My first bass teacher always told me: "Before starting playing songs, you must play this way (thumb in the string above) perfectly!" I spent 1 year doing this exercises and thought it was really boring... now, I never think what I'm doing, but when I pay attention to it, I'm always playing with my thumb muting the other strings, and it makes my sound so consistent!
This is exactly the way I anchor my thumb. It took me years to figure it out. It actually wasn't until I started recording myself that I realized I needed better muting technique. I settled on this "floating thumb" technique because I found it more natural and effective than any other technique people recommended. I also frequently pluck with just my index when I'm recording. While I don't do it live, I've found for the purposes of recording it offers a much more consistent pulse. In general, I'm willing to try to do anything I need to to get a great recording.
One more tip-there's also an option to play with multiple fingers on the right hand but not alternate or shift between them. Think of the way an upright player will use two or three fingers together in sort of a paddle motion. Gives a warm, thumpy tone and also is a good way to give the fingers a bit of a break from some more strenuous techniques. I find it tends to work really well very close to the heel of the neck, sometimes resting my thumb on the neck when I play like this. It can be a retro sound, but it's also possible to dig in really hard. One thing my experience has taught me is that the right hand is far more capable of shaping tone than anything else we do. I'm an inveterate knob twiddler and switch flipper, but after I finish dorking around with all the electronics, I find myself going back to around nine on volume and four on tone (in P Bass parlance) and letting my hand position and right hand fingering / attack control things. I love to tinker but in reality, toys and knobs are for guitar players. 😥 Great channel, Philip!
Thanks Shayne, that was such a nice comment to see. I look forward to releasing videos all week too. I am hoping to keep doing one every Wednesday. I can’t promise but I will do my best!
I leave my thumb resting on the pickup even when playing the A, D, and G strings because they're naturally muted when I pluck the string above it, which is one of the advantages of playing finger style vs a pick.
Fantastic, wish I had these tips when I started with my bass. Still trying to recover from the James Jamerson insight...wow....so used to watching Geddy Lee play bass....other worldly player...thanks again
I dunno how many beginner bass videos I've seen, and at first I was like "yeah yeah yeah" -- but I don't think I've ever heard anyone suggest angling the right hand to equalize fingertip surface area before. Nice. That sort of thing is why I still watch'em. :)
I’ve always had issues with inconsistencies in my playing. After watching this it seems so simple, but yet over looked. Thanks Man! I would be interested in left handed technique as well
when muting with my thumb I noticed that I usually move it between the pickup, E and A. I experimented moving also to the D string but I discovered that isn't the big deal: when your playing in the G strings mi index and middle fingers land in D, muting the latter pretty effectively. Sometimes the thing is being the most lazy at playing and search techniques or ways to ease the struggle against the bass.
Y’know I never actually thought about it but after watching this I played for a while and realized I don’t or even can’t comfortably do that moving the thumb up and down. I am self thought over 35+ years and I use the opposite finger of whichever is plucking to mute the above along with a combination of left hand muting. My thumb never leaves the E unless I’m on that string with my index or middle. Also sometimes if playing a faster tempo I will use my ring finger to mute while double plucking with the two forefingers. Interesting that I never payed much attention to it. Just did it.
It is so weird as my thumb just naturally moves. Until I actually watched my right hand I did not realize. Hey … you … pay attention and actually learn to play,. Plus his slide tone is legendary.
You're thumb shifting idea is interesting. I've been playing for 45 years and that's the first time I've seen it. I've always (when I played a 4 string anchored my thumb either on the edge of the pickup or the E string. I would sometimes move my thumb to the mute other strings if I was playing extremely hard on a solo. I've always had a very hard/heavy right hand (being a die-hard Geddy Lee fan, although I mostly play jazz). I play a six string now and will move my thumb up the strings a little more often to mute the lower strings, but still mostly hang my thumb on the pick-up or the B or E string - I put my thumb on the E string when I'm playing exclusively on the G and C strings. Is the method you suggest a popular one for today's players?
Hi Charlie! Great question. There are lots of amazing players that don’t do this. There are a lot that do. My humble opinion is it’s the best way to play clearly, but there are no rules and there are many bass players that are better than me don’t use this method. Sounds like you have a system that is working well for you. Thanks for sharing!
Philip, both you a Rhett Shull have referenced your hand injury. Maybe ayou should do a video about your injury, how did it happen, what the injury was, how long were you not able to play Bass, your recovery, how has it changed your Bass playing, any issues you still have, what you did to keep and/or improve your musicianship. Love the vids keep them up.
Hi Alex. Thanks for your thoughtful comment. This is something I am hoping to do when it feels right. Stay tuned, I am not sure when that will be but I am planning to share more about it.
