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Muting technique when using a pick

E

equilibrium

Aug 5, 2009
3
0
#1
Hi guys. I'm beginner and have a question about muting. I pretty much understand how to do it when I play with my fingers, but I don't understand how to keep the strings quiet when playing with a pick. Obviously I can't use my right(plucking) hand for muting and I'd really appreciate if you could give me a few pointers on that, when "jumping" from one string to another. I guess you have to do everything with your fretting hand, but how?
Any help would be appreciated!
 
#6
equilibrium said:
Obviously I can't use my right(plucking) hand for muting and I'd really appreciate if you could give me a few pointers on that, when "jumping" from one string to another. I guess you have to do everything with your fretting hand, but how?
Any help would be appreciated!
Click to expand...

Actually you do use your plucking hand. If you're muting you want small movements with the pick anyway (not large sweeping movements like a guitar player).

So you just rest the edge of your palm against the string right near the bridge & use your thumb & forefinger to hold the pick & small movements of the wrist to pluck the strings.

It's a lot like writing, actually - you know how you rest your hand on the paper when you write? Well do that, but straighten your pinky, middle & index fingers.

Youtube it for some visual examples.
 
#9
Just checked some of the palm muting videos and tried playing with a pick and I can already hear a big improvement in the sound. I was especially confused about muting when going up the strings and palm muting techique helped me a lot, just after a few minutes of practicing. I already love this forum!!!:P
 
#11
It's a lot like writing, actually - you know how you rest your hand on the paper when you write? Well do that, but straighten your pinky, middle & index fingers.
Click to expand...

This is actually a really good visual analogy. I play finger style with the bass, but having originally been a guitarist, this is pretty much exactly how it's done.

Granted, the strings on the bass are a little further apart and you will need a little more force to get the attack your going to want out of a bass, but with some practice I have no doubt it's totally do able. You just happened to run into what is probably the biggest challenge that I noticed the when I used a bass just to record with years ago and did so with a pick- octaves. When you try to skip a string or two after having just played a note, it does trip you up a bit. But I am confident that with some practice (probably not even that much) you will have down in no time.

Maybe my technique is wrong, but I do around 90% of my muting with my fretting hand :S
Click to expand...

I would definitely not call this *wrong*. I think most bassists do some muting with both hands, whether they are conscious of it or not. I know I do. But I would say the majority of my muting happens to come from my right hand via the floating anchor (muting the above string) and also the follow through of playing a note and using the next string down as a stopping point. I like this two techniques combined, because once you've incorporated them together, you're instinctively muting 80% of the strings without evening having to give it any thought.
 
#12
Within the last 6 months I have had to learn how to play with a pick because the band I currently play with requested it. I wasn't too excited about it at first, but after learning it does fit most of the songs better than finger style. Anyways, I do not palm mute at all. 90% of my muting is from the fretting hand. The other 10% is pick hand. Just use whatever fingers you have free!
 

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