This article is written by Toru Hoshino, a jazz and upright bassist and instructor based in Tokyo, and covers the form and habits I keep in mind when playing walking bass on electric bass.
Form varies from person to person depending on body type, gender, genre, and more, so none of this is a “you must do it this way” rule — but I hope it’s useful as a reference.
Contents
Bass Position
I wear my bass pretty high.
I use a COMFORT strap set to its shortest length, and I make a point of keeping the body of the bass in the same position whether I’m standing or sitting.
Funk and jazz players tend to wear the strap short, while rock players tend to wear it longer.
I used to wear mine super long back in my punk rock days, too — but for anyone playing with a long strap, I’d recommend practicing standing up, even at home, so your form carries over to how you’ll actually play live.
Look at the Fretboard with Your Eyes Only
To check my fingering, I look at my left hand.
When I do this, tilting my head way down to stare at the fretboard makes the playing look amateurish.
It’s hard to play without looking at the fretboard at all, but where I can, I try to keep my head straight and check the fretboard with just my eyes.
↑ This is looking way too much. My mouth’s even hanging open.
↑ This is checking the fretboard subtly, with just my eyes.
Keep Your Left Hand from Flapping Around
Opening and closing your left hand like you’re throwing rock-paper-scissors doesn’t look great, and it isn’t very efficient either.
The less you open and close your left hand, the more easily you can adapt to whatever phrase comes next.
Right Elbow Position
I rest my elbow just slightly forward of where it naturally falls on top of the body of the bass.
The angle you see in the photo below is what feels the most relaxed for my own style.
Left Hand Position
I keep my elbow tucked slightly inward. My thumb isn’t there to pinch the neck — it’s just resting against it for support.
I also try to keep my hand curled as much as possible, so I’m always ready to fret the next note right away.
Want Personalized Feedback on Your Playing?
This is exactly the kind of thing that’s hard to fix alone — and where having a teacher makes all the difference.
At Line on Bass, I offer an online lesson service where you send me a video of your playing, and I give you specific, detailed feedback — every single day if you want.
Students from around the world are using this to fix exactly these kinds of issues and steadily improve their jazz bass skills.