutal on me. the neck was way too wide. then at some point i ended up trading it in and got a 6 string Modules Quantum bass, and that felt much better. i still ended up selling that too. i have a 5 string Modules Quantum bass and that is as far as i'll go i think. I only use it if a track i'm recording on calls for the low range. I think Ibanez 5 and 6 string basses also have thinner necks. nothing wrong with primarily focusing on 4 string too. lots of amazing cats are primarily 4 stringers.

[@ianbaker2599]

@@InspireBass Yeah, I do love my 5 string. It's an early Xotic XJ-1T. But I think the on and off pain in my left wrist is dictating the path forward, back to the 4 string. Great video by the way. Cheers.

[@InspireBass]

@Ian Baker i hear yah. at the end of the day, you gotta do what works for you. i stick with my 4 string these days as well. i wasnt familiar with Xotic XJ-1T. just looked them up. and they are quite beautiful😍

[@petethebassist8329]

Great content! Thanks so much

[@InspireBass]

hi PeteTheBassist! glad you like! and thanks for the love

[@chunkyyy]

thank you!!!

[@InspireBass]

thanks for watching chunkyyy! i hope this stuff was helpful!

[@chunkyyy]

@@InspireBass it definitely was! God bless you :)

[@theloniouscoltrane3778]

thank you for this...question though: Is it good to wash your hands after playing bass guitar or will that cause finger arthritis? thanks

[@InspireBass]

hi theloniouscoltrane3778, glad you liked this video. that's an interesting question. i have no idea!

[@theloniouscoltrane3778]

@@InspireBass I have read somewhere that washing hands after playing any instruments will cause muscle pain and might lead to hand injuries

[@InspireBass]

@@theloniouscoltrane3778 oh man. thats no good. i wonder if that might have to do with the hands being warm and then the water being cold.

[@rman52]

Great and unique video. Why did you stop uploading?

[@InspireBass]

Thanks r_man! glad you liked the video. I've been focusing instead on my other channel: youtube.com/@posidovega

[@rman52]

@@InspireBass Thanks. I just subscribed. Have a great new year!

[@InspireBass]

@@rman52 🙏 Thanks so much!

[@eduardoarosemena655]

Thank you Sir, I am a 60 yo beginner and my wrists ate paying the price.

[@InspireBass]

Thanks for watching Eduardo! take care of yourself and take long breaks whenever you're feeling pain. That's exciting you picked up the bass!

[@stephenbrooks1692]

Thanks I am 73 yr old beginner like this week. The shotgun- gonna try that for two reasons, the first obviosly to straighten left wrist (actualy having my right carpal tunnel done in 9 days!!) Also,I am blind in left eye so shotgun position will brin mg the neck into line of sight of my right eye. And definitely going to train a floating thumb. Thanks for the heads up on this one.

[@Jason-cm6uh]

Good Stuff Thanks bro!

[@InspireBass]

Thanks Jason!! glad you liked my video!

[@lucaswb1433]

Bravo!

[@InspireBass]

Thanks Lucas!

[@snceronn]

Do you have any tips for actual fretting? Like I started about 2 days ago and am having a lot of trouble keeping good position on just my fretting hand, like my thumb always goes up instead of staying anchored behind the middle finger and stuff. Great vid tho! Helped a lot

[@InspireBass]

hi kratos, check out minute 04:08. If you hold your bass more like a shotgun, it might make it it easier to keep your frethand thumb in position. Hope that helps

[@halloun88]

That’s exactly what I wanted to see thanks brother .. do you have instagram?

[@InspireBass]

hi Asrar Guitar! i'm glad to hear that! i do have an IG account: @posidovega

[@bartbug1]

So would a short scale bass would be better for an older beginner player?

[@GeneralxMayhem]

Brother, you just robbed my local music store of about $100 in lessons. I was going to take 4, just on hand positioning because I've been feeling a lot of wrist and thumb pain while playing. I'm pretty sure my technique has been garbage for years. I sort of tripped over the 'shotgun technique' naturally a few days ago while trying to solve this problem. I'm happy to hear you confirm that I'm on the right track. Thanks!!

[@InspireBass]

wow GeneralxMayhem! that is great to hear that my video validates that you are on the right track! i hope your wrist and thumb pain ends up going away! thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!

[@meltemh.2002]

How about having small hands (especially the pinky finger) and playing the E string 😢

[@spiketaterman5181]

Thanks! I am just beginning and now am confused, as in "Scott's bass lessons" he has the fretting wrist bent upward....but yours is straight. I want to learn the correct technique and at the same time avoid injury. So what to do?

[@InspireBass]

Hi Spike Taterman, when your fretting wrist is bend for prolonged periods of time, problems can happen later on as you progress in your bass playing. when the wrist is bent at a sharp angle the median nerve (carpal tunnel) gets pinched. you will also lose flexibility with your fingers. you will also lose a strength. here's the thing, you won't be able to avoid bent wrists 100% of the time, because it can often depend on what you happen to be playing and the way you are positioning your body. Scott Devine is a great bass player and a lot of great bass players will often have bent wrists when they play. but keeping your wrists bent is still not a good thing. for me, i strive to maintain neutral wrists about 90% of the time. every one's body is built differently. i've seen people play with bent wrists their whole life and never had any pain. however, for me, i ended up getting carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis. so as far as correct technique, i believe correct technique is one that one that allows your body, hands, and fingers to move freely with minimal effort. Correct technique is also one that won't get you injured. So strive for neutral wrists and avoid bent wrists.

[@spiketaterman5181]

@@InspireBass thanks for the explanation! It helps.