Hey man just stumbled across your videos and finding every one super insightful. Any chance you can do a video of palm muting technique? Keep up the good work!
I know this video touched on it abit but was referring to pick/palm mute sorry. Have always played with my fingers and finding the transition a little difficult to make.
I am fairly proficient with thumb/pick/hybrid, and trying to learn "the claw" technique, like you demoed. This really helps! I just need to stick with practicing the technique. I live on a small houseboat in Louisiana, with 11 guitar/baritones/basses. Have you tried a baritone? I'm building a Squier CV bari with all new components, started with TV Jones Starwood pups, Gotoh machines, and probably a Vegatrem in the future.
As many other bassists have said, much of your tone is in your fingers. I know I'm personally bad about the fact my thumb never goes past the E string and my ring/pinkie fingers tends to do any muting needed on the A and D strings. On other things, you're now required to give a run down of that gorgeous ampeg stack behind you after the quiet flex of having it in the background.
Hi Clint! Sounds like you have figured out a technique that works well for you. Haha yes, that is my old flip-top. Perhaps I will need to properly introduce her one of these days… Thanks for watching once again sir!
I know I mute my lower strings but now I need to run over to my music room to see how I do it! Guess I've been doing it subconsciously for so long. Great stuff, keep em coming!
Yes, I think for a lot of it it is subconscious and figured out by necessity over time. Whatever works! My hope is that this will be helpful to someone feeling discouraged with their sound and hasn’t figured it out yet. Thanks for the kind words! And thank you for being here.
I'm 65 and just started developing a thumb and two finger technique like a banjo player might use. Thumb hits down and two fingers pick up. Have you ever seen this?
Awesome vid once again! What do you think of using your left hand to mute? i personally find it more natural and comfortable, but ill keep the right hand trick in mind ;)
Hi Wilson! I hear you. Big fan of left hand muting technique as well; may need to make a video about that at some point… I like to use them both together to make sure all strings are covered when not playing a note. Thank you for the kind words and for watching!
Hi there! Basically, I twisted my left thumb real bad. I think I may do a video talking about injury and healing sometime when the timing is right. Stay tuned!
@@philipconradmusic Excellent! If you're taking requests, I'd love a short video of what advice you would give a life-long hobbiest who might want to start gigging. Emphasis on start lol. Not "How to be a working musician"
Sitting here, I couldn’t even tell you my right hand technique because it’s just so automatic and ingrained. I sometimes do what your describing, but it’s always changing, because depending on the song or part, I may go from fingertips to fingernails for dynamics, or sometimes I’m using my thumb on the E string, and index, middle and ring each on the A, D and G strings, respectively, and when any string is not being used, it is being muted by it’s corresponding picking finger resting on it (like playing steel guitar). Some kinds of music, I may use a pick - everything is always in service of the particular song. But yeah, I’ve got a half dozen different ways I will mute, including the palm of my hand or entire outside of my thumb, and even fingers of my fretting hand will automatically lay out across string(s) when needed. It’s like every part of both of my hands are just trained to be default muting any string that shouldn’t be ringing out.
I have three basses, a Precision, a 4001 and a Dan Armstrong Ampeg. The P bass thankfully is from a year when they put the thumb rest on the proper side of the strings! I slightly re-located it when I replaced a damaged pickguard and now it's right where I want it. The Ampeg also has a thumb rest and it's perfectly situated. I found a cool, low-visibily clear plastic thumb rest, made for a Rickenbacker bass and installed it on the 4001. I find it so much more playable now! I'm obviously a big believer in thumb rests on basses!
I have to keep the nails my two plucking fingers trimmed very close, especially on my index finger. The tone and noise my fingernails when they contact on the strings while plucking bothers me a lot. When it happens it immediately sends me off to get my the finger nail clippers. I even keep some nail clippers and a nail file in my bass guitar case.
When my fingers come play through one string and come to rest on the lower string, it creates an audible thump. I wonder if I’m plucking the strings to forcibly, and thus striking the neighboring, muted string too hard. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Matt! Could be that. Also it could be your string striking against the pickup? You want to be lightly touching the string on the follow through, not striking it. Hard to say without seeing it. Hope this helps…
@@philipconradmusic thanks! I think I’m striking it. I’ll try to lighten up a bit and see if that solves the problem. Looking forward to a left hand technique video!
This is a really good, concise introduction to the basics of right hand technique for electric bass. (It's also out of focus from 3:30, but you don't really lose anything. I think it's the camera trying to protect us from more closeups of the crud on the upper frets of this beautiful old Precision.)
