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P BASS PLAYERS. Where do you pick/pluck? Also need some advice

GeezerGuy

GeezerGuy

Guest
Apr 11, 2016
40
35
30
B.C. Canada
#1
Trying to get to know my bass better (I know I know, playing it is the best way to find out), and I was wondering where other players like to strum? I'm liking the tone I get from playing closer to/above the neck, but I'm struggling with buzz because of the looseness up there, so when I play harder I tend to pluck just beside the pickup on the bridge side. Any techniques on how to play cleaner closer to the neck?
 
#2
I personally use the entire area from the bridge to about the 15th fret as my "tonal pallette" where I can pluck to get a wide variety of sounds.

Playing near the neck, and digging in so there is fret clank and buzz, is a very popular P bass sound.

If you want a cleaner, less "rock and roll" sound, then my advice is to turn up your amp louder and play with a lighter touch. This is another very popular P bass sound.
 
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#3
I pluck over the pup, sort of acts like a ramp, but can give be a cool click If I dig in, sort of a percusive sound to add to the texture if you will.

Play at the bridge for many effects, play up at the neck with my thumb.....again for effect.
Now whether anyone else heard any of this is subjective, it maybe just habits with me that I do it to get myself a feel for the tone rather than any audible tone.
 
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#11
When I'm not using a pick I rest my thumb on the pickup right next to and behind the screw. When using a pick I rest the heel of my palm just in front of the bridge so I can palm mute. Also roam around a bit when needed for additional tones but those two are the most used.
 
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#12
Something I've been working on lately is breaking the habit of anchoring my thumb on the pickup, and using the floating thumb or movable anchor technique instead. Once I un-anchor my thumb, I find that my hand and fingers are much more relaxed, and I can play more softly (turn up the amp!) and with more dynamics. This also frees me up to vary where I pluck, which ranges from the end of the neck (sometimes over the neck) to the bridge side of the pickup. I don't pluck near the bridge very often, but only because I go for a very mid-rangey sound and I rarely need to make it any brighter.

I've also been working for a long time on adding pickstyle to my repertoire. I usually pick about midway between the neck and the pickup, in part because I've tried to stick pretty closely to Carol Kaye's method (for all the reasons she gives) and in part because that's where my hand and wrist position is most comfortable and relaxed.
 
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#15
GeezerGuy said:
Trying to get to know my bass better (I know I know, playing it is the best way to find out), and I was wondering where other players like to strum? I'm liking the tone I get from playing closer to/above the neck, but I'm struggling with buzz because of the looseness up there, so when I play harder I tend to pluck just beside the pickup on the bridge side. Any techniques on how to play cleaner closer to the neck?
Click to expand...

Well Im a soapbar J bassist, but let me give you some advice! You said you really like the sound when you go closer to the neck of the bass, but it isnt set up properly and it buzzes. Get your bass set up for about $50 or so dollars and be clear about your playing/tone preferences. They will hook you up with a sweet deal and in no time you can play where you like, without the buzzing.
 
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#16
Depending on the tone I want, I'm from about fret 17 to almost on the bridge. But, that isn't all of it. It is also how I attack the string. It may be from a gentle stroke to a Robin Hood kind of pull.
As to fret rattle, I like my action just a little high. Yes, it isn't as fast as a low action, but it is fast enough for the things I play. And usually, when I'm digging in, I'm not that far up toward the neck anyway. For that, I'm probably just in front of the pup. For a smoother tone, volume up and a lighter touch.
This is one of the things I like about a P. It is very responsive to technique.
 
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#17
Fingerstyle over the PUP to up near or even on the neck, picked anywhere from behind the PUP to between the PUP and the neck, rarely more forward.

Generally I do't move around that much, there are some real sweet spots for my way of playing, but you can vary your tom^ne a lot with small movements. Ten add in attack or pick angle, etc, and it's way more versatile than some people make it out to be.
 
#19
I usually play with my thumb anchored loosely on the edge of the neck, near to the end of the neck. Which puts me in my favorite zone and also gives me a sort of "automatic E-string mute'
which is controllable.

I do this on all basses I play....not just P's....

That's for fingers....using a pick I go farther back toward the bridge mostly.
 
#20
I mix it up. Pick in the middle between pickup and edge of the neck, Finger-style anywhere between the bridge and edge of neck depending on the song. There is no one perfect place but 80% of my playing is with my thumb resting on the pickup and plucking finger-style slightly toward the bridge.
 

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