[@smartbart015]

I never fired a shotgun, but this was the best tip of the whole video for me!

[@InspireBass]

hi Bart Knol! glad to hear!

[@drwhave]

what's the neck radius on this base? seems very round to me, would love to try this but most modern fretboards are so flat

[@InspireBass]

hi drwhave, i'm not entirely sure to be honest. this bass is a vintage Fender Precision bass, i think it's 1975, from Mexico. I want to say the shape is a D shape? I wish I could tell you. I agree that a lot of modern basses are so flat. If you're able to visit a music shop near you, check out Fender P basses. I think they will all feel very round in general compared to modern basses. Fender's always feel more round to me.

[@TheUnderParanoid]

Hello! I have practiced Floating Thumb with not putting forearm on the bass for months, I mean my entire arm was floating with finger. But it was too uncomfortable, feeling unstable like my bass is keep moving. How do you maintain the bass position tightly? By putting the forearm above the body as an anchor? I tried it but it felt weird when playing low b strings. Thank you for your informative lesson

[@InspireBass]

hello Recover9720! thanks for watching my video. i don't float my entire arm, because it makes my shoulder feel tense. i do, however, rest bottom part of my forearm on the body, which does help keep my bass balanced. i also use this method for keeping my bass balanced, which i demonstrate on my website: posidovega.com/no-more-neck-dive hope this helps you!

[@johnstewart4986]

Informative

[@InspireBass]

glad you found this to be informative John Stewart!

[@andrewlambert9100]

I tried the technique that you showed for the plucking hand but to keep the position, I need to make mu shoulder tense, is their a way around it?

[@InspireBass]

Hi Andrew Lambert, if your shoulder is tense, i recommend you stop doing it. every one's body is different and what may work for some might not work for you. if your shoulder is feeling tense, it is likely that you are raising your shoulder while you are playing. try sitting without the bass, with your arms to the side and feel how your shoulders feel when they are dropped to and relaxed. then add your bass and really pay close attention to how they differ in feel. that will help direct your awareness to what your body is doing to compensate for holding the bass. you want your body to feel as close to a relaxed sitting position without a bass as it does when it has a bass. hope this helps!

[@davidallan3060]

I have a question aside from the exercises, you’re presenting what are good exercises for bass players that use a pic

[@InspireBass]

Hi David, I don't use a pic much. But when I do, I also don't use it in an orthodox way. When I use a pic, I predominantly use downstrokes. I just never liked how upstrokes felt for me. So, as far as exercises, I did a lot of alternating between picking and hammer-ons and pull-offs, and focusing on playing lines fluidly using a combination of downstroke picking, hammer-on, and pull-offs. Hammer-ons are mainly when I am ascending in pitch and pull-offs are mainly when I am descending (sometimes I hammer-on if I have to cross a string when I descend in pitch). Maybe I can make a video explaining this approach in my other YT Channel (www.youtube.com/@posidovega). It's a little hard to fully explain with just words.

[@davidallan3060]

@@InspireBass because the reason I’m asking because I’m a metal bass player and I tend to play in the style of players like Lemmy kilmister and other Teutonic Thrash players and trying to find techniques to prevent wrist, pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome

[@InspireBass]

@@davidallan3060 i wish i knew some good resources to point you in a direction, but to be honest, i don't because picking isn't a technique i predominantly use. I do know of this guy, Armen Movsesyan, who got monster picking technique and teaches it, but not sure if he addresses preventative injury measures in his teaching.

[@superneko99]

How do you play with the bass not flat to your body when you're standing up?

[@sers24]

Same quesrion here haha

[@gunthertobias3909]

Just came across your channel looking for additional information for a student. I see you have not posted Ina while. You channel is by far much better than many of the top bass channels. I’ve played 35 years. You are teaching great things and also without ego. No trying to kill is wirh radio voice text ego. You have keeper thr Willis technique in this video and many of us have :) great advice . And some wonderful lessons - you have a Lot to offer. Scott’s bass respectfully is not the only channel in town and a few years there. “ popular “ channels . You are decent and offering wonderful information. 4-5 years later I see this as said. I could share wirh many students globally . Are you still posting at all? Thank you

[@InspireBass]

hi Gunther. your message means so much to me! i have not posted in a while, but i intend to. i've been in quite a long challenging season with life and family. so, a lot of my passions have been on hold in order to take care of family. thank you so much for reaching out. i really do hope to get back to posting soon. i love teaching :)

[@davebaughn4141]

@@InspireBassI hope you will. I’m 57 and just starting, with no prior experience. Your video content is what I’m looking for.

[@awesomenesschannel4159]

I have a bass problem. The only bass I have is huge it used to be my grandfathers and I’m only 5’2” with small hands. Trying to play fast riffs are very difficult. I’m trying to not do the one finger per fret, but at this point I feel I have to because of my hands.

[@InspireBass]

hi Awesomeness Channel! personally, i dont recommend the 1 finger per fret approach, for bass. i used to use 1 finger per fret, but once i got tendonitis, i stopped using that. instead, i've adopted the technique that a lot of double bass players use, which spans 3 frets, mainly using pointer finger, middle finger, and pinky(with ring finger). if your hands are small, i recommend giving that approach a try. i also recommend watching a lot of double bass players and see how they shift, particularly when they shift their hands when playing a run. when you primarily use 3 fingers instead of 4, you'll be shifting your hand more. so you'll need to be able to play your bass riffs up and down your neck, instead of across your strings. you may find, as i have for myself, that this approach is also less tiring with your fingers.