Hello everyone. As I practice more and more and learn new techniques and advance as a bass player and a musician I am starting to have this idea and i thought i'drun it by the Talk bass community (where else). Do you believe that body shape / contours and physical interaction with a bass affects technique. In other words do you think each bass manufacturer and I am refering to boutique instruments and high end luthiers' basses are made with one specific musical genre in mind : this one is for slap and finger funk, that for rock ,heavy metal, this is for soloing and playing chords.. and so on and so forth?
I am eliminating strings and tonewoods from the equation here the only variables are body shape(cut) and contours. The reason I am asking is that in a short time after a hiatus of 5 years i have been studying harder than ever and practicing every single day very efficiently and i am doing all that on my 5 strings 35" bass. but the more i delve into advanced techniques three finger and slap/pluck double thumping (triplets, 16th, 32) i realize that the body does not allow me to execute some with ease. I try both (classical guitar seated position with bass on left leg) and regular seated position with it on my right. I also have my strap at a very comfortable height (same standing as seated, relatively high by comfortable easy access ) my forearm slows me down with friction although my top is satin finished but the bass lacks an arm rest (modern shape body) anyway this post is not about solutions it is just about me wondering if luthiers and bass designs (i am a designer by training and profession) are genre specific and that my bass (the design of it which is unique to that manufacturer ) is not ergonomically intended for advanced techniques and jazz fusion
thanks.
I am eliminating strings and tonewoods from the equation here the only variables are body shape(cut) and contours. The reason I am asking is that in a short time after a hiatus of 5 years i have been studying harder than ever and practicing every single day very efficiently and i am doing all that on my 5 strings 35" bass. but the more i delve into advanced techniques three finger and slap/pluck double thumping (triplets, 16th, 32) i realize that the body does not allow me to execute some with ease. I try both (classical guitar seated position with bass on left leg) and regular seated position with it on my right. I also have my strap at a very comfortable height (same standing as seated, relatively high by comfortable easy access ) my forearm slows me down with friction although my top is satin finished but the bass lacks an arm rest (modern shape body) anyway this post is not about solutions it is just about me wondering if luthiers and bass designs (i am a designer by training and profession) are genre specific and that my bass (the design of it which is unique to that manufacturer ) is not ergonomically intended for advanced techniques and jazz fusion
thanks.