Does anyone else play like this, or am I just weird...?

[MonetBass]

That's pretty much how I've muted strings for decades. I didn't realize I was doing it until I watched my hand while playing one time. It just developed on its own and I just do it without thinking. Now I kind of feel better about it.

As other have said, if it works for you and you're not risking injury, keep it up.

 

[Zkenny99]

So, if you wanted to mute all 4 strings, you would lightly touch the index to the G, middle to D and so on?

Um well if it's a case of muting ALL strings, yeah just I just put my fretting palm over it like ombudsman said. I'm not that solid on only playing like that, haha.

 

[Zkenny99]

quarter note rings out for 1 beat ( 4/4 ) , ... half note rings out for 2 , whole for 4 ...

notes should ring out for as long as they are supposed to .. ! whatever technique is used to make them Rest when they should .. !

but , choking/muting every note as short as possible doesn't seem right ... everything is not staccato

Oh no, to clarify in case anyone is confused, I'm talking about sympathetic vibrations coming from any other string I'm not playing.

 

[Zkenny99]

A foam mute near the bridge will take care of your problems.

I only mute the E when necessary.. I don't even consciously think about muting other strings.

They don't seem to need it really (even without the foam mute).

I've considered a fret wrap since I'm pretty sure it does the same thing, but the technique I do now is something I've been doing since I learned to play, so it's no concern anymore for me to get anything like that since it's already taken care of and I have no intention of changing it up (unless like I said, it becomes a problem). And yeah, I realize it's a little much to mute all the strings like that, but it's better for my peace of mind that they will never have the chance to make any noise.

 

[Zkenny99]

Interesting...being a pick player who likes to hit open notes, myself, I need to mute strings...often with the pinky or any other finger, on a non-harmonic fret if possible. I'm speaking of stopping a note of course, sounds like you are squelching a string before it gets a chance to ring which seems like awesome technique.

If you don't mind answering, how do you mute bottom strings while picking? I'm a pretty iffy picker and trying to mute the E and A strings with my palm when playing higher strings just takes away my range of movement for my picking, so I've just been using my thumb for it if I ever need to play with a pick.

 

[Zkenny99]

And to everyone who also said they share this technique, awesome! I feel much less alone now

 

[Matthew_84]

That doesn't seem too different to me than the floating thumb technique, except you use two fingers to mute the lower strings instead of the thumb.

When I play fingerstyle, I use my thumb to mute all lower strings, even if I'm playing the G string.

You're kind of doing a movable anchor, but using different combinations of your thumb, ring and/or pinky fingers... It seems like a bit of extra work for me, and extra contorting of your plucking hand, but I wouldn't call you a loser.

I am curious how you mute the three lower strings if you're playing the G string though? Seems like the floating thumb technique is much simpler.

 

[Zkenny99]

That doesn't seem too different to me than the floating thumb technique, except you use two fingers to mute the lower strings instead of the thumb.

When I play fingerstyle, I use my thumb to mute all lower strings, even if I'm playing the G string.

You're kind of doing a movable anchor, but using different combinations of your thumb, ring and/or pinky fingers... It seems like a bit of extra work for me, and extra contorting of your plucking hand, but I wouldn't call you a loser.

I am curious how you mute the three lower strings if you're playing the G string though? Seems like the floating thumb technique is much simpler.

I can't say I do, actually. I guess I mute it when my plucking finger passes the string I just hit and lands on the one below, although after I let go of it, it does seem to ring out a wee bit just from the act of taking my finger off of it, but by then I would have already played the G again. Which contradicts why I even need to mute BOTH the A string and E string while playing the D string... but I'm not exactly thinking about what I'm doing, it just does. It probably does seem like a chore to do to anyone else, but it's effortless for me, I just do it naturally. As for the floating thumb, I tried learning that at some point and even now I still can't get it to be of any comfort for me. I guess I'm just doomed (or blessed?) to play the way I play forever.

 

[Matthew_84]

If you don't mind answering, how do you mute bottom strings while picking? I'm a pretty iffy picker and trying to mute the E and A strings with my palm when playing higher strings just takes away my range of movement for my picking, so I've just been using my thumb for it if I ever need to play with a pick.

