what does "cutting" the string mean?

[quadrogong]

working on my right hand fingerstyle technique,
and apparently there's a whole world of sounds available to me
using just a Jazz bass and my fingers.


When I was very young, I played in an 11 peice doo-wop band,led by an old school bandleader..Kind of a big-band,lots of brass..
At the time, he taught me alot of important lessons that stuck with me.
Things like avoiding too many passing tones,grace notes..
and to use "lots of sustain,make it sound full and big"
which I've done for years.

Now,years later,I'm starting to understand how muting,
and different fingerstyle techniques can open up a whole new world of playing.
It's like learning all over again, lots of fun and a challenge!

these things are so hard to explain in print,
better to be shown in person,obviously.
I keep running into that term..
.."cuttin" the strings gives you more articulation,etc
what exactly does that mean?

[daffy]

I think what is meant here is to cut the string dead by following through with your other finger - a staccato pluck.

[Depth_Charge]

I can mute a string or note with my fretting or plucking hand gently, cutting the sustain. A few of these pulse nicely through a song.

I can thump the note to thump a staccato, and cut through the song. One or a few cut through well and add a good effect to a song (IMO).

I can glide/strike the string with a pick, cutting it. I get a chink type sound when I do. Or I can tap it with the pick repeatedly with a back/forth chef cutting motion.

I've also heard sliding to be "cutting up" strings and I've "cut" my E string with a scissor motion just to hear and feel it. It doesn't work well for me, but if I trap the string and flick my finger off in a similar manner, it booms!

OK, last one is a bit silly and I think they mean the top 2 as well.

[JimmyM]

"Cutting the string" is a term Jaco Pastorius coined, referring to playing with enough right hand strength to make it sound good. Some people play very lightly, and it can sound a little weak. But by picking a little harder, or "cutting the string," you get a strong tone.

[Jeff Moote]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

"Cutting the string" is a term Jaco Pastorius coined, referring to playing with enough right hand strength to make it sound good. Some people play very lightly, and it can sound a little weak. But by picking a little harder, or "cutting the string," you get a strong tone.

That's new to me, but cool nonetheless. I don't agree, really, but a lot has changed since then anyway. With today's basses, strings and setups, you don't really need to hammer the string to get a good tone. You'll actually choke it out if you play too hard without the action/string tension to take it.

Now, hand me an old Fender with flats and high action, and I'll be sure to "cut the string" to get a big tone, I suppose.

[JimmyM]

Count me as someone who totally disagrees with this playing light business. Playing light sounds light, no matter what bass you play.

[Jeff Moote]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Count me as someone who totally disagrees with this playing light business. Playing light sounds light, no matter what bass you play.

calling Brad Johnson...

I can't disagree with you wanting to play a certain way - for lots of people playing hard gets the tone they want. You are losing sustain though, and the effect of "digging in" can certainly be had while maintaining a lighter touch - it just takes more nuance.

These are different schools of playing though, and both seem to be working for people, by the sounds of things.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Jeff Moote

calling Brad Johnson...

I can't disagree with you wanting to play a certain way - for lots of people playing hard gets the tone they want. You are losing sustain though, and the effect of "digging in" can certainly be had while maintaining a lighter touch - it just takes more nuance.

These are different schools of playing though, and both seem to be working for people, by the sounds of things.

Jimmy's right... playing light always sounds light. Doesn't matter what bass you play or even if you are, how did he put it... "picking a little harder", it still sounds light.

Now the mystery is how I can get any punch at all by defying this rule? Or that Stanley Clarke/Marcus Miller fret noise vibe that can (apparently) only be achieved by not playing light? It's a real mystery.


In all seriousness Jeff, I get tired of trying to explain how this works and talking to people who have their minds already made up. You're absolutely right, you can get the same effect but it does take more finesse. That equals practice. Anyone who's seen me IRL will know what you can do by playing RELATIVELY light. My technique LOOKS very light but I've yet to have anyone mention that it SOUNDS that way.

So I'll leave them to their assumptions.

Hint: I learned a long time ago that thinking things were impossible just because I couldn't do them at that point wasn't all that intelligent.

[Erick Lam]

For me, plucking hard sounds brutal, or strong if you like, but not fat nor full.

I've never heard of "cutting". I used it myself but I was referring to cutting a string's length to produce artificial harmonics.

[PilbaraBass]

Originally Posted by Jeff Moote

calling Brad Johnson...

I can't disagree with you wanting to play a certain way - for lots of people playing hard gets the tone they want. You are losing sustain though, and the effect of "digging in" can certainly be had while maintaining a lighter touch - it just takes more nuance.

These are different schools of playing though, and both seem to be working for people, by the sounds of things.

I think you need to be able to both do what I call "floating" which is playing light and airy, with a lot of staccato and ghost notes...and also "dig in" to get those strings to really growl and sing...

I don't know how one can be completely musical without doing both given the right context.

[Bruce Lindfield]

I think the idea about playing light, sounds slight comes from Double Bass - where this is eminently true and if you don't pull through the string and get a lot of meat on it - it will definitely sound lacking!

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

I think the idea about playing light, sounds slight comes from Double Bass - where this is eminently true and if you don't pull through the string and get a lot of meat on it - it will definitely sound lacking!

That's true... and has no bearing on electric bass, a very different instrument. Not many play electric with double bass action.

[JimmyM]

Well excuse me for having a differing opinion!

[cowsgomoo]

some basses sound better when you play them hard... my Fenders sound better that way

there's a point where you lose control over the subtleties of your technique though, so I guess an ideal bass is the one that sounds best to you when played the way you like to play... no point having a bass that sounds great only when you pound the crap out of it, if you're a 'delicate touch' kinda guy

[Erick Lam]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Well excuse me for having a differing opinion!

That's all right Jimmy. Everybody makes mistakes.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Well excuse me for having a differing opinion!

No problem... didn't want anyone to think you might actually be correct. You just haven't seen anyone play light who doesn't sound light. We're out there.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by cowsgomoo

some basses sound better when you play them hard... my Fenders sound better that way

there's a point where you lose control over the subtleties of your technique though, so I guess an ideal bass is the one that sounds best to you when played the way you like to play... no point having a bass that sounds great only when you pound the crap out of it, if you're a 'delicate touch' kinda guy

It's not really a delicate touch, if I had to describe it I guess I'd talk about economy of motion. Here's a boxing example: One guy has to throw a haymaker to muster enough force for a knockout. Another guy can hit you with a six inch rabbit punch and put your lights out.

Both guys hit hard enough, one has more CONTROL.

[Jeff Moote]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

It's not really a delicate touch, if I had to describe it I guess I'd talk about economy of motion. Here's a boxing example: One guy has to throw a haymaker to muster enough force for a knockout. Another guy can hit you with a six inch rabbit punch and put your lights out.

Both guys hit hard enough, one has more CONTROL.

Good analogy

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Jeff Moote

Good analogy

I'm really trying to help make sense out of this.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

It's not really a delicate touch, if I had to describe it I guess I'd talk about economy of motion. Here's a boxing example: One guy has to throw a haymaker to muster enough force for a knockout. Another guy can hit you with a six inch rabbit punch and put your lights out.

Both guys hit hard enough, one has more CONTROL.

So in other words, you're not playing light. Thank you.