Moveable anchor or Fixed .. Easier on right hand?..

[cire113]

Has anyone from experienced discerned whether the moveable anchor or fixed anchor is easier on the right hand......

seems like moveable anchor puts less stress on wrist angles and hand?

[bass player 48]

IMO - Thumb on the p/up is the easiest way to get started playing and is pretty safe / low impact.

The movable anchor isn't as immediately natural for most people, but with a little practice it can become very natural and once it does - I agree that it causes less bending of the wrist and is probably more ergonomic... then again, I've never had a problem with my wrist from playing "fixed anchor" for hours on end, but I'm only 10 years into my playing hobby so I don't know... the ONLY right hand problem I've ever had is raising a hot spot on the tip of my index finger from digging in to hard and playing for too long.

[lolaviola]

bump for more input...
How easy was this for you to master?

[Lutuh]

My teacher's opinion is that thump on pickup (fixed anchor) is sufficient. I have been playing (and taking lessons) for a year. For the first ~6 months, I played like this, but then just felt that the big gap between thump and index/middle finger felt uncomfortable, so I slightly adjusted to moveable anchor.

But moveable anchor seems to depend on what you are playing, if there are frequent changes between the D and G string, my thump stays fixed on the A string. For me the key was to 'listen to your fingers' and try to find out when it feels unnatural - and try to adjust from fixed anchor to moveable anchor without too much thinking about it.

[kr0n]

I employ hybrid technique. Playing E I anchor to pickup, playing A & D I anchor to E string and when playing G I anchor to A (or mute with ring, depending on how much time I spend on the G string.

[fearceol]

I use this technique, where the thumb is not anchored at all. There is a sticky about it in the "Technique" forum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU

[Marley's Ghost]

I just started the Todd Johnson Technique builder DVD, and he makes a very compelling case for floating thumb, especially on extended range basses.

My .02 90% floating thumb, 10% anchored on the pup or low b. The latter only applies if the song calls for using mostly B and E strings.

[INTP]

I played 4 string exclusively for a very long time. When I got a 5, I had a terrible time with ringing strings. I evolved into a hybrid of the Todd Johnson technique (linked above) out of necessity. Now I'm using it more for the 4 as well. In retrospect, I think I would have benefited from the floating thumb technique for electric bass from the beginning.

[themistocles]

i'm trying to do the floating thumb technique and it works pretty well but it's harder to be more aggressive with playing especially during fast passages

[CoffeeJanitor]

Floating thumb is safer for your body.

[Orph]

I don't even know how to play using a fixed anchor, from the get-go I employed the floating thumb, it just seems better. Took a while to get it right, though, I still apply too much pressure on the strings I mute, hitting the pickups as a consequence every once in a while.

[Setebos]

I being playing floating thumb while practicing at home for the last 5 or 6 months with no problem. Doing exercises, scales, playing along Cds, even at class with my teacher. However I realized that when I play with the band, live or studio practice I go back a lot to the "Anchored thumb" technique.
Seems I need to get more confident on my floating thumb.

[Badmuthaplucka]

As soon as I started playing 5 string 15 years ago I started playing this way out of necessity. I just naturally did that (Floating thumb/anchor). I didn't even gave it a thought at the time of what it was. Now I realize how with this method I can play faster (if I chooses to) and cleaner .

[tZer]

I'll use any/all techniques throughout the course of a night. In order to get a wide variety of attacks and sounds, I like to pluck in many different places from over the fretboard to very near the bridge and all points in between.

If a tune is particularly straight forward rock, I'll find myself anchoring on the pup - almost unconsciously. If I'm in the midst of a melt-down, freak jam, my thumb will be floating since I'll probably be very focused on my right hand attack/muting.

For me, the bottom line is to be comfortable with a wide variety of techniques. Restricting yourself to 'anchored' or 'floating' or 'movable' exclusively seems too limiting. If the song calls for floating - float. If you feel like anchoring, anchor away! I'd focus more on making sure whatever technique you use, you don't hyper extend or otherwise contort your plucking hand unnaturally and you'll be fine.

[Mayers]

I started on a 4 strings bass within 1 year I had a 5 strings bass and floating thumb was something natural to me. I get it be myself.

I think most 4 strings player won't do that because well ... it isn't the most pratical way to play.

[klokker]

Originally Posted by tZer

Restricting yourself to 'anchored' or 'floating' or 'movable' exclusively seems too limiting.

+1

A purely anchored right hand on the pickup would limit what you can do on a bass. Some basses like my p bass don't really offer much of an anchor anyway.

I started off anchoring my thumb, but don't much anymore. When I do anchor it, its usually on one of the strings, and if I'm on the E string, I generally play without an anchor at all.

[tZer]

Originally Posted by Mayers

I think most 4 strings player won't do that because well ... it isn't the most pratical way to play.

I think what feels 'most practical' is whatever habit you developed early on and stuck with. Just about anything you do that's different won't feel natural to you or 'practical'. The way Jamerson plays is certainly a way that would feel pretty awkward to a lot of us - one finger - covers on - ...

I started on upright and when I played pizzicato, I'd anchor on the fingerboard. That translated to EB as anchoring on the pickup for me, so for years, lots of years, I'd anchor either on the pickups or strings - but my thumb found something to hang on to or I'd put my thumb on the body, not anchored to anything, but pretending that there was something there...

Since then I'd discovered the floating thumb technique because it seemed most practical when it came to right hand muting (not palm-muting, but simply keeping the other strings quiet).

Today floating, anchoring, palm-muting, playing with a pick, slap and pop, classical guitar style - they all feel very practical in context.