Playing with ramp

[Barukh Immanuel]

Just got a beautiful used 6 string with a finger ramp and not sure how to approach it. Is it only for the thumb, or also for stabilizing hand with ring finger? I play a lot of plucking chords and not sure if the ramp will only get in the way or if I just need to change my technique and pluck above or below both pickups. Any experience, recommendations? Thanks

 

[Les Fret]

You might want to check this: A (Somewhat) Definitive Guide To The Matthew Garrison Technique And Playing Ramps

I don’t like ramps myself, and I do a lot of fusion style open strokes with four fingers. For me it sits in the way. But a lot of fusion players like them.

 

[Polfuste]

Ramp helps the fingers to not dive to deep between strings when plucking. So you can play quicker with less effort. For me. I've put it on all my basses except the acoustic one.

 

[S-Bigbottom]

^ That is it.
They help clean up your right hand technique.

 

[chris_b]

I'm not a fan. My experience is that I don't need one. I developed a neat and tidy technique many years before the ramp was even a twinkle in Garry Willis's eye.

 

[DWBass]

It's to emulate playing over pickups which a lot of players do.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Courtesy of Brian R Tyler.

 

[Watchootognbout]

It's to emulate playing over pickups which a lot of players do.

Not necessarily.
I mostly play in the space between the pickups.
Even when I do play over the pickups,my fingertips never touched the tops of the pickups.
Up until the installation of the ramp they were never raised up as high as the ramp is.

 

[Barukh Immanuel]

So, then how does the ramp help you or effect your style of playing?

 

[Watchootognbout]

So, then how does the ramp help you or effect your style of playing?

It limits the depth that my finger has to recover after a pluck.
Increasing the speed.
It also teaches you to pluck lightly.

But it is a b**** to learn the Matthew Garrison four fingered technique.
But it's worth the effort.

This is not me.

 

[non]

i am an anchor player (i rest my thumb on the pickups). the ramp allows me to anchor in other positions for different tones.
also the not digging in to much.

 

[Watchootognbout]

i am an anchor player (i rest my thumb on the pickups). the ramp allows me to anchor in other positions for different tones.
also the not digging in to much.

That also means you are not using the thumb to pluck the strings.

 

[non]

That also means you are not using the thumb to pluck the strings.

unless i am arpeggiating a chord. then i might use my thumb.