Where do you put your Fingers?

[BeanzCorp]

SimpleQuestion/Wonder:

Where abouts on the bass do you finger or pluck ( for you pick players ) or slap/pop the strings when you play?

I tend to slap inbetween the neck and bridge pickup just because it sounds cleaner and for fingering, i play on the bridge pickup.

Also, Why does playing on the neck pickup sound different to playing on the bridge pickup, does anyone know the science behind it?

[fourstringdrums]

I don't slap usually but if I do it's over the end of the fretboard.

For fingerstyle I'm usually over the neck pickup but depending of course on the tone I want.

I don't know the "science" either, but the reasoning I think of is that the string tension gets tight the closer to the bridge you go, and as you get closer to the bridge you're gaining more of a metallic sound rather than a woody resonant sound from being closer to the neck.

[LiamPodmore]

Varies between bridge and neck pickups for me, but it seems to be a little bit more finger over the bridge, so i voted for that.

Liam

[Jay2U]

I guess slapping might be limited to just between neck and neck pick-up. Fingering and picking, however, doesn't have to be done in a fixed position. Closer to the neck produces a more thumpy sound. Closer to the bridge generates more harmonics, resulting in a clearer, thinner tone.

[Righteous Thunderer]

I rest my thumb on the strings over the neck pickup, but I rarely anchor. When I do, it's on the thickest gauge of string not being used. I don't really slap/pop, and I rarely use a pick (although I do dig the tone, but I feel that I need to build up my finger speed so I practice without it).

[64jazz]

I'm everywhere from the 12th fret to 1/2" forward of the bridge, depending on the sound I'm trying to produce. I voted for the bridge, as that may be closest to my "standard" positioning.

[Jinro]

I used to rest my thumb on the neck pickup and pluck the strings in the middle, but once I tried moving my hand down to the bridge pickup and plucking there, I liked the sound a whole lot better.

[James Judson]

All of the above. Plucking near the 12th fret gives more fundamentals and the closer you get to the bridge more harmonics/overtones you get.

Slapping I do over the top of the fret board (near the last couple frets).

[Nev375]

What do I choose if I do all but one of them?

[BeanzCorp]

I dont know how to make a poll where you can choose more than one. Help?

[Morkolo]

I play traditional slap/pop/double thumb between the end of the fretboard and the neck pickup, flea style slap almost over the neck pickup. With pick playing I usually rest my hand on the bridge and pick from there, rarely do I pick right up by the neck except for chords. Fingerstyle I would say everywhere from right on the fretboard for that Entwistle style kind of percussive attack or a softer touch for nice full whole notes. Bring them between the neck and bridge pickup for aggressive Geezer Butler/Geddy Lee style playing. Back to around the bridge for all that Jaco style stutter funk stuff. I'm sure there's more to it but I can't think of anything right now.

[jefkritz]

everywhere

i went somewhere very non bass related when i read the thread title. non bass wise, i can think of a few places, but i probably shouldn't get into that, as i like not getting in trouble with the mods...

but seriously, for bass, it all depends on what kind of tone i want. i pluck everywhere from pretty much on top of the bridge all the way to about the 12th fret. lots of good tonal options. if i had to pick, i guess i'd go with right where the fingerboard ends. that's probably my favorite.

[BeanzCorp]

Lolol, dirty boy.

[Bassmanmike1]

I play with a pick right at the end of the neck. I also tend to anchor my pinkie finger on the G string when I am not playing any notes on it. Never learned how to slap, but I'll pop notes with my pinkie finger. Hmm, would that be called pick and pop?

[Russell L]

Actually, I float around, but sometimes rest on the neck pickup or even the fingerboard. Never on the bridge pickup.

[maxgrant]

Here is the science behind the sound of a pluck:

Plucking the String: The Excitation Mechanism of the Guitar

From what I've been able to understand so far is that the different positions on the string respond more strongly with different harmonics. So closer to the fixed end of the string when you pluck a more "angular" sound is achieved and higher harmonics pop out more readily. It looks like this is because the closer it is to an anchor point (the bridge, or nut probably too) the more quickly it bounces back, and the more rigid it is . . . I would guess that the shorter and more rapid initial vibration that sets the string in motion is of a higher pitch, and that pitch rings through the rest of the note, emphasizing higher harmonics as it goes. If you've ever watched your string vibrate with like a TV behind it you can see how wide the string goes in its arc when it is a low note.

[john grey]

Bridge P/U for fingers.
{To OP} - I noticed that your choice for Slap didn't include last fret (thumb). I ring that right on the last fret of the board not in the "free" zone.

[henry2513]

My ramp

[natw42]

Originally Posted by Jay2U

I guess slapping might be limited to just between neck and neck pick-up. Fingering and picking, however, doesn't have to be done in a fixed position. Closer to the neck produces a more thumpy sound. Closer to the bridge generates more harmonics, resulting in a clearer, thinner tone.

This is exactly how I play - I slap in one spot usually but fingerstyle I'm all over the place. I also tend not to play with a pick, but when I do it's towards the neck usually.

edit: I also notice that I tend to play towards whatever pickup I'm favoring. Anyone else w 2 pick-up basses do this?

[Lee H]

I put "pick" on the poll, but it was by accident. This touch pad on the laptop is too sensitive...
I use fingers, and I rest my thumb on the top of the neck pickup.