Using thumb to fret E string?

[prd004]

Sounds like your technique is correct, I would stick with it. My left thumb has never fretted a note, ever

 

[John Wentzien]

Hell..I do it all the time!!! Use all the tools you've got!

 

[lunarpollen]

Who cares? I mean, the modern bass guitar was designed only 60 or so years ago buy a guy who didn't even play. Who's to say what "proper" technique is? If it works, do it!

 

[FretlessMainly]

But I think this probably has something to do with the rabbath technique, I've read places that he often uses his thumb extensively, especially when playing high up the fingerboard. This is a double bass method I think though, but I think it has some use on electric bass.

That's a completely different kettle of fish. What the OP is referring to is curling the thumb all the way around the neck to finger a note on the low E string. The "rabbath technique" you refer to is a very specific style of fingering the double bass developed by Francois Rabbath.

But most any double bass player, regardless of what technique they have studied, is familiar with "thumb position." This is done generally at and above the octave whereby the thumb comes off of the back of the neck and essentially acts as a floating capo for playing in the high positions. Given the typical cutaways on an electric bass, the double bass thumb position has almost no utility for electric bass and would almost certainly be more difficult than just playing normally, especially given the body/instrument orientation differences between double bass and electric bass.

 

[Kylethelobo]

I find the thumb is particularly useful for fretting a pedal note. I find it gives me access to more frets than using another finger.

 

[Russell L]

As long as the boat floats, never mind its design. I've done it as a novelty. Why, I've even brought my whole hand around above the fingerbaord and played like on a piano, just for kicks. Hey, Jeff Healy does that pretty good on guitar, don't ya think?

But generally, I don't fret with my thumb. But I also am not in the camp that believes it must always be right smack dab in the middle of the back of the neck either. I often hold the neck in my palm, for easy parts. Add to that using the 1-2-34 technique with 3 and 4 working together, and my hand is very relaxed.

Technique this, technique that---do what works good for you and don't worry about it. Enjoy.

 

[Renaissongsman]

Hardly a bassist's authority<?>, (I'm primarily a keyboardist who gets to play bass now/again and *loves* it) but I think I just saw Sting fret the entire first phrase of the chorus to "Seven Days" with his thumb on Youtube --- "live in Oslo" version.

 

[bassmeknik]

As long as the boat floats, never mind its design. I've done it as a novelty. Why, I've even brought my whole hand around above the fingerbaord and played like on a piano, just for kicks. Hey, Jeff Healy does that pretty good on guitar, don't ya think?

But generally, I don't fret with my thumb. But I also am not in the camp that believes it must always be right smack dab in the middle of the back of the neck either. I often hold the neck in my palm, for easy parts. Add to that using the 1-2-34 technique with 3 and 4 working together, and my hand is very relaxed.

Technique this, technique that---do what works good for you and don't worry about it. Enjoy.

1+ this

 

[bassmeknik]

Agreed that it is not typical.



Supposed to? Are we creating art or building a bridge here?



I've done it on occasion (on bass) over the years when the need presented itself. Any port in a storm/use the tools available to you. Resourcefulness needn't be confused with sloppy.

As far as guitar goes, I do it all the time on chords such as D/F#, FMAJ7, etc. Now I can play voicings of these chords without my thumb, but certain voicings are richer if I use all four fingers plus my thumb. It's actually a bit challenging at times, but certainly not sloppy.

1+ this

At 54 I must use all appendages to get through the night on occasion and 39 years of experience taught me what I can and can't get away with...

Over hand playing piano style is a great for attracting attention but becomes cramped after a while and is downright wrong on some riffs, and my thumb can (momentarily) give the fingers a rest when they hurt late in the performance

 

[PerlNinja]

I still have no real concept of "proper" technique, but I couldn't fret E with my thumb if my life depended on it. I do keep my thumb curved around the fret board so I can mute E with my thumb if I wanted to - my cort's got a very thin neck and I've got pretty big hands, so it's the only way that lets me have both my hands in a comfortable position.

 

[trayner1]

I never had a teacher, so I have developed my own warped technique on both hands based on expirementation. I started using my thumb to fret notes by accident when playing fingerstyle guitar (I also play guitar), and I noticed it was very convenient. Then that habit carried over to my bass playing. In fact, a lot of obscure fingerstyle guitar techniques have proven useful on bass, and vice versa. Hell, I'll even fret A string notes with my thumb sometimes!!

 

[jamisonsalamand]

I wouldn't do it too much myself, because I feel it would end up as a habit to keep the thumb wrapped around that far. This would end up with a lot of the hand touching the neck, increasing friction and decreasing speed when moving positions(lots of blisters). Not to mention it would be less fluent and comfortable for fretting notes with your fingers, depending on how big your hands are.

But that's what I would think myself. I would personally never use any hand position that doesn't have the thumb on the back of the neck, so I can move my hand around as fast as possible and put myself at angles that will keep my wrists most safe. If your goal is to find the best way to play clean and fast then follow what most people call correct technique, otherwise do what you want because you're the one playing.

