floating thumb techniqe

[personologyman]

or youtube your player. whoever you want to emulate.


there are even programs you can download now that allow you to download and slow down youtube videos without changing the key!

What better instruction can there be than seeing exactly what someone is doing with tortoise-like tempo? I mean other than a one on one...

 

[Trapezius]

This is the technique that came naturally when I started to play. It's the only way I can really mute the strings I'm not playing, especially while using distortion. It also feels much better for me.

 

[rhapbus]

what i do is if im playing my E string i dont rest it on top of the pickup, i rest it on the pickup and hold my hand up, that way, when i need to mute the E string, i dont have to jump my thumb over the pickup and i can mute faster

 

[Asher S]

I just discovered this "floating thumb" technique and all I can say is WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE SHOW ME THIS 28 YEARS AGO???

I learned it from this Todd Johnson vid:


I thought I would have trouble learning it at the age of 42, but a couple of days of practice and now it's second nature, and FAST. I can do runs that I was tripping up on before. Plus my right hand no longer hurts- completely better in 2 days!

In addition to the stated benefits (muting, elimination of wrist/thumb pain), I've also noticed that I can set my strings quite a bit lower and not get that buzz, i.e. I'm plucking much more gently, more like many of the (jazz) pros I've observed in action.

 

[OnePluck@aTime]

http://www.adamnitti.com/bass_player_02.shtml

Well I think this site can answer all your questions and most definetly explain it better than me. They call Floating Thumb a "Moveable Anchor" there.

IMO, I don't think this is something that one should REALLY practice to do. Muting the strings should come natural as you practice the technique of produceing good tone. Being able to move. stretch and vary the positions of both hands works and varys all of the muscles and tendeons of the hands, wrist and forearm(s)

I am in NO WAY knocking or critizing anyone, their teachings or beliefs.

 

[Broadbent]

Within a week my playing was cleaner. Now if I can just get it back up to speed I'll be the next geddy

 

[ashtray9]

I personally don't use floating thumb and I don't understand why so many players use it instead of an anchor... but I did encounter a reason to know it. Played a bass at an open jam with only a bridge pickup to anchor. It was ridiculous.

 

[Corey_Bass]

I've started to use this technique a few months ago and now my playing is smoother. If I had the chance to buy the Doc. Brown's Delorean I would go 10 years back and recommend myself to start to practicing that technique

 

[HaVIC5]

I personally don't use floating thumb and I don't understand why so many players use it instead of an anchor... but I did encounter a reason to know it. Played a bass at an open jam with only a bridge pickup to anchor. It was ridiculous.

I hope you realize that the "floating thumb" that has been discussed in this thread doesn't mean that the thumb and hand literally float above the strings. The thumb rests against the strings like anchor/movable anchor, but unlike the latter, it doesn't PIVOT against an anchor - it simply rests there.

 

[Snerek]

hey TB'ers

instead of making a new thread i figured this would be the best location for this post.

Recently watching the Dave Matthews Band show live on HULU & Stefan Lessard's playing seems to really be impressing me these days.

Check out

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

take note of his technique, he is not floating his thumb but he does a great job at keeping both wrists straight and shoulders are very relaxed. his tone is killer on all his basses (especially the ken smith)

**as usual carter sounds sick

i play a fender jazz bass and wear my bass high. i have long arms & fingers, like pino, and struggle with this technique sometimes.

 

[Gawd]

Is there a different site I can watch that video on? It says it will only play in the US.

 

[totallyfrozen]

I was under the impression that movable anchor and floating were two different techniques. Maybe you should check out this page:

http://www.warwickbass.com/basssurvival101/lesson_9fingers.htm

Do you have a better link? I think this one's dead, my friend.
I got the ol' 404age Not Found message.

My thumb floats when playing the E. It rests lightly on the E when I play A or D. It rests on E or A (depending on what my hand feels like doing at the time) when playing the G.
I used to rest my thumb on the pickup when playing E and sometimes A, but over time, I began to play with a much lighter, relaxed touch. Now I hardly have any tension in my right hand (that I'm aware of anyway) and my hand floats. I use the thumb as a mute but not an anchor. When my right thumb rests on a string, there is hardly any weight on it at all, really. I RARELY rest my thumb on the pickup anymore. Not that I think it's bad; my hand just doesn't want to do that.
Sometimes, when I play the D or G, my ring finger and pinky mute the A and E, respectively (with my thumb also on the E usually). My whole right hand is involved, I suppose...with a sort of "tickling" action when I pluck. It's a light touch but my hands are strong enough to get a good, punchy pluck without needing the support of an anchor. I don't really know what the official label for that method would be called.

It's very relaxed and very fast so I recommend learning to play relaxed without an anchor for your right hand. As your finger strength increases, you won't need an anchor. IMHO, you should BEND your fingers--you don't pluck the string with your right hand, you pluck with your fingers. That's my "style" anyway.

That floating thumb styles looks pretty smart. It looks even more relaxed than what I'm already doing. I think I'll try that one out! This may sound corny but generally, I think if you lock yourself into a style then you're eliminating other styles/options. I try to have the style of "no style"--if that makes any sense. I believe in tools not styles of playing.