Thank you, Philip. I'm less than a week into my first bass guitar, and this was a great lesson. First fender play lessons went over some of this, but you go into more depth, making this video the perfect follow-up and reinforcement.
@@philipconradmusic I am just for myself exploring music and trying to welcome new instruments every now and then. I like and appreciate your videostyle very much. They are helpful in a friendly accompanying way, thanks!
My first bass teacher always told me: "Before starting playing songs, you must play this way (thumb in the string above) perfectly!" I spent 1 year doing this exercises and thought it was really boring... now, I never think what I'm doing, but when I pay attention to it, I'm always playing with my thumb muting the other strings, and it makes my sound so consistent!
Sounds like you had a wise teacher. It makes so much difference! Thanks for sharing ⚡️
fuck that lmao
This is exactly the way I anchor my thumb. It took me years to figure it out. It actually wasn't until I started recording myself that I realized I needed better muting technique. I settled on this "floating thumb" technique because I found it more natural and effective than any other technique people recommended.
I also frequently pluck with just my index when I'm recording. While I don't do it live, I've found for the purposes of recording it offers a much more consistent pulse. In general, I'm willing to try to do anything I need to to get a great recording.
Yes!! The one finger trick is great. Thanks for watching!
Jamerson only needed one finger, anyways.
One more tip-there's also an option to play with multiple fingers on the right hand but not alternate or shift between them. Think of the way an upright player will use two or three fingers together in sort of a paddle motion. Gives a warm, thumpy tone and also is a good way to give the fingers a bit of a break from some more strenuous techniques. I find it tends to work really well very close to the heel of the neck, sometimes resting my thumb on the neck when I play like this. It can be a retro sound, but it's also possible to dig in really hard. One thing my experience has taught me is that the right hand is far more capable of shaping tone than anything else we do. I'm an inveterate knob twiddler and switch flipper, but after I finish dorking around with all the electronics, I find myself going back to around nine on volume and four on tone (in P Bass parlance) and letting my hand position and right hand fingering / attack control things. I love to tinker but in reality, toys and knobs are for guitar players. 😥
Great channel, Philip!
Well said! There is so much nuance in our fingers and I agree 100%. Thanks for sharing; so glad to have you here 🤘
That’s how I play normally when I use fingers; I anchor my right hand thumb on the heel of the neck and play in that area.
Thanks for the quick and simple feedback.
Blessings,
Thank you for watching and your comment! 🤘
@@philipconradmusic I know they help the algorithm, and it's an easy way to support. Got your back, bro.
@@sirjoshuapaul 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Good stuff! All week I look forward to your next video. I wish you all the success Phil.
Thanks Shayne, that was such a nice comment to see. I look forward to releasing videos all week too. I am hoping to keep doing one every Wednesday. I can’t promise but I will do my best!
Confidence builds tone. I never heard it put quite like that. I am going to use that one.
Thank you. ⚡️
I leave my thumb resting on the pickup even when playing the A, D, and G strings because they're naturally muted when I pluck the string above it, which is one of the advantages of playing finger style vs a pick.
Useful.
🙏🏻
Fantastic, wish I had these tips when I started with my bass. Still trying to recover from the James Jamerson insight...wow....so used to watching Geddy Lee play bass....other worldly player...thanks again
Thanks for the kind words and your support! ⚡️
I dunno how many beginner bass videos I've seen, and at first I was like "yeah yeah yeah" -- but I don't think I've ever heard anyone suggest angling the right hand to equalize fingertip surface area before. Nice. That sort of thing is why I still watch'em. :)
Glad you found it helpful! Glad to have you here ⚡️
Would love a video on left hand muting. I have ALWAYS struggled with left hand muting technique
I’ve always had issues with inconsistencies in my playing. After watching this it seems so simple, but yet over looked. Thanks Man! I would be interested in left handed technique as well
Thanks Jacob! I hope you found it helpful. A left hand video could be cool, may have to make one…
when muting with my thumb I noticed that I usually move it between the pickup, E and A. I experimented moving also to the D string but I discovered that isn't the big deal: when your playing in the G strings mi index and middle fingers land in D, muting the latter pretty effectively. Sometimes the thing is being the most lazy at playing and search techniques or ways to ease the struggle against the bass.
Y’know I never actually thought about it but after watching this I played for a while and realized I don’t or even can’t comfortably do that moving the thumb up and down. I am self thought over 35+ years and I use the opposite finger of whichever is plucking to mute the above along with a combination of left hand muting. My thumb never leaves the E unless I’m on that string with my index or middle. Also sometimes if playing a faster tempo I will use my ring finger to mute while double plucking with the two forefingers. Interesting that I never payed much attention to it. Just did it.
