When I first learned to play bass in the mid 60s, I used my thumb, then in the 70s I learned to use my fingers. Now I use a pick and can effectively use any of these techniques now depending on the song and the sound I want to play. 
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Picking with the thumb
- Thread starter violinoscar
- Start date
Same here. If we play anything with an oldies kind of vibe I do the same thing, thumb pluck and mute with the edge of the same hand.
Pretty sure Bernard switches between thumb picking and finger style for the opening lick and bass solo (see video below). I would have never guessed this without reading about it. I think I worked up the tune years ago, but used only finger style.
There are close ups of his hand at 3:08. His hand shape is closed, as if he has a pick, instead of open like I use for double thumb.
I use thumb plucking with palm muting sometimes to emulate more of a string bass thud. Lot's of different ways to use the thumb.
I think it is profoundly immoral to use the thumb to pluck the strings.
. Forward to 1:45.
Speaking of double stops -- hard to perform one if you are an exclusively thumb player, eh?
Thumbs up! I love a bit of thumb too, just quietly. So does Invalid Link Removed from The Models, Sacred Cowboys, The Rockwiz Orkestra, etc.. He's like you. Primarily, he uses the thumb.
When i used all main main fingers, i use the 5th on the low B on my 5 fretless, but that happens quit rarely.
Plucking with the thumb is another tool that provides several different sounds depending on where, how hard and whether or not you use a mute. Historically one of the earliest players of jazz on electric bass Monk Montgomery used only his thumb and I am sure there were many others as Fender equipped the basses with the ubiquitous tug bar that so many switched to a position over the strings to be a thumb rest.
I use several thumb plucking positions. Close to the neck I will softly pluck the string getting a soft attack and short sustain much like a pizzacato string bass. I will use an even softer pluck to get and almost arco type attack and utilize compression for sustain. I will also pluck using the meat of my thumb for long sustained notes between the pickups. Then I will sometimes pluck with my thumb closer to the bridge while using palm muting to get more of a Latin bass tone or I may also use a string mute like a Fump.
I use several thumb plucking positions. Close to the neck I will softly pluck the string getting a soft attack and short sustain much like a pizzacato string bass. I will use an even softer pluck to get and almost arco type attack and utilize compression for sustain. I will also pluck using the meat of my thumb for long sustained notes between the pickups. Then I will sometimes pluck with my thumb closer to the bridge while using palm muting to get more of a Latin bass tone or I may also use a string mute like a Fump.
Oscar, try making a thumb rest-stroke with the nail, like classical guitarists; sonority for days, all over the fingerboard! Best-kept secret in bass-playing. Alternatively, give a thumb pick a try ― second-best-kept secret!
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I think its profoundly immoral to go with the grain. Your way is perfection though....whatever that may be.
