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Is the "moveable anchor" bad technique?
- Thread starter tegnoto89
- Start date
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,235
- 45,141
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
I don't use it myself, but just saw a video closeup of a player with a pretty darn good right hand (I think it was Rocco, but it might have been someone else) who was using moveable anchor.
Didn't seem to slow him down at all.
Didn't seem to slow him down at all.
Commreman
Faith, Family, Fitness, and Frets
Movable Anchor is a great technique, especially on 5 string. It will stop you from overstretching the plucking hand and hyperextending your wrist, as well as acting as a mute on the unplayed strings.
Some use it, some don't.
I've seen extremely good players use it.
I've seen bass legends not use it.
Your decision.
Just choose smth and stick to it
I've seen extremely good players use it.
I've seen bass legends not use it.
Your decision.
Just choose smth and stick to it
+1
I've usually used a fixed anchor but lately have found the moveable anchor reduces strain on my right hand and allows for cleaner, faster passages.
I use a mixture of 2 styles.
I use the floating thumb/moveable anchor technique described here most of the time as it mutes the lower stings making my life much easier. However I find I get less attack using this method as your only using the lower half of your fingers to pluck the string. When I want more attack I plant my thumb on the pickup (usually the bridge).
I use the floating thumb/moveable anchor technique described here most of the time as it mutes the lower stings making my life much easier. However I find I get less attack using this method as your only using the lower half of your fingers to pluck the string. When I want more attack I plant my thumb on the pickup (usually the bridge).
I used to use the moveable anchor technique and it was great for muting the lower strings but when i was jumping 3 strings at a time in quick succesion I found it much harder to play at the right tempo.
I switched to the fixed anchor and found I could play much faster. Now I rest my ring and little fingers on whichever strings need muting and it works a treat.
I switched to the fixed anchor and found I could play much faster. Now I rest my ring and little fingers on whichever strings need muting and it works a treat.
I only move my thumb up to A from E - after that (on a 4-string anyway) if you're plucking G, follow through and use your plucking fingers to mute D. I find it easier and faster to play things because you don't have to move that thumb around, but on a 5+ string bass movable achor seems to be the way.
I initially started by anchoring my thumb on the pickup. With my noob enthusiasm overflowing, after a few months persisting with this technique my thumb started aching above the 1st knuckle up to the wrist (I was also having a muting problem - but didn't know it!!).
At my 1st lesson my teacher immediatly taught me the moveable anchor technique (after a quick talk about hyper flexing) - within a few weeks my aching thumb improved immensly. I also found it was a better basis (for me) when muting, as opposed to dropping the playing finger on to the upper string to mute.
At my 1st lesson my teacher immediatly taught me the moveable anchor technique (after a quick talk about hyper flexing) - within a few weeks my aching thumb improved immensly. I also found it was a better basis (for me) when muting, as opposed to dropping the playing finger on to the upper string to mute.
For me playing with a floating anchor just came naturally. Playing with my thumb on the pup (my first bass was a MM) seemed to cause pain after a while. I subconsciously started using a floating thumb in what I suppose would have been called bad technique at the time. But I never hurt again, and I've never had any problems with my speed at all. 19 years playing with a floating thumb and no wrist/finger/tendon issues at all, so it can't be all bad. That being said, do what works for you. As long as you're not hurting yourself and you can play cleanly, do whatever technique you feel comfortable with.
If the technique works for you why would you ask if it's bad? If it works for you then there's no way it can be bad. If everyone is using one technique and you come out of nowhere with a new technique, that don't make you bad, that makes you unorthodox 
Do what works, not what's considered right or wrong.
Do what works, not what's considered right or wrong.
+1
You can't really play a 6'er without this technique.
But for 4-string play, I'd say whatever suits you best!
\\nero
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