Beginner - Unusual habit in my muting technique.

[Jeff Hughes]

So I would suggest getting control of the thumb before it gets control of you and you can't undo it.

Of course everyone's anatomy is different and it might never hinder you in any way. You might be putting your thumb under the strings as a way to not stretch or find a shortcut that might not be good.

I remember when I first started playing piano, and I would stick my fingers towards the wall or harp of the upright piano while pushing keys down. It was sort of an unconscious muscle movement like we all do when we learn something new. Think of how you might stick your tongue out when you use scissors or color. Haha. My teacher would say, "stop pointing at the guy across the street."

I used to know a guitar player that never learned good wrist technique, so he just wailed away with his forearm to get louder or more intense. Imagine your arm was in a cast and you tried to play guitar. It caused problems for him, but because he learned that way...the rest is history.

Unlearning is sometimes harder than learning.

 

[g-dude]

That sounds weird.

Then again, I often mute using my ring finger of my right hand.

 

[Obese Chess]

So I would suggest getting control of the thumb before it gets control of you and you can't undo it.

Of course everyone's anatomy is different and it might never hinder you in any way. You might be putting your thumb under the strings as a way to not stretch or find a shortcut that might not be good.

I remember when I first started playing piano, and I would stick my fingers towards the wall or harp of the upright piano while pushing keys down. It was sort of an unconscious muscle movement like we all do when we learn something new. Think of how you might stick your tongue out when you use scissors or color. Haha. My teacher would say, "stop pointing at the guy across the street."

I used to know a guitar player that never learned good wrist technique, so he just wailed away with his forearm to get louder or more intense. Imagine your arm was in a cast and you tried to play guitar. It caused problems for him, but because he learned that way...the rest is history.

Unlearning is sometimes harder than learning.

co-signing this as a guy who’s been using a pick wrong for 20 years.

 

[lucas303]

It works for Steve Di Giorgio...

 

[BassFalcon]

OP, one more tip that will help you get your right hand sorted out. Use a mirror. A great bassist once told me “if it is beautiful it is correct” this holds true for any high-level endeavor. Look at the marathoner that wins. Watch him or her run, it’s beautiful. Like their feet don’t touch the ground. Smooth, controlled, graceful, not a single wasted movement. Look at Michael Phelps swim, Usain Bolt run, cheetahs, birds, etc. etc. and look at the excellent bassists at the forefront of our instrument, the common thread is that their movement is beautiful to watch. Look in the mirror while you play. Watch your left hand, watch your right hand. Make it beautiful, smooth, and graceful, your motion will translate in your sound as well. That alone is a life’s work, but it’s do-able.

 

[Samatza]

So, it's a "diving thumb" technique. Hmm - I'd never do that, because my thumb won't fit under there without getting wedged in place. Maybe the bass you has has strings that are really high off the body? My guess is you won't be able to do that on every bass, so maybe it's not a good idea to build that habit.

This is my thought on this too. I grabbed a couple of my basses and tried this and there is no way I can get my thumb between the strings and the body. Maybe I have a big thumb or there is not enough space.

 

[Fender_Bender]

I’ll side with the crowd who feel you shouldn’t do it that way. Having your thumb go down to the body between the strings is not a good idea. It’ll only slow you down and create problems. If you correct it now it’ll become second nature in a few weeks.

 

[Yonni]

It works for Steve Di Giorgio...

Wow, awesome! I’ve never seen that before but, around the 2’30” mark he brings the thumb out to mute the B & E strings. Presumably because he is playing hard on the A at that point so needs the additional power (not that he looks weak!). So he can use both techniques when needed.

 

[el murdoque]

I've noticed that, rather than using the 'floating thumb' technique or anchoring my thumb on the B string/pickup, I've been sliding my thumb underneath the strings as I 'climb' my way up the higher strings. It is usually between the neck pickup and the neck itself.

Is this technique going to be detrimental to my playing in any way in the future? I don't see anyone else talking about or using this technique and I assume that's for a good reason. I'd rather not be practicing the wrong things and "getting good at being bad" as I would call it.

I've just tried that technique and even on the bass with the highest setup I have, my thumb gets wedged under the strings, bending them upwards. My fingers get into a position that feels awkward, but that could be lack of practice playing that way.
However, when I try and mute B - E - A with the thumb and then quickly swap to playing the B or E string, I cannot do it quickly without generating noise by pulling my thumb out - and I cannot do it quickly at all because I have to overcome the resistance of pulling my thumb from a position where it is wedged under the strings.

