Muting a string during slap bass?

[Tupac]

Whenever I'm exclusively playing on the A and G strings, I have a hard time muting that E string. It just keeps ringing out the more I play. Should I just reach a finger across there or something?

 

[sammyp]

you mute anyway you can ....sometimes the thumb on the E string but often it's an index finger reaching over and touching the E string ....ala slapping D on the 5th fret A string ....let the finger that is fretting the D touch the E string to silence it!

 

[Phil Smith]

Check out some Marcus Miller videos and watch his technique.

 

[whitefuneral]

Play with a second or third finger and reach across?

 

[LayDownABoogie]

When you slap the A your not accidentally hitting some E ?

 

[Tupac]

When you slap the A your not accidentally hitting some E ?

I do that a lot, haha. But even when I'm not it still rings out.

 

[KingLucCole]

You can mute the E string with your palm while slapping the A, but this doesn't work as well if you're slapping the D or the G, because it would cause your thumb to slant (Flea does this, but frankly, his technique isn't very good). Otherwise, mute the E with one of your fingers on your left hand, or just slow down and play more carefully so that you aren't hitting the E anymore (you can speed up later).

 

[Hippos Melas]

I mute the lower strings on my bass (B & E strings when using a 5, E otherwise) with my forearm when I slap the A and higher strings. It took a bit of practice but I find this is the most effective way for me. YMMV of course.

 

[Duckwater]

Mute with your left hand

 

[Tupac]

You can mute the E string with your palm while slapping the A, but this doesn't work as well if you're slapping the D or the G, because it would cause your thumb to slant (Flea does this, but frankly, his technique isn't very good). Otherwise, mute the E with one of your fingers on your left hand, or just slow down and play more carefully so that you aren't hitting the E anymore (you can speed up later).

That's not a bad idea. I tried doing this for a while, and it's pretty natural. I've been developing a system where whenever I'm slapping notes I'll try to left hand mute best I can, and when I playing dead notes and popping, I lightly rest part of my wrist on the E or A string, so I don't even need to use an extra finger to mute the dead notes.

Also, I wish my technique was as "bad" as Flea's

 

[Ben Heard]

Check out some Marcus Miller videos and watch his technique.

LOL! According to the OP, Mr. Miller is overrated

Seriously though, this is good advice.

 

[Tupac]

LOL! According to the OP, Mr. Miller is overrated

Seriously though, this is good advice.

Yeah, I found that a little ironic lol. But to be frank, Marcus is 10x better than me and I wouldn't mind borrowing some technique . I've noticed that he in particular has an extremely sterile sound, so he's definitely doing something right.