Chords on bass?

[invader3k]

Every once in a while I'll run into a tab where two notes are displayed on top of each other. Obviously this is a chord (or a form of one), but how exactly do you handle playing it on bass. Strum with a pick? Pluck both strings with two fingers? Use your thumb? I've never personally developed a consistent technique for this.

Thanks in advance!

[dustybottoms]

I play a lot of root/ 3rd chords on the E and G sting. I use my thumb and middle finger to do this. Its pretty easy but the trick is getting the chord to sound balanced, full, and not slappy when plucking it. I had a buddy teach me this and i've used it so much since.

[gre107]

It all depends on what feels comfortable for you and the attack that should be approched for the feel of the song.

It's funny, I have to think about what I do to do double stops.
(Lot of "air-bass" going on right now...) Sometimes I use the thumb and index finger together or the index finger and middle finger together. Usually when using the thumb and index finger I am trying to get more of a softer attack by pinching both strings. When I'm using the other method I'm usually pulling both strings off the neck and letting them slap the frets to produce a sharper more pronounced attack. (This is usually combined with a slide for the fretted notes up or down...)

I also play with a similar style to a guitar "comping" the chord changes playing multiple notes at the same time. I highly recomend practicing this. It helps you harmonize songs / scales and adds more colors to your playing.

All the best,

Gerry

[Thunder_Fingers]

Im Changing beetwen ways of playing them, i some times Strum them with my Finger nails(Find a Video of for instance Iron Maidens "Blood Brothers" and see how Steve Harris Does it) this way i use when playing 3 strings(or 4, very rarely) at a time.

And sometimes i use 2 fingers, kinda hitting the strings, where index hits the lowest string and the middle the highest..

like:

|---|
|---|
|-7-| Middle Finger
|-5-| Index Finger

[Clay_Bass]

My technique is that if a chord is voiced with a bottom note on the E or A string that gets played with the thumb. Most chords sound clearest with 3 note voicings(root 3 7) so the top notes on the G and D strings are played with the index and middle. With a bass note on the E string chords get muddy if the 3rd and 7th are played on the A and D strings so I usually voice them R 7 10 unless the melody note is in the range of 3 to 5. Michaeldimin.com is an excellent resource for getting started with chords.

[theshadow2001]

If I'm just playing a double stop I would play it with my usual index and middle fingers. For me it's easier to do that than move the thumb from it's rest position play one note and then move it back. I don't find it at all awkward. However if I was to play a chord of three or more notes I would include the thumb, then my ring finger. Although that hasn't really come up in any playing situation I've been involved in since I don't use chords at all really.

[werbo1]

Originally Posted by Clay_Bass

My technique is that if a chord is voiced with a bottom note on the E or A string that gets played with the thumb. Most chords sound clearest with 3 note voicings(root 3 7) so the top notes on the G and D strings are played with the index and middle. With a bass note on the E string chords get muddy if the 3rd and 7th are played on the A and D strings so I usually voice them R 7 10 unless the melody note is in the range of 3 to 5. Michaeldimin.com is an excellent resource for getting started with chords.

I do the same thing, and agree 100% with the mike dimin comment - he wrote the book for chords

[leftyforlife]

Originally Posted by EddieTheKiller

Im Changing beetwen ways of playing them, i some times Strum them with my Finger nails(Find a Video of for instance Iron Maidens "Blood Brothers" and see how Steve Harris Does it) this way i use when playing 3 strings(or 4, very rarely) at a time.

And sometimes i use 2 fingers, kinda hitting the strings, where index hits the lowest string and the middle the highest..

like:

|---|
|---|
|-7-| Middle Finger
|-5-| Index Finger

thats a perfect song to learn and play to, i have never learned how to use my thumb and index finger in that manner, it just came to me through the middle and index. Another song to look at is "The clansman" for the thumb and index finger tech.