Right hand technique guidance

[trevjo7]

I'm sure this question has been asked numerous times so please forgive the repetition. I'm a beginner and looking for guidance for which right hand finger/s (and thumb) I could, or should use to pluck the strings. I have used just the thumb fairly successfully, but have been told i should change to using index and middle fingers.

Thanks to all who reply in advance.

 

[Lobster11]

Alternating index and middle fingers is by far the most common technique, and you should probably start with that. You can experiment later with other techniques involving three (or all four) fingers on the plucking hand, or the thumb, but any "Bass 101" course would start with two-finger plucking.

By the way, since you're just getting started, you might try this particular technique:



There are plenty of other videos available, but this one is short and sweet and will give you a good introduction to it.

 

[jallenbass]

Index and middle is the industry standard.

 

[trevjo7]

Alternating index and middle fingers is by far the most common technique, and you should probably start with that. You can experiment later with other techniques involving three (or all four) fingers on the plucking hand, or the thumb, but any "Bass 101" course would start with two-finger plucking.

By the way, since you're just getting started, you might try this particular technique:



There are plenty of other videos available, but this one is short and sweet and will give you a good introduction to it.

Thank you for your reply, much appreciated.

 

[bassdude51]

There is no right or wrong. Two of my favorite bass players, Jerry Scheff and James Jamerson used only the index finger. Two great ones, Joe Osborn and Carol Kaye used guitar picks. Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys used his thumb and so did many other 50s bass players. Some hot shot bass players use 3 fingers.

Experiment and find out what works best for you.

 

[trevjo7]

There is no right or wrong. Two of my favorite bass players, Jerry Scheff and James Jamerson used only the index finger. Two great ones, Joe Osborn and Carol Kaye used guitar picks. Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys used this thumb and so did many other 50s bass players. Some hot shot bass players use 3 fingers.

Experiment and find out what works best for you.

Thanks for the contribution.

 

[AGCurry]

There is no right or wrong. Two of my favorite bass players, Jerry Scheff and James Jamerson used only the index finger. Two great ones, Joe Osborn and Carol Kaye used guitar picks. Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys used this thumb and so did many other 50s bass players. Some hot shot bass players use 3 fingers.

Experiment and find out what works best for you.

There is no right or wrong ... once you have achieved a reasonable mastery of technique. Until then, there is a choice of what's easiest at the time versus what will get you to that "reasonable mastery" point. To use great musicians using unconventional methods as examples to emulate might be misleading to beginners.

As already stated, index-and-middle is the most conventional method, used by the majority of players; it will get you to "reasonable mastery" efficiently in most music (and perhaps because it came from the double bass). Once you learn that technique, feel free to use thumb, pick, and/or anything else.

Interesting that you name Carl Wilson ... I wouldn't put him on a level with the other greats you mention. Yes, many bassists used their thumbs when the bass guitar was new; I suggest that it's because their parts were simple. I use my thumb sometimes for simple parts, only because I like that sound for particular things.

 

[Ggaa]

There is no right or wrong. Two of my favorite bass players, Jerry Scheff and James Jamerson used only the index finger. Two great ones, Joe Osborn and Carol Kaye used guitar picks. Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys used this thumb and so did many other 50s bass players. Some hot shot bass players use 3 fingers.

Experiment and find out what works best for you.

Ray Pohlman used his thumb. I think that's known as fat finger style ...

 

[lokikallas]

The more the merrier. I don't use my thumb for much but slap, but I've seen people do some cool stuff with their thumb that I wouldn't even think of.

 

[conttador]

I'm sure this question has been asked numerous times so please forgive the repetition. I'm a beginner and looking for guidance for which right hand finger/s (and thumb) I could, or should use to pluck the strings. I have used just the thumb fairly successfully, but have been told i should change to using index and middle fingers.

Thanks to all who reply in advance.

Index & middle is the standard. Since you’ve used your thumb, you could use your palm to mute. Anthony Jackson is one of many that are known for their palm muting technique.

 

[etoncrow]

Welcome to TB. As mentioned, index and middle finger are standard. But, IMHO one of the best ever was James Jamerson (Motown) and he was nicknamed the "Claw" because he only used his index finger. BTW, double bass jazz was he first love. As added advice, Jack Bruce (Cream, etc) once described Duck Dunn (Stax/Volt) as playing with the three "T's": Taste, Touch and Tone. If you can get taste, touch and tone out of your thumb then go for it. There are really no rules.

 

[bassbrad]

Thumb, fingers and pick are all valid choices along with slap and pop on electric bass - just as Arco or bowing and pizzacato should be on upright. IMHO a well rounded bassist can use any technique that is appropriate and sounds best for the style or song.

Below is a video of many bass greats on their technique, featuring a bass I currently own played by Verdine White of EWF.