That's what I do too... I personally don't try to palm mute because it hurts my hand and wrist (I suggest you read this thread: Why I keep hammering the Carol Kaye pick method). I play up near the neck and use the pad of my picking hand thumb to mute the lower-pitched strings and any spare fingers on my fretting hand to mute the higher ones.

When playing this way, if I want to shorten a note after I play it (and I'm not moving to another note), I'll usually stick the tip of my thumb on the string after a down-stroke, or the tip of my index finger on the string after an up-stroke.

 

[Matthew_84]

I can't say I do, actually. I guess I mute it when my plucking finger passes the string I just hit and lands on the one below, although after I let go of it, it does seem to ring out a wee bit just from the act of taking my finger off of it, but by then I would have already played the G again. Which contradicts why I even need to mute BOTH the A string and E string while playing the D string... but I'm not exactly thinking about what I'm doing, it just does. It probably does seem like a chore to do to anyone else, but it's effortless for me, I just do it naturally. As for the floating thumb, I tried learning that at some point and even now I still can't get it to be of any comfort for me. I guess I'm just doomed (or blessed?) to play the way I play forever.

No worries! Play what's most comfortable and comes naturally to you! If it doesn't hurt you then keep at it... There's no reason to change.

 

[zontar]

Hmm, I'll have to pay attention--I just mute by instinct--unless it's a part that has a specific need for muting.
And like on guitar I will use left hand & right hand muting--depending what I am muting & what I am playing.
Left hand (in my case-Fretting hand): release pressure, but maintain contact, touch string with finger not playing a note -but not pushing it down.
Right hand (picking hand)-palm muting, edge of hand muting, use of fingers that aren't picking at the time.

I also use a volume pedal--but more just to turn down between songs & do volume swells, not muting--but it could be done in some situations.

 

[Bondobass]

If you don't mind answering, how do you mute bottom strings while picking? I'm a pretty iffy picker and trying to mute the E and A strings with my palm when playing higher strings just takes away my range of movement for my picking, so I've just been using my thumb for it if I ever need to play with a pick.

If you don't mind answering, how do you mute bottom strings while picking? I'm a pretty iffy picker and trying to mute the E and A strings with my palm when playing higher strings just takes away my range of movement for my picking, so I've just been using my thumb for it if I ever need to play with a pick.

I mute with side of the palm when picking D and G. That's all I got.

 

[Geri O]

Scott Devine uses this technique. He made a video demonstrating how he does it. And also tells us that regardless of what he does, to use the technique that is the most comfortable.

And no pre-pubescent distinctions between "looser" and "loser".

 

[bass nitro]

If that helps ,John Patitucci does it very often.

 

[oldNewbie]

There's an interview with Jaco , now on Youtube , where the interviewer asks what's the hardest thing to play, what gives him the most trouble? and he answers immediately: damping strings . Follows with the comment that it took him 9 years to play the head to Donna Lee. So yeah, everything takes work. Nice that you've figured out what to do for yourself.

 

[Zkenny99]

Scott Devine uses this technique. He made a video demonstrating how he does it. And also tells us that regardless of what he does, to use the technique that is the most comfortable.

And no pre-pubescent distinctions between "looser" and "loser".

Wow, I can't believe I missed that video of Scott Devine explaining it. I guess this is much more common than I thought! I guess I was just underexposed to players like this, and I thought I saw all the techniques of most bassists. But in a way, it also makes me glad I learned a relatively proven technique on my own instead of developing something else strange on my own.

 

[Geri O]

Wow, I can't believe I missed that video of Scott Devine explaining it. I guess this is much more common than I thought! I guess I was just underexposed to players like this, and I thought I saw all the techniques of most bassists. But in a way, it also makes me glad I learned a relatively proven technique on my own instead of developing something else strange on my own.

I've done a mixture of floating thumb and movable anchor technique. I tried the technique that Scott Devine suggests, but try as I might, I simply couldn't get used to that. But I'm sure it's a good way to accomplish the same thing.

 

[Pacman]

Its not appropriate.

It most certainly was.