Bad plucking technique?

Thomsen · #1 08-30-2009, 01:53 PM

Hey there!

I've been playing for a bit more than a year now, but lately I've been wondering whether I've got bad right hand technique or not.
When I pluck, I don't pluck through the string and rest my finger on the string below. For example when plucking an A, I don't rest my finger on the E string.

I've always played this way, but if it's a bad way, I would like to correct it now!

PS I know my english isn't as good as it could be..

Nashrakh · #2 08-30-2009, 02:13 PM

'sup! Greets to Denmark, I live close to the border on the German side

(and your English is just fine, I've seen worse coming from native speakers lol)

Anyways, your plucking technique is just fine. Whether you use rest strokes or not is up to you, not a matter of technique but a matter of taste IMO.

So, as long as you're happy with it, keep doing it.

Thomsen · #3 08-30-2009, 02:21 PM

Thank you!

I noticed a lot of bassplayers tend to use rest strokes, so started to wonder if I was all wrong. Now I'm just glad, I don't have to "start over" again

CoffeeJanitor · #4 08-30-2009, 04:16 PM

You don't have to change your technique, but I'd recommend it...It helps with muting (esp. if you don't do floating thumb), and also makes certain lines easier to play. You'll get used to "raking" the strings (that is, playing, say the A string then the E string right in a row with the same finger).

It's all about economy of motion. IMO, it's a good thing to get used to doing.

Of course, I'm no professional, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

Kevinmach · #5 08-30-2009, 07:11 PM

Hej da thomsen! Jag kan inte danska, med jag vet svenksa nagot.

Quote:

You don't have to change your technique, but I'd recommend it...

Highly recommend here as well.

I started doing this about 6 months month ago, and my playing sounds much cleaner and punchy from the percussive sound you get from hitting next lower strings. I've also found that when I "free stroked", there was a lot more variation in the tone and volume of my strokes.

The rest stroke is probably the single biggest improvement I've made to my playing. It took about a month to get used to, and it set me back a bit-but once I got used to it, it was well worth it.

Thomsen · #6 08-31-2009, 06:29 AM

Thanks for the answers, I really appreciate it!

Now you changed my mind

.. Maybe it would be a good idea to change my playing, but when play with rest strokes, I tend to be a lot more tense and don't find it as easy to relax, when playing. Is this normal until I get used to it?

CoffeeJanitor · #7 09-07-2009, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomsen

Thanks for the answers, I really appreciate it!

Now you changed my mind

.. Maybe it would be a good idea to change my playing, but when play with rest strokes, I tend to be a lot more tense and don't find it as easy to relax, when playing. Is this normal until I get used to it?

Yes, I'd say so. You're going to feel more tense when doing any new techniques I think