 

[BassFalcon]

As mentioned first finger and middle finger are “standard” and traditional. I use the Damien Erskine/Matt Garrison right hand approach which steals a lot from classical guitar and banjo technique. Plucking with just your thumb is a very very old style technique, it’s how Leo Fender envisioned the bass would be played, that’s why the very old Fender basses have the “thumb rest” underneath the G string, it’s actually called a tug bar and it’s intended to be used by hooking your 4 fingers under it to anchor them and then pluck with your thumb. It’s a big boomy pillowy sound. I have one on one of my basses, mostly for decoration, but I do use it as intended every now and then. There’s really no wrong way to get sound out of your bass regarding your right hand, there’s a time and place for almost every technique. I believe it’s Steve Bailey that uses all 4 fingers, Tony Levin occasionally straps drum sticks to his right hand fingers to pluck, Jamerson only used his index, Victor Wooten plays double thumb which is basically using his thumb like a pick, Rocco Prestia is the master of 2 finger funk. Don’t be overwhelmed by options though, pick a style that interests you the most, pursue it until mastery, then expand from there. Best of luck!

 

[2112]

80% of the time I'm index finger only. But there are times when I'll involve 2, 3, and 4 fingers and even my thumb depending on what I'm playing.

 

[Afc70]

I started playing bass as a young teenager in the mid to late eighties, at the time, all the instructional books that I could find, (mostly Mel bay)- stated to either use a pick or 2 fingers (index & middle fingers)
I decided to go with what was most comfortable- I used my thumb along with 2 fingers, eventually incorporating my thumb with 3 fingers.. In retrospect, I’m so glad I started incorporating my thumb into my plucking. It felt most natural to me, regardless of what the “standard approach” was. And later on when I worked on slapping, my thumb was already developed quite well… I say just go with what feels natural ! No wrong way here imo, developing your own style of playing is a great thing to accomplish.

 

[bassdude51]

Interesting that you name Carl Wilson ... I wouldn't put him on a level with the other greats you mention.

I agree that Brian Wilson was not a bass virtuoso. But.......I saw a Carol Kaye interview with her talking about playing bass in the studio for the Beach Boys. She said that Brian had all the bass lines written out on paper and she played note for note in most cases.

Brian is pretty sharp! Live performances, he used thumb. Worked.

(I am nobody.) At age 15 (1967, I started playing bass with a guitar pick. Then, the 2 finger way started becoming more popular in the 60s plus, it looked cool. I was able to master it. Then, around the early 2000s, I saw a video of Jerry Scheff knocking off unbelievable bass lines with Elvis live with the TCB Band, using only his index finger. (I was already aware of Jamerson's one finger style.) So, early 2000s I switched from 2 fingers to index only for about 98% of my plucking. Sometimes I use 2 fingers for tricky little things. I can actually pluck repetitious notes faster with one finger than with two. But that is just me.

Anyway..............

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

This is definitely not advice on bass technique, but if you wanna know how creative you can get with your right hand striking strings, check Gabriela.

 

[AGCurry]

I agree that Brian Wilson was not a bass virtuoso. But.......I saw a Carol Kaye interview with her talking about playing bass in the studio for the Beach Boys. She said that Brian had all the bass lines written out on paper and she played note for note in most cases.

Brian is pretty sharp! Live performances, he used thumb. Worked.

(I am nobody.) At age 15 (1967, I started playing bass with a guitar pick. Then, the 2 finger way started becoming more popular in the 60s plus, it looked cool. I was able to master it. Then, around the early 2000s, I saw a video of Jerry Scheff knocking off unbelievable bass lines with Elvis live with the TCB Band, using only his index finger. (I was already aware of Jamerson's one finger style.) So, early 2000s I switched from 2 fingers to index only for about 98% of my plucking. Sometimes I use 2 fingers for tricky little things. I can actually pluck repetitious notes faster with one finger than with two. But that is just me.

Anyway..............

Looks like you and I are the same age, and our experiences jibe. I too started with a pick, moved to two fingers, then to double bass. And like you, if the line doesn't need two fingers, I stick to the index finger. And I keep a pick in my pocket just in case.

Regarding Brian Wilson's bass-guitar chops: He was (is?) a much better musician than bassist. Like him, I can imagine myself playing things that I can't adequately pull off actually playing. He was smart enough to call Carol Kaye to play those lines!

 

[wysiwyg248]

This is definitely not advice on bass technique, but if you wanna know how creative you can get with your right hand striking strings, check Gabriela.

I'd recommend Colin Hodgkinson if you are looking for creativity on the bass. Thumb and pick technique on this video. However, two fingers (index and middle) will suffice.

 

[mambo4]

But, IMHO one of the best ever was James Jamerson (Motown) and he was nicknamed the "Claw" because he only used his index finger.

It was "The Hook"