Playing techniques Bass guitar

1 playing techniques

1.1 sitting or standing
1.2 performing techniques

1.2.1 slap , pop
1.2.2 picking techniques
1.2.3 palm-muting techniques
1.2.4 fretting techniques
1.2.5 two-handed tapping
1.2.6 strumming

playing techniques
sitting or standing

most bass players stand while playing, using strap on shoulder hold instrument, although sitting accepted, particularly in large ensemble settings, such jazz big bands or in acoustic genres such folk music. bassists, such jah wobble, alternate between standing or seated playing. matter of player s preference position gives greatest ease of playing , bandleader expects. when sitting, right-handed players can balance instrument on right thigh or classical guitar players, left. when sitting, no strap required. balancing bass on left thigh positions in such way mimics standing position, allowing less difference between standing , sitting positions. balancing bass on right thigh provides better access neck , fretboard in entirety, lower-pitched frets.

performing techniques

james jamerson, influential motown era bassist

in contrast upright bass (also called double bass ), electric bass guitar played horizontally across body, electric guitar. when strings plucked fingers (pizzicato), index , middle fingers (and thumb, ring, , little fingers well) used. james jamerson, influential bassist motown era, played intricate bass lines using index finger, called hook. there variations in how bassist chooses rest right-hand thumb (or left thumb in case of left-handed players). player may rest or thumb on top edge of 1 of pickups or on side of fretboard, common among bassists have upright bass influence. bassists anchor thumbs on lowest string , move off lowest string when need play on low string. alternatively, thumb can rested loosely on strings mute unused strings.

the string can plucked (or picked) @ point between bridge , point fretting hand holding down string on fingerboard; different timbres (tones) produced depending on along string plucked. when plucked closer bridge, string s harmonics more pronounced, giving brighter tone. closer middle of string, these harmonics less pronounced, giving more mellow, darker tone.

bassists trying emulate sound of double bass pluck strings thumb , use palm-muting create short, thumpy tone. monk montgomery (who played in lionel hampton s big band) , bruce palmer (who performed buffalo springfield) use thumb downstrokes. use of thumb acknowledged fender models, came thumbrest or tug bar attached pickguard below strings. contrary name, not used rest thumb, provide leverage while using thumb pluck strings. thumbrest moved above strings in 1970s models (as true thumbrest) , eliminated in 1980s. nevertheless, reissued versions of vintage fender basses in 2010s include thumbrest.

slap , pop


the slap , pop technique

the slap , pop method, or thumbstyle , associated funk, uses tones , percussive sounds achieved striking, thumping, or slapping string thumb , snapping (or popping ) string or strings index or middle fingers. bassists interpolate left hand-muted dead notes (also called ghost notes ) between slaps , pops achieve rapid percussive effect, , after note slapped or popped, fretting hand may cause other notes sound using hammer ons , pull offs , or left-hand glissando (slide). larry graham of sly , family stone , graham central station innovator of slap style, , louis johnson of brothers johnson credited slap bass player.

slap , pop style used many bassists in other genres, such rock (e.g., j j burnel , les claypool), metal (e.g., eric langlois, martin mendez, fieldy , ryan martinie), , jazz fusion (e.g., marcus miller, victor wooten , alain caron). slap style playing popularized throughout 1980s , 1990s pop bass players such mark king (from level 42) , rock bassists such pino palladino (currently member of john mayer trio , bassist who), flea (from red hot chili peppers) , alex katunich (from incubus). spank bass developed slap , pop style , treats electric bass percussion instrument, striking strings above pickups open palmed hand. wooten popularized double thump, in string slapped twice, on upstroke , downstroke (for more information, see classical thump). used playing technique related slapping use of wooden dowel funk fingers , approach popularized tony levin.

picking techniques

the pick (or plectrum) used obtain more articulate attack, speed, or personal preference. although use of pick associated rock , punk rock, picks used in other styles. jazz bassist steve swallow plays pick, while pink floyd bassist roger waters uses 1 heavier tone. mike gordon of phish uses pick while incorporating slapping techniques playing. picks can used alternating downstrokes , upstrokes, or downstrokes more consistent attack. pick held index , thumb, up-and-down plucking motion supplied wrist.

there many varieties of picks available, due thicker, heavier strings of electric bass, bassists tend use heavier picks used electric guitar, typically ranging 1.14 mm–3.00 mm (3.00 unusual). different materials used picks, including plastic, nylon, rubber, , felt, of produce different tones. felt , rubber picks used emulate fingerstyle tone.

