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How do punk rockers do it?

TheSlug

TheSlug

Feb 7, 2015
202
118
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Bergen, Norway
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#1
My band is going to play "Raise your glass - Pink" and i am wondering how punk bassists are able to play the way they do with their right hand. looks like they're strumming like a guitar player (the pick going past all the strings both down and up). Are they just muting the rest of the strings?
I just can't make myself belive that punk rockers are able to hit the right string with that kind of precision when their entire arm is moving like that.

I know this is not the most important question in the world, but when we're first doing a song with me hammering the root notes, I might as well look cool doing it :bassist::cool:. do anyone have an answer?
Look at Fat Mike (nofx) or early Mark Hoppus (Blink 182) recordings for examples,,, or this emoji-->:bassist::D
 
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#6
Not sure why you're bring it up in reference to that Pink song. Eva Gardner pretty much plays a P bass straight up fingerstyle.

As for the pop-punk crowd like Mark Hoppus or Pete Wentz, or whoever, I think 90% of the time all they're just playing everything on the E string and muting the rest.
 
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#9
This is what I do:
Let's say I'm playing a bunch of C-notes (Index Finger on 3rd Fret, A String)

Strum Hand: I keep my wrist some what locked and use my elbow as the fulcrum. I'm going to start the strum above the A-string, and make sure I return back to the same area. Right after I pluck the string, I want to slightly angle the follow through away from the bass to avoid the rest of the strings. If I mistakenly pluck other strings, that's where the fret-hand muting comes in.

If I want to be more precise or do tremolo picking, then I'd rely more on wrist movement.

I have a tendency to lift my bass neck at weird angles compounded with a low-strung strap, so I also have to make sure I have a good comfortable downward strum angle so I'm not scraping the strings.

Fret Hand: Sometimes I might use my thumb to mute the E-String. But in this instance I'll probably position my Index Finger that it's just touching the E-string while pressed down on the A-string 3rd Fret. I just find it more comfortable and convenient if I have to play any other higher frets right after. I'll lay my pinky across the D and G string to mute those. I have to be very careful that I'm not making any unintended natural harmonics.

I'll change my muting methods depending on what notes I'm playing next, or how fatigued my hand is.
 
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#14
Do not over-analyze punk. The whole point of punk is not to analyze techniques and discuss the angle of your elbow and biasing forearm muscle tension to achieve the correct angle. It really is just as sloppy and simplistic as it looks. When I started playing I couldn't do that either, now I do it without thinking about it. And if you get a little noise, a little imperfection, well...THAT'S PUNK.
 
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#16
When downstroking hold your pick loose enough to compensate for the force and speed, and firm enough not to drop it. Then you can really dig in there without restraint. Never really thought about it like that, but that's what I do. Benefit is the sound and the feel. All I can say is KEEP PRACTICING. You can do it.
 
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#18
Long time ago I read an article and Metallica said they only play on the downstroke. Recently I saw a vid of Hetfield at GC doing playing/interview, he was only playing downstroke.

The reason is because you hit the low notes first and it always feels heavier(boom boom boom boom). If you strum up/down it's lows first then highs first... (boom bing boom bing)

As far as 'punk goes', it mostly became a 'fashion' starting with the sex pistols, listen to Joe Strummer talk about it in an early Clash song (can't recall which one). I do believe that song was aimed at the pistols directly, they were a boy band put together by a record exec. It was an ACT. The Clash were political.
(Don't get me wrong, there are still some great REAL punk bands out there, but there is definitely a VERY large part of the punk community that are in it for the look or just acting like an idiot (people and bands). Half the 'punks' I know have no idea about politics at all, they just wanna be cool)

That said, it's your choice if you want to try and play good or if you want to try and look cool. (KISS isn't punk, but they sure looked cool early on ;) )
 
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