How Important is Fretting-Hand Technique for Playing Bass Guitar?

I am often asked how important the fretting-hand technique is when playing bass guitar. Usually the questions will be in relation to the one-finger-per-fret technique.

About two months ago I had a visit from a 55-year-old (novice) bass player named Rob who had bass lessons from a guitarist for almost one year. Rob developed severe carpel tunnel syndrome and had to have an operation on his fretting hand. His operation was only about a week old when he visited me, and quite frankly, it scared me to see an actual live case displaying the results of incorrect technique. Needless to say, Rob had been using the one-finger-per-fret guitar technique.

This case may be extreme, but there are many more instances of similar gravity. My opinion is "Why stretch if you don't need to." I can go into the finer details of anatomy, etc., but I won't in this this instance. An important thing to consider is that on the bass we usually are required to play mostly within the octave position, i.e. three frets apart. If arpeggio shapes are to be played over four frets, then the one-finger-per fret method is employed.

Do this test:
1. Place the pad of your right-hand thumb on the underside of your left-hand wrist.
2. Stretch your left-hand fingers to simulate the spacing of the four widest frets on the bass.
3. Now relax the fingers to a three-fret spacing and, with your right-hand thumb, feel the difference in your left wrist tension.

What it comes down to is to USE THE TECHNIQUE REQUIRED FOR EACH PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE and not a one-technique-suits-everything approach.

George Urbaszek
Serving Bass Players Worldwide since 1996
Creative Bass Lessons

PS Rob is now taking my online bass lessons and has no problems with his fretting hand.