No open strings?

[bassfuser]

The lowest note on any bass is only found on an open string.

Yes, I guess the guy that said "don't play open strings" doesn't play a low E. Your other two reasons are spot on too.

 

[devnulljp]

But seriously, what utter crap.

 

[MtManiac]

I was encouraged as a young player to avoid using open strings when I moved to bass guitar from upright, but the reasons given were consistent tone and portability of patterns, not because “all good players don’t use open strings.” There is definitely a tone difference between playing a note closer to the bridge and on a thicker string, and especially versus an open string. There are different harmonics present as the centre of the string shifts towards or away from the bridge, and there are different harmonics present when using your finger to fret a note versus using the nut.

However, as all good bass players know, there’s nothing at all like hammering away on the open E or A string on a straight eighth note rhythm with a good rock drummer. Sometimes those are exactly the harmonics you want because they’re delicious.

 

[Wood and Wire]

One of our main functions as bassists, in any band, is to throw up devil horns, and point at members of the audience, whilst pedalling 8th notes in the keys of E, or A.

You simply cannot perform that crucial function if you avoid open strings.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

never use open strings, never tune your bass, and never put your fingers on the fretboard. do this and you should be all good

 

[r_bnks]

No open E?

Never say never...

 

[dougjwray]

Reach behind the nut and push on the string - instant vibrato on an open string.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I was told when I started playing bass (many years ago)
"A good bass player never uses open strings."
I still find that odd after 37 years playing.
Any opinions on this?

?

Try and play a low end without any

 

[jthisdell]

I was told not to play the II, also bs.

 

[markjazzbassist]

I've adopted a "no open strings" approach whenever I can get away with it. Some songs just require open strings for playability.

My reasons for my approach are three-fold, in no particular order:
1. Ease of transposition. If I don't use open strings it is super easy to simply move my hand to a new fret if the song needs to be transposed. Using open strings, takes this options away. This would be the only reason that I would ever direct someone to take this approach - the two reasons below are correctable with work.
2. Most of the time, I don't like the sound of open strings - hard to mute and control. (Yes I know this is partly a technique issue.)
3. Finger fumble. My head sometimes gets confused when the fingers on my fretting hand don't press down when my plucking hand hits the string. With practice, this is becoming less of an issue, but I often do require much longer learning curve to burn in songs with open strings.

Seeing as how many bassist are trained in school and get very steeped in the first position instruction - not to mention the "no money above the fifth fret" nonsense - I find it hard to believe that the "no open strings" approach would be a widely popular mantra.

great post. Only open string I use is low e, I don’t use any others, 5th fret all the way for your reasons above.

 

[Michedelic]

Whoever said that obviously never played the bass break on “All Right Now”, EWF’s “Shining Star”, or Joy Division’s “She’s Lost Control”.

 

[Mike Vee]

I try to avoid them for certain things, it all depends. When using flats the same note definitely sounds much better on the 5th fret of the string above than the open.

 

[eddododo]

I was told when I started playing bass (many years ago)
"A good bass player never uses open strings."
I still find that odd after 37 years playing.
Any opinions on this?

“A good musician doesn’t put up arbitrary limitations just because it makes a good sentence to repeat”


Not sure who told you that, but I’d be happy wagering that I wouldn’t want to sound like them.

 

[underwhelmist]

Whoever said that obviously never played the bass break on “All Right Now”, EWF’s “Shining Star”, or Joy Division’s “She’s Lost Control”.

I love Joy Division and know exactly what you mean about She’s Lost Control. However…

We play Alright Now and I have a suspicion I’m playing the break wrong, starting with an A on the 7th fret of the D string. Do you play an open A? I’m gonna try it and report back. Thanks for the tip.

 

[retslock]

I was told when I started playing bass (many years ago)
"A good bass player never uses open strings."
I still find that odd after 37 years playing.
Any opinions on this?

Any decent upright bass player will tell you that is simply not true. Upright jazz players use them very deliberately and often.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

I recall hearing the same thing when I started. I just ignored the advice and play open strings as / if needed.

I also play upright, and if a person attempted to play upright with no open strings, the instrument would wear them out.

 

[ELG60]

When I started playing again after about a 20 year hiatus, I mostly avoided open strings for the aforementioned reasons, however I find that getting more comfortable using those positions assists for specific songs and patterns in certain keys.

 

[GTx2]

I try to fret everything during the song.

But I take exception to "never" use them. I find them useful connecting runs/walks as well as ending a song on them. If it's a resolving type ring out.....I think open (and even with some chorus pedal or something) is actually optimal in many situations.

 

[Schlyder]

This is one of the dumbest statements ever made regarding playing the bass. Likely started by some player who doesn't know the notes on the neck, can't read music, and plays by knowing a single shape for any scale/arpeggio they have to play.

 

[iiipopes]

This comes from double bass pedagogy, especially Simandl, and the structure of that method's positioning of the stopping hand to facilitate passages.