Try these tips; they just might help

By Jon Liebman
April 14, 2023

As a bass player, your role in a band is crucial, and it can be a lot of fun. But it can also take a toll on your body (especially if you’re, say, “north” of 50). 

That’s why it’s important to play in a way that’ll help you avoid undue stress and strain on the old muscles and bones.

In a recent conversation I had with Doobie Brothers bassist John Cowan, published as this week’s FBPO interview, John shared some helpful tips for keeping your body healthy while playing bass.

Lighten up

“If you’re doing something that’s physically harming to you, if your body is in a position that’s not good… You know, I have neck issues. I have since 1999, so I’m playing much lighter instruments. I think my ’62 Jazz might weigh about 7 or 8 pounds. I’m playing instruments now that weigh about 4 or 5 pounds.”

That statement is all too familiar. In fact, a lot of my students also find lighter instruments easier if they’re dealing with things like arthritis and tendonitis. Some find short-scale basses to be helpful too.

And John concurs. “I think that’s something to think about if you’re starting and you’re over the age of 30 or 40 or 50,” he says. He also suggests sitting upright in a chair instead of leaning over too much, in order to maintain a natural posture and avoid unnecessary strain.

Play like nobody’s watching

John then talked about the fact that not everyone looks graceful when they play bass. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re playing in an unhealthy way. 

“It’s funny to me,” he says. “Some of my favorite bass players are guys that look spastic when they play! Rick Danko just looked like, ‘What are you doing?’ But if you listen to what he’s playing, it’s so beautiful. And he was playing fretless and singing all the time in the band.”

The point is, sometimes you may have to modify the way you hold the bass, the way you approach the instrument when you play it. In some cases, it’s deliberate; other times it just happens naturally, even subconsciously.

“I see people a lot of times that that actually is their style,” says John. “They’ve just incorporated their being, their human being, as it were, into what they do when they play.”

Sometimes, it just takes a few tweaks

I shared with John some takeaways from my most recent interview with Dr. Randy Kertz, a chiropractor/acupuncturist/bassist who specializes in injury management and pain prevention for bass players. In that interview, Kertz cited players like Christian McBride and Victor Wooten, among others, as examples of bassists who’ve modified their technique, slightly, in order to play more efficiently.

If you’re feeling pain or discomfort while playing the bass, especially if it’s compounded with getting older, try some of these tips and see if they make a difference. 

Make note of the way you’re sitting, try a lighter bass, experiment with a short-scale instrument, modify your technique if necessary. You night even try playing like nobody’s watching! Whatever it takes to get the job done.

Did you know…

My lessons and courses in the Bottom Line Club are ideally suited to people over 50 who want to learn bass, many of whom are dealing with pain. Find out all about joining here.