Why is it better to pluck softly/have a light touch?

[MickeyMickey]

This is something that's popped into my head recently. I know it's considered better technique-wise to use a light touch and pluck softly on a bass guitar. What are the advantages of doing this though?

I play with what I consider to be a light touch. I could pluck softer but I feel that there wouldn't be any advantage to me trying to pluck softer than I already do. This got me thinking, why is it considered best to pluck softly in the first place?

One disadvantage I can think of is that when you pluck softer (and have to use a higher volume on your amp), the volume ratio between bass notes and noises (such as left-hand fingers sliding across strings) becomes lower. In other words all those miscellaneous noises you make while playing will be louder in comparison. Are you supposed to play just soft enough where string noises won't be as noticeable?

So basically my question is, what are the advantages of a lighter touch that make it the best? I can only think of one disadvantage.

I just want to add that I know some people will say "do whatever you're comfortable with", but that's not really the answer I'm looking for.

[spudmaster34]

the harder you pluck the more the strings vibrate, if they vibrate less you can have the strings lower without them hitting the frets, if the strings are lower, it is generally more comfortable to play, as you need less left hand strength.

[tplyons]

Lighter touch = less drag = overall faster playing.

Less effort. Allows more room for dynamics... etc.

[BrandonBass]

When I see people like sheehan or cliff burton play they dig it pretty hard and theyre not slow by any means.
Im sure jaco plays pretty hard too since he plays near the bridge and to get a good tone you hav to kinda dig in too...

Lighter touch will prolly make you go a lil faster but I think it sounds crappier compared to a more aggresive touch.

[Erick Lam]

Originally Posted by MickeyMickey

One disadvantage I can think of is that when you pluck softer (and have to use a higher volume on your amp), the volume ratio between bass notes and noises (such as left-hand fingers sliding across strings) becomes lower. In other words all those miscellaneous noises you make while playing will be louder in comparison. Are you supposed to play just soft enough where string noises won't be as noticeable?

It's good to practice as soft as possible precisely to eliminates those noise. The opposite is like hidding the dust under the carpet. I've practiced many hours where I'd play so soft as the notes were barely audible. The noise were more present so instead of playing louder to hide them, I'd work on not producing noise in the first place.

Playing soft allows a greater dynamic range. The lowest volume is no sound at all and that's true wether you play hard or not. But the highest has no limit. If you play hard, you're already close to that limit. If you play soft, you have more room.

Playing hard affects your tone. When you pluck hard, the string vibrates like crazy, then it settles, giving a big attack with a weak sustained note. By playing soft, there less difference between the attackand sustained note, thus a fatter sound.

Another benefit is harmonics. If you play soft, there won't be as much level difference between fretted notes and harmonics.

More speed. Ask someone who plays hard to pluck as fast as they can. Their volume will will be lower. It's not a problem when you already you play softer in the first place.

[BrandonBass]

^^

you have a point with the harmonics thingy

but I dont see the problem with the volume lowering when i play fast, but I know it occurs to some ppl tho

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by Erick Lam

It's good to practice as soft as possible precisely to eliminates those noise. The opposite is like hidding the dust under the carpet. I've practiced many hours where I'd play so soft as the notes were barely audible. The noise were more present so instead of playing louder to hide them, I'd work on not producing noise in the first place.

Playing soft allows a greater dynamic range. The lowest volume is no sound at all and that's true wether you play hard or not. But the highest has no limit. If you play hard, you're already close to that limit. If you play soft, you have more room.

Playing hard affects your tone. When you pluck hard, the string vibrates like crazy, then it settles, giving a big attack with a weak sustained note. By playing soft, there less difference between the attackand sustained note, thus a fatter sound.

Another benefit is harmonics. If you play soft, there won't be as much level difference between fretted notes and harmonics.

More speed. Ask someone who plays hard to pluck as fast as they can. Their volume will will be lower. It's not a problem when you already you play softer in the first place.

Excellent summary. For me its more dynamic range. Going from a light touch to a diggin' in Marcus fingerstyle sound to using the meat of the thumb on the BG to get a fat sound to playing lightly over the fret board for a different sound again. Lots of tones in your fingers to be sure.

[MickeyMickey]

Alright, these all seem like good reasons. The less force = more speed thing had occurred to me before but the other things I hadn't thought of. Thanks for the answers.

