Help - newbie question on muting technique

[86general]

I'm 45 and taking up bass...I've played guitar for 33 years at hobby level....I'm a decent player but not a pro.

I get how to mute the higher strings when playing on the E or A. But when you are fingering a note on the D or G string, how do you mute the lower strings?

I'm sure I'd figure out the best way eventually, and I'm sure there is more than one way. But I thought I'd ask.

Thanks, guys.

[camiloochoa]

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

[86general]

Thanks. Being totally new at bass, I think I"m going to try to teach myself to play this way.

But I'm curions...I've read two books which teach anchoring the thumb on the pickup or somewhere on the body. Is the floating thumb technique becoming more popular? Is it something new? Are there other ways to mute the lower strings (when playing on the G string, e.g.) with the conventional right hand position?

[kr0n]

I usually keep my thumb on E while I play A & D strings and move it to A when playing G string. Or use my ring finger on the A if it's only for a short while.

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by 86general

Thanks. Being totally new at bass, I think I"m going to try to teach myself to play this way.

But I'm curious...I've read two books which teach anchoring the thumb on the pickup or somewhere on the body. Is the floating thumb technique becoming more popular? Is it something new? Are there other ways to mute the lower strings (when playing on the G string, e.g.) with the conventional right hand position?

The "Floating Thumb" is becoming more popular all the time. Read the Sticky about it, near the top of the "Technique" forum. Everyone eventually finds a technique that suits them. The big disadvantage, physically, with resting the thumb on the pick up, is that the wrist is at an angle, which can cause problems later on. So the FT is good on two counts, i.e. muting and physically. The fact that you are starting from scratch means you should master it fairly fast.

[MIJ-VI]

Not that I know much about proper technique but I just use my fretting hand's fingertips to hold down the notes, and the rest of my fingers to dampen unwanted string vibrations as required.

Then there's the tic-tac method of playing bass (flat-picked strings palm-muted at the bridge) first popularized by Harold Bradley.