It is so weird as my thumb just naturally moves. Until I actually watched my right hand I did not realize. Hey … you … pay attention and actually learn to play,. Plus his slide tone is legendary.
😆
Wish mine did! It’s the most awkward thing I’ve ever tried.
I see, that when you play fast over multiple strings, you keep you thumb steady, so the advice on shifting thumb is only relevant for some situations.
You're thumb shifting idea is interesting. I've been playing for 45 years and that's the first time I've seen it. I've always (when I played a 4 string anchored my thumb either on the edge of the pickup or the E string. I would sometimes move my thumb to the mute other strings if I was playing extremely hard on a solo. I've always had a very hard/heavy right hand (being a die-hard Geddy Lee fan, although I mostly play jazz). I play a six string now and will move my thumb up the strings a little more often to mute the lower strings, but still mostly hang my thumb on the pick-up or the B or E string - I put my thumb on the E string when I'm playing exclusively on the G and C strings. Is the method you suggest a popular one for today's players?
Hi Charlie! Great question. There are lots of amazing players that don’t do this. There are a lot that do. My humble opinion is it’s the best way to play clearly, but there are no rules and there are many bass players that are better than me don’t use this method. Sounds like you have a system that is working well for you. Thanks for sharing!
Philip, both you a Rhett Shull have referenced your hand injury. Maybe ayou should do a video about your injury, how did it happen, what the injury was, how long were you not able to play Bass, your recovery, how has it changed your Bass playing, any issues you still have, what you did to keep and/or improve your musicianship. Love the vids keep them up.
Hi Alex. Thanks for your thoughtful comment. This is something I am hoping to do when it feels right. Stay tuned, I am not sure when that will be but I am planning to share more about it.
Hey man just stumbled across your videos and finding every one super insightful. Any chance you can do a video of palm muting technique?
Keep up the good work!
Great idea! I’ll keep it in mind…
I know this video touched on it abit but was referring to pick/palm mute sorry. Have always played with my fingers and finding the transition a little difficult to make.
Ah copy. Could be cool to talk about palm fingers and palm pick. Lots of nuance you can get with your palm that way.
I am fairly proficient with thumb/pick/hybrid, and trying to learn "the claw" technique, like you demoed. This really helps! I just need to stick with practicing the technique. I live on a small houseboat in Louisiana, with 11 guitar/baritones/basses. Have you tried a baritone? I'm building a Squier CV bari with all new components, started with TV Jones Starwood pups, Gotoh machines, and probably a Vegatrem in the future.
Wow a houseboat full of basses sounds like a dream! I haven’t played much baritone. Thanks for sharing!
As many other bassists have said, much of your tone is in your fingers. I know I'm personally bad about the fact my thumb never goes past the E string and my ring/pinkie fingers tends to do any muting needed on the A and D strings.
On other things, you're now required to give a run down of that gorgeous ampeg stack behind you after the quiet flex of having it in the background.
Hi Clint! Sounds like you have figured out a technique that works well for you.
Haha yes, that is my old flip-top. Perhaps I will need to properly introduce her one of these days…
Thanks for watching once again sir!
I know I mute my lower strings but now I need to run over to my music room to see how I do it! Guess I've been doing it subconsciously for so long. Great stuff, keep em coming!
Yes, I think for a lot of it it is subconscious and figured out by necessity over time. Whatever works! My hope is that this will be helpful to someone feeling discouraged with their sound and hasn’t figured it out yet. Thanks for the kind words! And thank you for being here.
goddamit, I was already doing this and i still sound bad haha lmao.
Thank you so much for this video! All of this information is so rarely talked about, yet is so important. Massive kudos to you!
Hi Kyle! Thanks for the kind words. I hope you find the information helpful!
I'm 65 and just started developing a thumb and two finger technique like a banjo player might use. Thumb hits down and two fingers pick up. Have you ever seen this?
Yes this is a great method as well! Thanks for sharing.
What a great video! Now go out and buy yourself something nice and celebrate, You deserve it...
🙏🏻
A p bass with flats ? no thanks.
Awesome vid once again!
What do you think of using your left hand to mute? i personally find it more natural and comfortable, but ill keep the right hand trick in mind ;)
Hi Wilson! I hear you. Big fan of left hand muting technique as well; may need to make a video about that at some point… I like to use them both together to make sure all strings are covered when not playing a note. Thank you for the kind words and for watching!
i used to anchor my thumb a lot until i saw bernard edwards play and he looked so incredibly relaxed while barely anchoring his thumb
Great video!!! The concepts are simple but genius. Economy of movement yet allows for control of the note dynamics and muting.