[Chili]

but its about your technique aswell and what sound you want...why not get used to digging in and playing softly

[Derek the Cello]

Intonation. The harder you play, the more the string vibrates, moving it away from the pitch you want. Of course, if it's aggressive sound you want, this is a large part of what helps out.

[PrimusNut]

It really depends on what kind of music you are playing.

If it is metal, well most of the metal bassists i like play hard: Cliff Burton (RIP), Steve Harris, Geezer Butler, and a lot more. I would say that a heavy attack is better for metal, but if you are more into the softer more... complex stuff i'd say a lighter touch would be best as to give you more range.

[superbassman2000]

i think its good to play with a combination of hard and light touches...its just like singing. playing with a light touch or heavy touch is like if a singer just sings at one volume the whole time, like if they scream every song or whisper every song...a lot of singers do that, but the good ones (imo) use loud and soft voices to add dynamic contrast, or added feel imo

[Frankie Fender]

I play in a dance band and a classic rock band and I dig in with both. If I did not play aggressively I would not be heard through the drums, keys, and two guitars. Hence, it depends on what style of music you are playing.

BTW, my action is pretty low considering how hard my hammers whack those strings. and with a good quality bass and strings, I believe intonation is not an issue, pplleeaassee!

[Erick Lam]

Originally Posted by Chili

but its about your technique as well and what sound you want...why not get used to digging in and playing softly

I agree, but the reason is playing hard is easier than playing soft. Like I said, I spent many hours practicing at extreme low level, even just feeling the strings under my fingers with no sound, doesn't mean I play like that all the time. Practice what's more difficult.

I play pretty hard sometimes. What I do a lot is tapping the string with the fingertip, not for a pitch but for the "plucking sound" it produces. I was trying to get Tony Levin sound, then years later I learned about his chopsticks. LOL

You can do a lot with just your fingers.

[Poop-Loops]

Originally Posted by Frankie Fender

I play in a dance band and a classic rock band and I dig in with both. If I did not play aggressively I would not be heard through the drums, keys, and two guitars.

Can't you just turn up the volume?

[Derek the Cello]

Originally Posted by Frankie Fender

BTW, my action is pretty low considering how hard my hammers whack those strings. and with a good quality bass and strings, I believe intonation is not an issue, pplleeaassee!

It has nothing to do with the quality of the bass. Playing hard = more tension on the string before the attack = higher pitch. Of course the sustained pitch is the fretted note, but the attack is a bit higher.

[Jim Carr]

IMHO, when I play harder, the tone color changes. When I really lay into it, the bottom is reduced, especially in the initial attack, making most notes less meaty. I think I have read a description of the physics of this as a sort of "over-driving" of the string, and that because a string can only vibrate so far (it's amplitude), more energy than it can absorb will make it start to "distort." Maybe this was in the Backus' book on Acoustics?

The "distortion" sounds to my ears like a loss of energy in the lower partials. There may also be slight pitch change artifacts. Also, I recall reading somewhere that because strings are not "ideal" waves, they might at times behave more like rods, as piano strings do.

This is an interesting question.
Can anyone with more of a physics background and better recall comment about what happens when a string is driven softly vs. very hard (besides possibly breaking)?

[Frankie Fender]

Originally Posted by Poop-Loops

Can't you just turn up the volume?

If I just turn up the volume I loose headroom. I like playing hard when I want it loud and soft if I want it low. If you turn it up, then your range of touch is more limited. To clarify I am talking of gig volume with a full band.

[Frankie Fender]

Originally Posted by Derek the Cello

It has nothing to do with the quality of the bass. Playing hard = more tension on the string before the attack = higher pitch. Of course the sustained pitch is the fretted note, but the attack is a bit higher.

My point is that a quality bass & strings will stay in tune better than a cheap bass, and can sustain hard playing while staying in tune. And for the record I contend that while the intonation may change (and be measurable) in a sterile laboratory environment, in the real world with a loud band the difference will be imperceptible.

[Bassist4Life]

Originally Posted by BrandonBass

When I see people like sheehan or cliff burton play they dig it pretty hard and theyre not slow by any means.
Im sure jaco plays pretty hard too since he plays near the bridge and to get a good tone you hav to kinda dig in too...

Lighter touch will prolly make you go a lil faster but I think it sounds crappier compared to a more aggresive touch.

Sheehan and Burton play/played very aggressive music.

Joe