 

[Mayers]

I think that saying the bass is only 60 years old as an argument for playing the way you want is very wrong.

You play an musical instrument you have to have good hand positionning to be the best you can. Many people play with wrong hand positions and the wierd thing is ... they are very popular !!! ( I'm looking at you Stanley Clark, Geddy Lee and Billy Sheehan )

You also don,t need your thumb to mute a note if you use floating thumb, a technique that should be use by everyone, why ? because it mute very strings you don,t use, your plucking hand is alway in a strait angle instead of bending in a wierd way.

I think we all should look at classical musician and jazz musician to look for proper technic.

 

[Russell L]

"Proper" isn't written in stone, IMO. I have played classical and jazz for years, and still do things my way. If some of it happens to coincide with what is considered "proper," it only means that I happen to concur with what someone else thinks at that point. Granted, some things seem to make better sense than others, but are not necessarily the only way.

 

[Batmensch]

Proper technique?
No.
Does it matter
Not to him. And It shouldn't. People will always develop their own personal way of doing things like this, and occasionally will do something totally out of the ordinary. It doesn't make them wrong if that particular quirk" is working for them. Just look at people like Jeff Healey and Stanley Jordan. They do just fine at guitar, even though their technique could be classified as utterly "improper".
Lastly, "proper" or rather "generally accepted as proper" technique should indeed be empahasized and encouraged, as it is generally the most efficient way.
It sounds to me like this guy is likely a good teacher, because, unlike some, he is not trying to pass his own personal style as "proper" technique. (although he could be a bit more vocal about it.)

 

[john grey]

My personal philosophy, if its comfortable for you and you like it... do it...

But you may find using your thumb to play the E string will slow you down...

While we are on the subject, while playing high up on the neck with your left hand, use the side of your pointer finger to play down low on the E string

That's been pretty much my feeling on it. - I personally wouldn't do it however. I have some fairly large hands and I actually could mute the "A" string also if I wanted but I wasn't taught that way I don't feel comfortable w/ it. I have been told by some pretty damn fine teachers (studio musicians) that one's thumb stays behind the neck..... That one's playing will generally be faster in a proper position.
Yet; in all fairness, I've seen a few good players do it.
I think that if you don't snap to it naturally and often, I wouldn't "teach myself" to do it. There are some folks who not only regard it as sloppy but believe that it can really only be used for muting therefore it doesn't give back as much as it could take (slow you up). yet for some, it's really comfortable.

 

[Logen]

That is not typical left hand technique at all! The thumb is supposed to stay on the back of the neck as you are doing. I have seen many guitar players and some bass players who bring their thumb off the back to where it curves around above the fret board. I have never seen anyone actually use their thumb to fret a note. IMO it is sloppy technique.

I know this is a very old post but when I read it I still wanted to add this... I'm not a Bass player but I recently watched "Sting" fret notes on the bass with his thumb a whole lot during a show. Not sure if he is "supposed" to be doing that, but it sure didn't seem to be sloppy. I think he's considered a pretty good bass player right? Whatever works!

 

[sean_on_bass]

I know this is a very old post but when I read it I still wanted to add this... I'm not a Bass player but I recently watched "Sting" fret notes on the bass with his thumb a whole lot during a show. Not sure if he is "supposed" to be doing that, but it sure didn't seem to be sloppy. I think he's considered a pretty good bass player right? Whatever works!

To me this technique falls into "you CAN do it but it is rarely the best choice" sort of technique. In situations where this is the only way to achieve a musical effect, then go for it. But to just plainly fret notes on the E string this way is bad form. I'd be curious why a player truly needs to play this way. How would you get vibrato with the thumb? Won't it now sound tonally different than using the rest of your fingers for every other note? Does fretting the E string this way create unnecessary squeezing in the left hand? All good questions to ask before deciding to utilize this technique.

 

[Mushroo]

At arena-rock volume levels, it is absolutely essential to mute the unplayed strings. Many of the top pros use their fretting hand thumbs to do this. They're not typically using their thumb to fret notes on the E string, but rather to stop the E string from ringing out and making unwanted sounds. Sting's fretting hand technique reminds me a lot of Paul McCartney's. I bet Sir Paul is one of Sting's musical influences. Two of the all-time great players.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

…….I always keep my left thumb on the back of the fret board, and hold my fingers in a 'claw,' attempting to cover one fret with each finger. For some reason, I believe this is 'proper technique.' Should I stick with the way I've been doing it? (My teacher has not instructed me to use my thumb to fret.) Thanks

What you are doing is the way most of us were taught. One Finger Per Fret. However after awhile, I think you will find that the fingers will start deciding which one will get what note. Let them. You've reached the point that your fingers just do what is needed, you no longer have to think about what they are doing. I see nothing wrong with that.

To the thumb, if it gets the note why not let it? It's not something I do, but, I'm not going to say it's WRONG. Anything that let's you get to the notes you need before the song goes off and leaves you and does not cause pain, is fair game in my book.

Learn the accepted way first, but, do not be afraid to improve on what you have been doing.