palm-muting techniques

palm-muting used bass technique. outer edge of palm of picking hand rested on bridge while picking, , mutes strings, shortening sustain time. harder palm presses, or more string area contacted palm, shorter string s sustain. sustain of picked note can varied each note or phrase. shorter sustain of muted note on electric bass can used imitate shorter sustain , character of upright bass. palm-muting commonly done while using pick, can done without pick, when doing down-strokes thumb.

one prominent example of pick/palm-muting combination paul mccartney, has consistently used technique decades. sting uses palm-muting; without pick, using thumb , first finger pluck.

paul mccartney mutes strings picking hand


fretting techniques

the fretting hand, left hand right-handed bass players , right hand left-handed bass players, used press down strings play different notes , shape tone or timbre of plucked or picked note. 1 technique used in fretting hand known finger per fret , each finger in fretting hand plays 1 fret in given position. also, double bass-style technique can used fretting. technique involves use of 4 fingers in space of 3 frets, in lower positions (i.e., fretting positions closer nut, space between notes widest). when considering spacing between notes, comfortable distance average person s hand size. main advantage of 4 fingers in 3 frets technique less tendon strain, leading diminished likelihood of repetitive strain injury (rsi). four-in-three technique demonstrated in image below (a bassist performing tapping).

the fretting hand can used change sounded note, either muting after plucked or picked shorten duration or partially muting near bridge reduce volume of note, or make note die away faster. fretting hand used mute strings not being played , stop sympathetic vibrations, particularly when player wants dry or focused sound. on other hand, sympathetic resonance of harmonically related strings may desired songs, such ballads. in these cases, bassist can fret harmonically related notes. example, while fretting sustained f (on third fret of d string), underneath f major chord being played piano player, bassist might hold down c , low f below note harmonics sound sympathetically.

the fretting hand can add vibrato plucked or picked note, either gentle, narrow vibrato or more exaggerated, wide vibrato bigger pitch variations. fretted basses, vibrato alternation between pitch of note , higher pitch. fretless basses, player can use style of vibrato, or can alternate between note , lower pitch, done double bass , on other unfretted stringed instruments. while vibrato done on stopped notes—that is, notes pressed down on fingerboard—open strings can vibratoed pressing down on string behind nut. well, fretting hand can used bend plucked or picked note in pitch, pushing or pulling string note sounds @ higher pitch. create opposite effect, bend down , string pushed higher pitch before being plucked or picked , allowed fall lower, regular pitch after sounded. though rare, bassists may use tremolo bar-equipped bass produce same effect.

in addition pressing down 1 note @ time, bassists can press down several notes @ 1 time fretting hand perform double stop (two notes @ once) or chord. while double stops , chords used less bassists electric guitarists playing rhythm guitar, variety of double stops , chords can performed on electric bass. double stops used bassists include octaves. chords can effective on instruments higher ranges such six-string basses. variation pressing down string gently graze string finger @ harmonic node points on string, creates chime-like upper partials (also called overtones ). glissando effect in fretting hand slides or down neck, can used create slide in pitch or down. subtle glissando can performed moving fretting hand without plucking or picking string; more pronounced effect, string plucked or picked first, or, in metal or hardcore punk context, pick may scraped along sides of lower strings.

the tapping technique

the fretting hand can used sound notes, either plucking open string fretting hand, or, in case of string has been plucked or picked, hammering on higher pitch or pulling off finger pluck lower fretted or open stringed note. jazz bassists use subtle form of fretting hand pizzicato plucking brief open string grace note fretting hand right before playing string plucking hand. when string rapidly hammered on, note can prolonged trill.

two-handed tapping

in two-handed tapping styles, bassists use both hands play notes on fretboard rapidly pressing , holding string fret. instead of plucking or picking string create sound, in technique, action of striking string against fret or fretboard creates sound. since 2 hands can used play on fretboard, makes possible play interweaving contrapuntal lines, simultaneously play bass line , simple chord, or play chords , arpeggios. bassist john entwistle of tapped percussively on strings, causing them strike fretboard twangy sound create drum-style fills. players noted technique include cliff burton, billy sheehan, stuart hamm, john myung, victor wooten, les claypool, mark king, , michael manring. chapman stick , warr guitars string instruments designed played using two-handed tapping.

strumming

strumming, finger nails, common technique on acoustic guitar, not commonly used technique bass. however, notable example stanley clarke s bass playing on introduction school days , on album of same name.