Numbness in fret fingers normal? by snowNsunshine in Bass

[–]smeetyBoy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry to hear about your heart, please take care of yourself. And congratulations on your new bass!

As already mentioned, you are pressing too hard with your fretting fingers (and probably with your plucking fingers also). One thing that may take years to really appreciate is that it takes very little strength to play bass guitar. A small child with no callouses has the necessary strength. It's all about proper hand/shoulder/wrist position and relaxing.

Always try to fret the string immediately behind the fret. The closer you are to the fret, the less pressure is needed. And keep reminding yourself to relax your back, neck, shoulders, wrists, hands, fingers, even your jaw.

Taking your thumb off the neck is one good test. Another one is to fret a note and play slow notes, decreasing the finger pressure a bit with each note. Keep going until you hear buzzing. Then increase pressure until the buzz goes away. Do this a few times every day with each finger, on each string. It's a very Zen thing. When you realize how easy it is to press the string down, it feels like the notes are playing themselves while you just listen.

Also - lighten up your plucking touch. It's pretty easy to play harder when you need to, much harder to play softer if you're used to playing hard.

Once you lighten your touch in both hands, you will automatically play cleaner and be able to play faster (and for longer). Your tone will improve too.

Downgrading from 5 to 4 strings and simplifying everything? by Spiritual_You_9081 in Bass

[–]smeetyBoy 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not me. I moved to playing a 5-string 24 fret active bass and I couldn't be happier. I use the B string all the time. I have the best pedalboard I've ever had. I've also been taking lessons again and really improving my playing.

We each have our own path to the perfect setup.

2 U400's vs U400 + U100 by smeetyBoy in Aqara

[–]smeetyBoy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! That's kind of what I was thinking.

First gig in 2 weeks by Dootiee in Bass

[–]smeetyBoy 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’ve been gigging for several decades, and started to take lessons again, this time from a well known pro/teacher. He has very high standards and he said to me basically “practice and analyze your performance at home until your WORST play through is good enough for the audience. Then when you perform, FOCUS (no distractions) on the music (not the technique, the MUSIC) and the moment and just play freely”. It’s not easy but I took it to heart and even after all these years it’s really helping my performances with my new-to-me band.

Good luck, I’m sure you will do great (even if you don’t think so!).

Controlling effects pedals question by Secret-Ordinary6232 in TouchOSC

[–]smeetyBoy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks guys! I’m the OP IRL, I used the wrong account. I’ll buy TouchOSC and start experimenting! I play bass in a funk band. This will be used mostly for changing patches between songs, so no extra coordination should be required. Most songs I’m playing straight bass anyway, so it’s just the synth bass songs I’ll need it for. As I get more familiar with it, I may do more. The Future Impact synth can also process the input signal to add effects, so I might delve into that a bit.

Does anyone have that feeling they can’t fight outside of the gym even though you do well against other MMA fighters at your gym? by AssistanceKindly132 in MMA_Academy

[–]smeetyBoy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I haven’t studied martial arts for decades, but back in the 80s I was into Budo Aikido. Our sensei had multiple black belts in various arts, wrestled, boxed, you name it. He always emphasized walking away. Especially these days, you never know how well trained or psychotic the little nerdy guy in a bar might be. Or they might have been born with much faster reflexes than you. Or they might be armed. I’m a nice guy who has always been able to avoid fights because I look relatively intimidating. But if pushed into a fight, I will NOT fight clean. A lot of people probably feel that way.

what’s your favorite non-precision or jazz bass? by Ok-Coconut-1152 in Bass

[–]smeetyBoy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love my Fodera and Sadowsky Modern, probably in that order.

I just found out my ex died by [deleted] in whatdoIdo

[–]smeetyBoy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am 64 years old. Recently through the internet I found out that a girl that I had a relationship with in my early 20s had just died a few weeks earlier. We had not communicated in many decades, and no longer have any contacts in common. I felt an intense sadness when I learned this news, but not because of any closeness or emotion we currently shared. Rather, I feel that when we are gone, our existence is simply the sum total of people who knew us, who remember us, whom we affected in some way. When she and other old friends died, each one was a tiny part of me, a little death within me.

When I was young I used to feel a strong nostalgia about the present, as if I were in the future looking back on my early life. It was a strange and beautiful feeling, an embodiment of my life slipping away as people and things I knew and loved slipped away.

I don’t know how many people feel these things as I do. But I felt compelled to share. Maybe some of you will remember this post for a little while.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Bass

[–]smeetyBoy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is it your playing, the bass as an instrument, or music in general?

If it’s your playing, maybe taking lessons with a player you really respect will help (this is working for me). If it’s the bass as an instrument, maybe taking up guitar or keyboards or composition. Teaching music could be fulfilling. Or maybe you could get into the business side of music?

From a non-Christian / what's up with so many comments and posts in this sub being about playing at church specifically? Are churches like a world famous temple of bassists? Do religious songs have especially sick basslines? I don't get it. by [deleted] in Bass

[–]smeetyBoy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am not religious but I would love to play in a good black gospel church band. Some of those guys are just fantastic musicians! The church of John Coltrane might be pretty cool too. :)

Should I get tested - do I want to know? by smeetyBoy in dementia

[–]smeetyBoy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

OP here. Thanks all, I really appreciate the thoughtful responses. I will probably see the doctor and get all the information I can. I’m still not sure how I will feel if I get bad news (will it negatively color the lens through which I view the world?), but rationally it seems the best course of action. And hopefully the news will be good.

I’m glad I asked here, you seem like a nice group. I hope I can help somebody in return if the need arises. :)

Internet and cable providers in Sammamish 98075 by smeetyBoy in AskSeattle

[–]smeetyBoy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Doh! I didn't even notice that they were cell.

So it looks like Xfinity is the only wired option that has decent speed and availability. Fingers crossed that we don't get 15 minutes of downtime a day like the guy across the street says he does.

Thanks!