Thanks for the kind word John! Not my ideas, but my way of sharing them I guess. I hope you find it helpful!
Thanks for making these videos. I have really enjoyed your content.
Thanks Jason! More on the way. Trying to have a new video every Wednesday. I can’t promise it will always work, but I will do my best!
Hi philip im just curious how you injured your hand?
Hi there! Basically, I twisted my left thumb real bad. I think I may do a video talking about injury and healing sometime when the timing is right. Stay tuned!
@@philipconradmusic Thanks for the reply and the great video!
Rhett sent me. 😉🤘🏽
Glad you are here!
Looks like your comments section is getting spammed. (Below) I hate that!
Keep up the hard work though
Thanks Jim! Going to try and keep them coming fresh every Wednesday. I can’t promise I always will, but going to do my best!
@@philipconradmusic Excellent! If you're taking requests, I'd love a short video of what advice you would give a life-long hobbiest who might want to start gigging. Emphasis on start lol. Not "How to be a working musician"
@@jimleininger8963 that’s a cool idea! I’ll keep it in mind…
Hi Philip, what does that little patch cable on your amp do? Thanks!
Bridging the inputs on some amps can give you more eq/tone control ⚡️
Thumbs up again for that great video!!!
Thanks Benjamin!! 🤘
Excellent video Philip! Looking forward to more!
Thanks so much!! 🤘
Sitting here, I couldn’t even tell you my right hand technique because it’s just so automatic and ingrained. I sometimes do what your describing, but it’s always changing, because depending on the song or part, I may go from fingertips to fingernails for dynamics, or sometimes I’m using my thumb on the E string, and index, middle and ring each on the A, D and G strings, respectively, and when any string is not being used, it is being muted by it’s corresponding picking finger resting on it (like playing steel guitar). Some kinds of music, I may use a pick - everything is always in service of the particular song. But yeah, I’ve got a half dozen different ways I will mute, including the palm of my hand or entire outside of my thumb, and even fingers of my fretting hand will automatically lay out across string(s) when needed. It’s like every part of both of my hands are just trained to be default muting any string that shouldn’t be ringing out.
Good advice BUT !, clean the green frets ! 🙄😊
😅
I have three basses, a Precision, a 4001 and a Dan Armstrong Ampeg. The P bass thankfully is from a year when they put the thumb rest on the proper side of the strings! I slightly re-located it when I replaced a damaged pickguard and now it's right where I want it. The Ampeg also has a thumb rest and it's perfectly situated. I found a cool, low-visibily clear plastic thumb rest, made for a Rickenbacker bass and installed it on the 4001. I find it so much more playable now! I'm obviously a big believer in thumb rests on basses!
I have to keep the nails my two plucking fingers trimmed very close, especially on my index finger. The tone and noise my fingernails when they contact on the strings while plucking bothers me a lot. When it happens it immediately sends me off to get my the finger nail clippers. I even keep some nail clippers and a nail file in my bass guitar case.
When my fingers come play through one string and come to rest on the lower string, it creates an audible thump. I wonder if I’m plucking the strings to forcibly, and thus striking the neighboring, muted string too hard. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Matt! Could be that. Also it could be your string striking against the pickup? You want to be lightly touching the string on the follow through, not striking it. Hard to say without seeing it. Hope this helps…
@@philipconradmusic thanks! I think I’m striking it. I’ll try to lighten up a bit and see if that solves the problem. Looking forward to a left hand technique video!
@@Matt-1d awesome! Stay tuned..,
Great tips Phil. Thanks.
Thanks Tom! I hope they are helpful 🤘
Great video, Philip!
Thank you!
I personally like using my nails to play I have old flat wounds and it doesn’t sound bad
Very practical information. To me these things, which can take years to come by naturally make all the difference.
This is a really good, concise introduction to the basics of right hand technique for electric bass.
(It's also out of focus from 3:30, but you don't really lose anything. I think it's the camera trying to protect us from more closeups of the crud on the upper frets of this beautiful old Precision.)
Thank you, Philip. I'm less than a week into my first bass guitar, and this was a great lesson. First fender play lessons went over some of this, but you go into more depth, making this video the perfect follow-up and reinforcement.
Wonderful.
🙏🏻
😊
☺️
Well done!! thanks a lot!
Thank you! I hope it’s helpful for you 🤘
@@philipconradmusic I am just for myself exploring music and trying to welcome new instruments every now and then. I like and appreciate your videostyle very much. They are helpful in a friendly accompanying way, thanks!
Love your channel. Thanks!
Thanks so much! Glad to have you here!