Anchoring

[Trotsky]

Hi All!

Just got a 5 strings bass. Used to play a 4 strings several years ago. Since I'm back and new to the BEADG, I was wondering about muting my strings with my right hand.

I like a clean sound, When I'm playing the B, my thumb is on the pick-up, then it goes on the B when I play on the E, on the E and muting the B while playing on the A.

But, when I play the D or G string, my thumb is on the A string muting also the E and B with the side of the thumb.

Is this the proper way to mute a 5 strings with your right hand (if your right handed of course...)? I would love to have your inputs or sugestions on that matter.

Thank you in advance for your replies!

Trotsky

[Dave Muscato]

Presuming you mean that you drape your thumb, that's called floating thumb technique and is one of the textbook ways to alleviate excessive ring & string noise when playing an extended range bass.

Do you actually anchor (tip of thumb, with thumb bent out/backwards), or just mute the string with your edge of your thumb (thumb straight, hanging loose)?

[steve66]

Letting you thump drape over the strings makes for a great mute. My suggestion is to learn to mute using the fretting hand also

[Trotsky]

Originally Posted by Dave Muscato

Presuming you mean that you drape your thumb, that's called floating thumb technique and is one of the textbook ways to alleviate excessive ring & string noise when playing an extended range bass.

Do you actually anchor (tip of thumb, with thumb bent out/backwards), or just mute the string with your edge of your thumb (thumb straight, hanging loose)?

Answer:

I've been reading through the data bass and it is indeed the "floating thumb technique".

If I'm playing something on the G string, the tip of my thumb will be on the A string (playing fingerstyle of course) pointing toward the neck and muting the other two top strings, B & E, with the side of my thumb. My thumb will go up one string (E) after if I play on the A string. It's an up and down motion to, like you mention, "alleviate excessive ring & string noise".

I'm just not sure if I should go down to the A string (on a 5 strings) bass with my thumb, although, it seems to make sense.

T.

[Trotsky]

Originally Posted by steve66

Letting you thump drape over the strings makes for a great mute. My suggestion is to learn to mute using the fretting hand also

Answer:

Yes, I also use my left hand (fretting hand) at the same time to mute when I'm going up (toward the B string).

Trotsky