 

[Energist]

Without starting a new thread, could someone possibly tell me what I'm doing wrong? I've read this thread, watched the videos, and I still can't seem to get the floating thumb technique down.

I'm a newer player and don't want to develop any bad habits early on, so I'd like to get this, but every time I try my thumb just doesn't want to make contact with anything. It just hangs about a half-inch away from the strings. I've no trouble using my shoulder to go from string to string, nor finding the proper string to pluck, but I can't for the life of me make contact with the lower strings with my thumb while doing so. Well, I can, but when I do I have to really think about it, it feels extremely awkward, and any speed I might have had becomes about an eighth of what it would be with my thumb either anchored or literally floating, so actually "playing" the instrument goes right out the window.

So does anyone have any tips? Like I said, I've watched the videos and can't discern what if anything I'm doing differently than the pros. For the life of me, though, I just can't get my thumb to touch darn the strings.

 

[totallyfrozen]

Without starting a new thread, could someone possibly tell me what I'm doing wrong? I've read this thread, watched the videos, and I still can't seem to get the floating thumb technique down.

I'm a newer player and don't want to develop any bad habits early on, so I'd like to get this, but every time I try my thumb just doesn't want to make contact with anything. It just hangs about a half-inch away from the strings. I've no trouble using my shoulder to go from string to string, nor finding the proper string to pluck, but I can't for the life of me make contact with the lower strings with my thumb while doing so. Well, I can, but when I do I have to really think about it, it feels extremely awkward, and any speed I might have had becomes about an eighth of what it would be with my thumb either anchored or literally floating, so actually "playing" the instrument goes right out the window.

So does anyone have any tips? Like I said, I've watched the videos and can't discern what if anything I'm doing differently than the pros. For the life of me, though, I just can't get my thumb to touch darn the strings.

Well, there are some very knowlegable and skilled teachers on here and I don't pretend to be one; however, it sounds like you have too much tension in your hand. You may have to slow WAY DOWN or even freeze in place and really focus on how your hand feels, but if your thumb is sticking out that's muscle tension. I'd bet if you started to play, froze your right hand in place, and reached over with your left hand and felt your right hand...you'd feel flexed muscles and tendons in your right hand.

If that's the case, it's a matter of just slowing down and relaxing. You may have to put a great deal of attention and focus on your right hand to learn how to relax it. As you saw on the video, your have to relax your right hand totally. After that, you have to keep it relaxed even if it means moving it at a snail's crawl until the relaxed hand feels "normal" to be relaxed.

Perhaps someone else can help you better that I can...but try that and see if that doesn't help with the problem.

 

[Energist]

Thanks for the advice. I've been working on it the past few nights, mostly by putting the bass on its side first and laying my hand over it in a neutral position to get my form right, and I'm getting better. It's still slow going, but I'd rather get it down now than have to go back and relearn it all later.

 

[Darkmeteor]

hello everyone

I only recently started to play on a 6 strings, but I'm used to have my thumb anchored on the pickup since I'm used to play on 4 strings


so I'm trying to learn the floating thumb technique, but I'm running in some issues... when my thumb is resting for exemple on the A or D string, should I put pressure down the strings so the lower strings (B E...) are correctly muted ?

the way I'm playing now, if I'm on the D string with my thumb, the A and D are muted, but I'm not touching the B and E strings, which then start to ring

 

[PilbaraBass]

hello everyone

I only recently started to play on a 6 strings, but I'm used to have my thumb anchored on the pickup since I'm used to play on 4 strings


so I'm trying to learn the floating thumb technique, but I'm running in some issues... when my thumb is resting for exemple on the A or D string, should I put pressure down the strings so the lower strings (B E...) are correctly muted ?

the way I'm playing now, if I'm on the D string with my thumb, the A and D are muted, but I'm not touching the B and E strings, which then start to ring

yes, you should learn to mute the B & E as you move...that way they don't ring...this is a major point of floating thumb...

 

[Professor Jones]

Just to say that I switched from the moving anchor to the floating thumb, and I find this technique priceless. It feels natural, my hand goes up and down across the strings freely, and the muting takes care of itself. I wonder why I don't see more bassists use it ?

 

[dbesq00]

what is floating thumb techniqe & how can i do it?

Victor Wooten uses a scrunchie at the end of the neck. It works perfectly. You are then free to play, play, and play some more! Of course, if you forget your scrunchie, you'll have to know the "Floating Thumb Technique." I purchased Tod Johnson's DVD's a few years back, and I learned that technique. It is an excellent technique to master. Once you get use to it...your thumb will move into place automatically. You'll wonder how you ever got along without it! Remember to turn your amplification up and strike the strings gently. You'll get the best out of practicing that way. And yes...this is another Tod Johnson technique. Get his DVD's...you'll learn a lot more! Buena suerte!

 

[HosMan]

I guess I use more of the "wandering" thumb as opposed to the "floating" thumb i.e. I rest my thumb on the string above whatever one I am playing.

Starting out this was the only way I could mute the other strings and it just became the "way" I played.Ten years ago(when I first played bass) I never saw anyone playing like this and I always felt I was somehow inferior to those players who`s thumbs remained planted on their pickup.Very cool to read this thread!Now I can feel validated,even!

Float/wander on,yall!

HosMan