Finger picking near the bridge

[Geck]

I'm curious as to how this actually sounds decent because when I do it it just sounds very twangy. I've always finger picked up near the mid section of my bass. Could it be difference in string tension?

[jayarroz]

I play upright so i like being able to pull hard on the strings, and by the bridge they have more tension, so i put more of my finger on the string, and I pull with my shoulder not my fingers as much.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Geck

I'm curious as to how this actually sounds decent because when I do it it just sounds very twangy. I've always finger picked up near the mid section of my bass. Could it be difference in string tension?

The good thing about picking by the bridge is not getting clanking you can get by picking where the strings are looser. But you have to play kind of light by the bridge and turn the amp up to make it sound warm. Good idea to develop techniques for picking everywhere along the body, though. You can get a ton of tonal variation just by doing that.

[zeppelinfreak]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

The good thing about picking by the bridge is not getting clanking you can get by picking where the strings are looser. But you have to play kind of light by the bridge and turn the amp up to make it sound warm. Good idea to develop techniques for picking everywhere along the body, though. You can get a ton of tonal variation just by doing that.

+1.

Between where I play and my tone knob, I havent changed my amp settings at all in like a year. And I play everything from jazz to black metal. And I mean EVERYthing.

[Bob the bassist]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

The good thing about picking by the bridge is not getting clanking you can get by picking where the strings are looser. But you have to play kind of light by the bridge and turn the amp up to make it sound warm. Good idea to develop techniques for picking everywhere along the body, though. You can get a ton of tonal variation just by doing that.

Heh. No matter where I play, I get clanking. . . but that's just me attacking the strings. . . but I do pick and choose where I play, and generally play over the 17th fret or so for a nice, round tone, and down by the bridge for a real twang, and everywhere in between. As I understand it, plucking a string closer to a fixed node generates more, and brighter overtones.

[Mike Shevlin]

when I play a fast run I find myself reaching back a little for the added tension.

[NickBass81]

On the fretted bass I like to play everywhere from the neck to the bridge pickup (even if my "favorite zone" is probably between the 2 pickups)...when I play the fretless I'm mainly on the bridge pickup...

[CraigG]

Originally Posted by Geck

I'm curious as to how this actually sounds decent because when I do it it just sounds very twangy. I've always finger picked up near the mid section of my bass. Could it be difference in string tension?

Try playing with the angle of attack and the portion of the pad of your finger that you use. Having upgraded to a more responsive bass, I have been amazed to discover how much tonal variety can be achieved simply by the way in which one approaches the strings with their picking fingers.

[nysbob]

Originally Posted by Mike Shevlin

when I play a fast run I find myself reaching back a little for the added tension.

You know, I do this unconciously and never really thought about why until you posted this. Interesting.

[varunkapahi]

i fingerpick a lot over the bridge pickup i like it. you need to get used to it and it takes a while getting used to.