Hand Thumb (thumb position)

[bwsailer79]

I have a question... maybe two even.

Where does everyone put the thumb of their right hand when they play? I put it on the neck pickup. It's the most comfortable for me, but I was wondering if there were any other methods that people used and to find out if they found any advantages to doing it that way.

Also, how do you normally shape your fingers on the right hand. Mine are more curved; like a claw (but when I played the upright it was more strait).

I've been playing bass for over twelve years now. I took lessons in highschool, but that was on the upright bass. So I've never taken a lesson on the electric and I've finally decided to work on my technique... hehe.

I'm just curious about what other out there are doing.

[Correlli]

rested on of of the P pickup, on top of the E string, on top A string, I have a thumb rest mount by the neck joint, and along the neck.

[hello!]

hey i been putting my thumb on the pickup when i play ( using a jazz bass) and i thought of changing to a sting ray.However the sting ray pickups are like near the bridge and i would probably have to change the habbit i play right?

[Suckbird]

My thumb is floating.

[bwsailer79]

Originally Posted by Suckbird

My thumb is floating.

Do you rest any part of your arm or hand on the bass?

[Suckbird]

Originally Posted by bwsailer79

Do you rest any part of your arm or hand on the bass?

Yes, the forearm.

[werbo1]

I semi-float.

On my four string for the E and A strings i'll usually have my thumb just not on anything, but i only do that if its a note or two. For anything more than that i'll put it on the pickup. If i'm playing off the D and G strings then i usually put my thumb on the A string. If i'm moving all over the place my thumb actually goes on top of the string sideways but bent so its almost parallel to the pickup. Its hard to explain.

On my five string (EADGC) My thumb is positioned pretty much so its never more than two strings away from whatever i'm playing, So if i'm playing on the C string i'll be based off of (usually) D.

My technique with the thumb pretty much depends on what i'm playing.

Oh, and the sideways thumb thing helps to mute the open strings.

[Suckbird]

Originally Posted by werbo1

I semi-float.
Oh, and the sideways thumb thing helps to mute the open strings.

Yeah, that's the main reason i use floating thumb..

i dont really know how to mute without it, is it the index finger or?

[brothertupelo]

when i'm on the e or a string, my thumb's usually resting on the curve of the body. when i'm on the d or g string, my thumb's usually on the e string.
that's, of course, when i'm not playing with my thumb.

[Whafrodamus]

I rest my thumb on the E string and float it when using the E string.

[bwsailer79]

Outside of being able to mute the strings if you float your thumb just over the string... do any of you think that it helps with speed or ergonomics to float your hand?

[Suckbird]

Originally Posted by bwsailer79

Outside of being able to mute the strings if you float your thumb just over the string... do any of you think that it helps with speed or ergonomics to float your hand?

I dont know why but, to me it feels like i play faster when i'm resting the thumb but also sloppier...

i noticed that when i practice scales the string i previously played(if i go from A to D for example) the A usually rings out after i have played it, very annoying even though it's pretty quitet...

that's why i use floating thumb... i dont know any other muting techniques, for example pick playing is awkvard for me...

[hello!]

u cant rest ur forearm when u are standing. can u play as fast when ur thumb is in mid air? i dont i feel its takes to get some used to its also quite difference when u stand? can u get the speed when u play songs which require to change the stings alot?

[whoapower]

I prefer more than just a P bass setup. J/J or something similar in order to give my thumb a place to rest. This also allows my fingers to attack the string directly over the pickup. I do not prefer to put my thumb over a particular pickup. It depends on the song and style. I actually move around quite a bit, even within a song. Near the bridge: very tight and punchy; near the neck, very loose and a deeper tone.

[Suckbird]

Originally Posted by hello!

u cant rest ur forearm when u are standing. can u play as fast when ur thumb is in mid air? i dont i feel its takes to get some used to its also quite difference when u stand? can u get the speed when u play songs which require to change the stings alot?

Well, i can play scarified if that's enough speed and string changing for you.

[Joe P]

Originally Posted by Suckbird

My thumb is floating.

Amen!

...So these guys who always anchor on one spot don't want any other tone than from that one spot on the string?

...and like Suckbird said; there are many tunes I do that I wouldn't imagine how to mute - how to play it clean - if my thumb weren't muting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Generally speaking:
I mute the strings ABOVE the one I'm playing with the side of the thumb. Often the string directly above the one I'm plucking is at-least immedeately and momentarily muted from the upward-going rest stroke from the string below, of course, but I'm also talking about 'general muting' of sympathetic vibrations.

The strings that are physically BELOW the one I'm playing are muted by 'precision slop' from the flesh on my fretting fingers - I usually play fairly 'flat-fingered'.

Besides all this, I most-often run a big hair tie mute right up by the nut to clean it up even more!

I'm pretty much a nut about muting; I use high gain, much compression, and a middy, growly tone; all that adds-up to a setup that sounds pretty horrendous when some guys pick up my bass (especially if I don't scoot the mute up onto the fretboard for'em - snicker-snicker!). I've heard this about Tiger Wood's driver too...

Joe