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Author Topic: Left hand not staying in place  (Read 2852 times)

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hunkyjohn

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Left hand not staying in place
« on: April 04, 2015, 03:28:13 PM »

Like many others I have found my left hand moving about while learning to play the bass keys.  I tried using the little extra strap described in diato.org. It helped, but not as much as I'd hoped. 

Later on I found a posting on this forum that described using a little sticky (but not "glue sticky") pad designed to be use on a car dashboard to keep cell phones, etc. in place.  I bought a pack of two for 7 bucks or so and the improvement was amazing.  Absolutely no more sliding.   I'd like to thank the poster but have not been able to find his original post.  Maybe he will see this; if so, "thank you!".

I found it on amazon.com.  Search: Magic Mat Sticky Pad
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nula

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Re: Left hand not staying in place
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2015, 11:28:06 AM »

I have that problem, too, so thanks for the link. My order's in...
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malcolmbebb

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Re: Left hand not staying in place
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2015, 01:48:35 PM »

Oddly enough, my wife had just bought something very similar so I have purloined a small amount and tried it on my Baffetti BPII.

Initial results are good. I will see how it lasts.

Only one problem - it's blue. But you can't have everything.

(The last attempt was a stick-on foam but my hand got uncomfortably hot and it was a pig to get it all off.)
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Dino BPII.
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire."

hunkyjohn

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Re: Left hand not staying in place
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2015, 10:48:45 PM »

Happy it works for you.  I think the coolest part is that it made playing the bass side with all four fingers so much easier. For me, when my palm became anchored the fingers seemed to know just what to do! :|glug
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malcolmbebb

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Re: Left hand not staying in place
« Reply #4 on: April 09, 2015, 10:54:56 PM »

Three days and one Morris practice later, still working  (:)
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Dino BPII.
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Chris Ryall

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Re: Left hand not staying in place
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2015, 08:56:41 AM »

May I pop in a little forward reference here to Stef Milleret's coming DVD on posture and air control. I've not seen it but am helping with the English subtitles, and what I've seen to far is very much about this sort of issue.

He's stressed keeping the 2 sides of the instrument vertical, and parallel in other workshops, but I won't go into other tips as Stef makes his living from the teaching material. It's already convinced me how bad my own posture and hold is :o
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hunkyjohn

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Re: Left hand not staying in place
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2015, 02:33:26 PM »

Thanks, Chris.  Sure would like to see that. 

I do know that my playing improved when I moved to a very basic upright wooden chair.  I realized that leaning back in a more comfortable chair, even just a little, would impair my fingering. 

This part probably sounds silly, but I also found that standing, and even swaying with the rhythm while standing helped me play with less stress of making mistakes.  As a result my left hand independence improved.
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nigelr

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Re: Left hand not staying in place
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2015, 03:10:07 PM »

This part probably sounds silly, but I also found that standing, and even swaying with the rhythm while standing helped me play with less stress of making mistakes.  As a result my left hand independence improved.
Not silly at all - I have always found playing standing up far easier primarily as it becomes a "whole body" exercise and I find the rhythm and timing are far more consistent.  On the left hand issue, I recently shortened the strap on my Sandpiper (previously even with the strap at its shortest setting, my hand was still slipping around a bit).  I only needed to cut about 0.5cm off, but it has made a huge difference and I feel far more confident using all four fingers.  The downside is that I am now having to revisit quite a few tunes to change the fingering!
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hunkyjohn

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Re: Left hand not staying in place
« Reply #8 on: April 16, 2015, 03:23:05 PM »

Great comment.  Certainly an infinitely tunable whole-body experience.  I wish to heck I hadn't waited until my late 60's to pick up and instrument for the first time.  On the other hand I am thankful for having the barroom epiphany that put a button box in my hands!
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Howie

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Re: Left hand not staying in place
« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2015, 08:11:32 AM »

I agree with the age comment John,I was 65 when I started playing last year ,learning to play the drums at 15 seemed so much easier.chris mentioned a DVD how are these purchased.
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Chris Ryall

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Re: Left hand not staying in place
« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2015, 10:16:49 AM »

translated that bit on Wednesday as it happens. Basically they recommend a triple contact that never budges, and a thumb that never leaves the air button. They acknowledge that getting pinkie to the far reaches of an 18 bass can then be a challenge for some. But that's linked to a whole way of holding both ends.

Won't reveal too much more, hope you understand why, but I'm learning something every time I go in. And I've played (badly it would seem :-\) for 28 years now 
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arty

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Re: Left hand not staying in place
« Reply #11 on: April 26, 2015, 10:43:57 AM »

I started playing 3 years ago and used three fingers of my left hand on the bass side and, I too, found my hand slipping out of position. However, just recently, I have started studying The Milleret & Pignol books, in which they promote the use of 4 fingers, something I had tried before but gave up quickly as it felt unnatural.
Deciding to stick with it this time, I was surprised to find that, after a week, it seemed to be the most natural way to play. I play an 8 bass instrument, so it makes complete sense and I won't be going back to 3 fingers.
The bonus, is that my hand stays firmly in place and no longer slips out of position. Try it, for a week!
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malcolmbebb

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Re: Left hand not staying in place
« Reply #12 on: April 26, 2015, 11:13:59 AM »

Returning to the original suggestion, I have had the magic pad stuff in place since and it is still working. Mostly three fingers.
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Dino BPII.
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire."

Chris Ryall

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Re: Left hand not staying in place
« Reply #13 on: April 26, 2015, 11:29:17 AM »

A good way to practice 4 finger play (and the way I did it) is in minor tunes. on the "turnaround" section this bass run works very commonly, essentially sub dominants leading up to the  apex B chord that will resolve back into E

| Em pull | D pull | C pull | B push |

Alternatively on the first 3 chords hold/pulse the Em chord button with index and play Emiddle Dpinkie Cring bass against it, finally falling back to index/middle B push chords. After some practice they become interchangable.

You can use the same 3 chord run in  on the B part of Speed the Plough incidentally, playing the tune all on pull
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