 

[J_Bass]

I do that on my acoustic, because of the hole. Sometimes I do that on the electric, it depends.

But I also use the left hand to mute, and the right thumb in the normal way.

Depends on what I am playing. It’s another way of doing it. All are useful to me.


But, as you are a beginner, I would recommend you to learn other techniques.

 

[Matty Koff]

Yes, that is what I mean, and I've only been playing for about 3 weeks, so maybe it's just me awkwardly trying to figure it all out, but it's comfortable and much faster for me than anchoring/floating my thumb.

You have to fight through the awkwardness of a technique until it doesn't feel ackward anymore. Repition at slow tempo.. consciously focusing on what you should do, rather than what you might originally want to. After a few hours/days/weeks/months said technique becomes second nature.

Because our hands are shaped differently, not every aspect needs to be the same, but stick to the floating thumb if you can. I play more of a moving anchor myself, but when I play lately I'm focusing on letting the thumb float while keeping my strings muted. The proper way of utilizing floating thumb really does seem to cut down on unnecessary movement. It's easier to learn good habits the first time around than it is to correct bad habits you've ignored years on end.. but if your hand doesn't want to cooperate.. slow down.. repeat it at a slow tempo that you can handle doing it correctly.. eventually you'll be able to speed it up and will have developed muscle memory for the technique and it is easier at faster tempos.

 

[Watchootognbout]

I used to be stickler about hooking the fretting hand thumb over the E or B string to note or mute.
But now I say "Do what you can to achieve what you can"
It's the same with your technique.

 

[BobDeRosa]

As the title suggests, I am a beginner (as of the beginning of this month), and I am trying to take things slow to find what right-hand technique(s) may suit me best.

Little bit of context that could be irrelevant, I started out playing a 5-string - intentionally, so I could just dive in to extended range headfirst. (Ibanez GSR205)

I've noticed that, rather than using the 'floating thumb' technique or anchoring my thumb on the B string/pickup, I've been sliding my thumb underneath the strings as I 'climb' my way up the higher strings. It is usually between the neck pickup and the neck itself.

Is this technique going to be detrimental to my playing in any way in the future? I don't see anyone else talking about or using this technique and I assume that's for a good reason. I'd rather not be practicing the wrong things and "getting good at being bad" as I would call it.

It'd be cool to find out that it's not a big deal, because it is comfortable to me, but I would like to adjust myself as soon as possible.

Thanks in advance for any and all constructive feedback/advice, friends.

There are a couple young YouTube guys who do reviews together (wish I could remember the name they use) and one of them does what you're doing, wedging your thumb between the strings and the body. I always thought it was weird and maybe awkward, but it seems to work for him.

 

[Rib 13]

There isnt a such thing as good or bad technique despite some of the answers that may appear here: the question is "can you deliver?". If you can deliver good notes, rests and associated values evenly and with great consistency by using your elbow, nobody can tell you different....However, you may develop habits that will act as a hinderence so be aware of the physics and mechanics of your body/arm/fingers as well as the instrument itself.......

 

[Dirk Diggler]

At the start developing good habits is very important.
That said you should do what's comfortable, and there are no absolute rules of how you right hand mute.
The fact you even identified the issue early on is great.

Perhaps check out some videos of your favorite players and see how they handle muting.


Good luck,
Dirk

And yeah check out the video above, fantastic illustration.

 

[dangevans]

If it sounds good, and you feel comfortable= it is fine.

 

[Lobster11]

If it sounds good, and you feel comfortable= it is fine.

Sorry, but I think is bad advice, especially for a beginner. A technique that sounds good and feels comfortable now might turn out to be bad for you in the long run either by hindering your ability to advance beyond a certain level (which I think is likely the case here) or by causing injury over time (probably not the case here). Now is the time for OP to get his technique in order so he doesn't develop bad habits that will be hard to unlearn later on.

To be clear, I'm not saying that there is only one proper or "good" technique, but there are definitely bad ones.

 

[3bc]

Yes, that is what I mean, and I've only been playing for about 3 weeks, so maybe it's just me awkwardly trying to figure it all out, but it's comfortable and much faster for me than anchoring/floating my thumb.

this sounds likely to slow you down significantly and ultimately cause more noise than it reduces as you slide your thumb out from under a string. I would try to get away from this habit before you commit too much muscle memory to it.

weird things work for different people, but there’s probably a good reason why no bass player that I know of has ever done it this way.

 

[gidbass]

This video helped me the most when I transitioned to a 5...which exposed my horrible muting technique...

Good Luck!

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]