Does anyone else have a hard time playing open strings?

[Valentina P]

It seems like it should be easy, but I’ve always had such a hard time with them.

I think it might be because of problems with muting the string appropriately. Maybe I rely too much on muting with my left hand?

Does anyone else have this issue? Any idea how to solve/handle this?

 

[saabfender]

Muting takes place with both hands. It's a BG skill like any other. You'll want to practice it. Practicing muting doesn't sound like fun. It is. I got my muting chops from playing pedal steel. That game is all about muting.

 

[tshapiro]

I wouldn't say I have a hard time with open strings, but, I do avoid them whenever possible because I have more control with fretted notes. Also, the fretted option usually puts you on a lower string (i.e. fretted 5th fret on A string vs. open D) and I like the sound of the fatter lower strings better.

 

[BassAndReeds]

Sometimes I feel this way. Yes. My technique is good. But could be better.

 

[White Beard]

I love open strings. They allow me to left hand shift with ease on running passages. With chords that contain an E, A, D, or G, I can create some groovy harmonies. If I need a sustained note, they just ring forever, way longer than a fretted note, and have natural sonic pleasantness that reverberates through my bass with natural harmonics.

Most importantly, though, playing open strings allow me to do cool things with my left hand like fist pumping, giving people a thumbs up (or thumbs down), and drinking a beer.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

If I am playing from standard notation or fake chord where the note or chord names are what I play from, in these cases I use open strings, however, if I am moving up the neck and playing the scale degree, say C scale at the 8th fret, and using the 1-5-8-5 notes in my bass line, I do not use open strings. Why? If I have to decide on the fly which C to use, open strings in position one, or move up the neck and play the C scale at the 8th fret..... the music has moved on while I debated which one I'll use.

So long ago I decided open strings if playing in first position and if I go up the neck, I avoid open strings and play patterns.

 

[Les Fret]

Open strings are your friend not your enemy....

 

[sean_on_bass]

It took me moving to upright bass to embrace open strings, but i still feel like they stick out like a sore thumb on my electric bass. But it's essentially just learning to control the tone of the open string via technique(muting/how you attack the string).

 

[buldog5151bass]

I came to bass from acoustic guitar, so I use lower positions and open strings whenever possible. The tone is also brighter.

 

[sean_on_bass]

Don't some players use a hair tie or something like it around the nut to subdue the tone of the open string? Never tried it myself, but wondering if anyone has experience doing that.

 

[Les Fret]

Don't some players use a hair tie or something like it around the nut to subdue the tone of the open string? Never tried it myself, but wondering if anyone has experience doing that.

That's not used for tone but for muting the open strings. More for six strings bass players or for players who use a lot of tapping. I don't consider these hair ties really necessary. Better learn to mute without it.

 

[KohanMike]

I have no problem with open strings. I'll use open D and G when the song keeps me at that 1st position area, so I end up not jumping to the 5th fret.

 

[Russell L]

I usually don't use open strings since I prefer the sound of the same note on the next lowest string better. Of course, I use my low E , though, on songs in E (4 string bass).

 

[zontar]

I love using open strings to play unisons & octaves--it opens up some possibilities you wouldn't otehresie have & it can make your sound bigger.
John Paul Jones did an online lesson I can't find right now--where he mentioned using the open E 4th string & the E on the 7th fret of the 3rd string in some Zep tunes to help give the song a big sound

Whole Lotta Love & Communication Breakdown do this.

Now don't use them all the time--but pick & choose when to do that.

but, yes, muting is important when doing this--both hands--whichever makes more sense for what else you are playing.
Practice it & keep at it and it becomes second nature.

I'm o virtuoso bass player--and if I can do it--most people here should be able to

 

[Lionel Albert]

I try to play open strings the more I can even if the tune is in Ab, Db or Gb.

 

[bwildt]

I usually stay away from open strings because they sound different. I do use them in two cases: 1) letting a note ring, and 2) as a passing note in a run or walkup/down to make fingering easier.

 

[Picton]

On a guitar, I love open strings. On a bass, I don't. Why? I don't rightly know; I think it's because, on a bass, the difference in timbre between an open string and a fretted string stands out to me like a fire on a hilltop. Less so on a guitar.

Just as much to the point, the people I play with have a flexible sense of keys. So if I practice every note fretted, transposition is a snap.

 

[IamGroot]

It took me moving to upright bass to embrace open strings, but i still feel like they stick out like a sore thumb on my electric bass. But it's essentially just learning to control the tone of the open string via technique(muting/how you attack the string).

What he said.

Open strings are your friend if you know how to use them correctly.If you mute the string right after you play it, it sounds good. Unlike the Internet expert's tip discussed earlier on this forum.

 

[jthisdell]

Open strings on BG are great for short passing notes, IMHO not good for longer sustained notes. I used to avoid them.

Try this exercise, say you are playing on the chord of D (maj or min, your pick) and the root is 5th fret of A string. Then work on alternating between the open A fifth and the root and then the open fifth, sixth, seventh and root. Something like:

open, 2, O, 4, O, 5, etc.

or A, B, A, C#, A, D

all on the A string using the open A. After you get the hang of it you can figure out how to play alot more notes easier (if and when you want/need to).

Hope this was not too confusing.

 

[shoulderpet]

I have to admit I much prefer playing fretted notes to open strings, no issue with muting strings I just find it easier as most notes are fretted so the transitions are just easier to play fretted