Using the right hand thumb

[some1]

What are the thoughts of using the right hand thumb occasionally in non-slapping parts? I tend to do that sometimes when a note is supposed to let ring. For example in the beginning of Sweet Emotion, I play the A string with my thumb, instead of playing it with my index/middle finger. This way I can let the A string ring, which is useful when you don't have a keyboard etc. and need to have a fuller sound. Obviously the same effect can be achieved by not letting your index/middle finger mute the A string after playing a note on the D. But my justification is that if I were to play with a pick, I wouldn't need to worry about that and playing with your thumb essentially mimics that. (Beginning of My Friend of Misery by Metallica is another example, and the original part was recorded with a pick player). Anyone else does the same or do you guys think that right hand thumb should never be used in that manner? I never considered this to be a problem for me but it looks/feels like fingerpicking on a guitar and for some reason I suspect that that's a non-bass way of playing, whatever that means

 

[LilRay]

I use thumb and index finger exclusively. My technique is adapted however.

Play where you're comfortable and leave technicality secondary.



God Bless, Ray

 

[fovea1959]

it might be a non-bass way of playing, but I learned it when studying classical guitar, and use it a lot in the types of situations you describe. It works, but the sustain on the bass is a lot longer than on the classical guitar, so I have to pay attention to damping it...

 

[sawzalot]

Sting plays with his right thumb almost exclusively, if I recall. If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for everyone else.

Seriously, I take a "whatever works" approach to playing. If it gives you the sound you want and works for you, do it!

Tom

 

[Russell L]

I use my thumb and mute with the side of my hand to get an upright sound. It really does the job, too.

 

[echoSE7EN]

I use my thumb, from time to time, in a manner similar to a "banjo roll"; especially during melodic, chord-based movements where droning is used. I usually "palm mute" the droned string ever so slightly, letting the changes really sing.

I think Matthew Garrison does something similar, but I'm not 100%. I know he has a slightly "non-traditional" technique. As fovea1959 mentioned above, mine stems from classical guitar playing.

 

[Gaius46]

it might be a non-bass way of playing, but I learned it when studying classical guitar, and use it a lot in the types of situations you describe. It works, but the sustain on the bass is a lot longer than on the classical guitar, so I have to pay attention to damping it...

I do the same.

I know two bassists who only use their right thumb. One messed up his hand in an accident at work and can really only control his right thumb well enough to use for playing. The other I have no idea about.

 

[LAPetrarca]

This falls under the "there is no right or wrong way....." category.......

 

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

There's a musical genre from my country called Vallenato in which 99.99% of the bass players (which, BTW, are truly worshipped by the rest of the band in most cases) use that technique. Check this guy out, specially from 1:36 onward.

 

[Buxtehude]

I use thumb for palm muting and also gentle double thumbing to get a picked sound where necessary. It's also good for strumming chords.

 

[Skitch it!]

Dominic Di Piazza I remember seeing when this was first aired in '92, blew me away the technical ability he has with just seemingly the thumb and index here, from 2.05.

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[fishdreams]

it's totally valid.
I use the thumb in combination with fingers to pluck chords the way a jazz guitarist would. I also used thumb (the fleshy part, holding thumb parellel to strings) to mimick walking upright, playing close to the fretboard-sounds awesome.

Here's a link to Marino Pliakas from Peter Brotzmann's Full Blast, who I've seen doing classical guitar tremolo's (quick successive thumb-ring-middle-index-roll on one string) on bass guitar. Full Blast Moers 2006 - YouTube