What are some lesser-known bassguitar techniques?

[Matt O]

I lean way back on my couch with my bass on my fat stomach and absentmindedly fiddle with the strings while I watch tv. This technique might not be that uncommon though.

I have a 100% orange bass for this technique.

Hides the Cheeto dust.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Remco...Whoa!!

Holy ! Me like!

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Playing with your gums (if you’re missing teeth) is an unknown, unpopular technique.

 

[mambo4]

I already snarked unhelpfully earlier
but there's my submission:
replace four fret box scale patterns
with with 3 notes per string scale patterns
as in PacMan's sure fire scale practice method
then move on to 4 or 5 notes per string patterns
break the box!

 

[Les Fret]

Whatever you want to call this (meaning I have no idea if it has a name). Audio quality is not great, but has good video of what Adam is doing with his right hand (basically thumb then all fingers very quickly; looks like he is barely moving).

That technique is called left hand leading or selective picking. I have many exercises and grooves with that technique in my advanced slap books. Also with other lesser known techniques like slapping with the ring finger, so four finger slapping, which is very useful. It opened up a lot of things in slapping for me.

Also techniques like Chapman Stick imitation and Kai Eckhardt-like cross-string hammer-ons are techniques you don’t see a lot but are very useful and make your slapping grooves less standard or cliché.

 

[Bassman822]

Downstream with my fingertips

 

[Planespotter]

Nobody’s gonna mention the pounding on the bass body thing that a lot of 80s guys did? Marc Mendoza is the best example I can think of.

 

[Mister_argentum]

I once read a book by Gastaldello called the “the step” which is a combination of percussive techniques. Check him in action

 

[skyline_01]

Plucking with the pad of your thumb is sometimes used by reggae bassists for a warm, rounded sound with very little attack.

Tony Levin used to have custom drumsticks attached to his fingers for a slap-type sound.

Bryan Beller (i think) has a fast fingerstyle picking technique for very fast 16th notes where he wiggles his finger basically like a pick.

I play in two different bands w/ a fairly wide variety of music and I get a LOT of mileage out of the palm mute/thumb pluck technique. It can change the whole feel of a song in a very good way.

I've also used the finger "wiggle" when doing up-tempo solo stuff. It's a good faker for me LOL.

 

[Smoove-Groove]

Let’s not forget Gene Simmons ham fisted solo technique

 

[rojo412]

 

[P-Belly Evans]

I know you covered slap, but what about double thumbing a la our Victor. Impressive stuff indeed.



or the unique picking style of Bobby Vega (and Cody Wright)

 

[Phaidrus]

Mine.

 

[Deleted member 368008]

Hybrid picking with pick and fingers combined, like country guitar players does. Pick with a pick and pop- slap with the rest of your fingers. I've heard only one to pull this off with aplomb. Old southern fusion stalwarts Dixie Dregs bassist Andy West is the only one I've seen do hybrid picking on bass...Song "Night Of The Living Dregs" starts at 27:49 hybrid bass solo halfway in...

 

[Deleted member 368008]

What about using... Funk Fingers? I do....

 

[hieronymous]

Nobody’s gonna mention the pounding on the bass body thing that a lot of 80s guys did? Marc Mendoza is the best example I can think of.

Rudy Sarzo too?

Sliding my mic stand up and down the neck with fuzz cranked.

I may have done that with my roast beef sandwich - and if I didn't, I should have!

 

[groooooove]

using effects to go +1 octave to bring you to concert pitch so you can play the greatest music ever written?

that's my take, anyway. tapping, slapping, double-thumb, sweep, pinch harmonics, etc... all are pretty standard these days, with the unlimited supply of internet internet virtuosi demonstrating them regularly.

 

[Lee Armstrong]

What are some lesser-known bassguitar techniques that can elevate a bassist's playing to the next level?

Pretty much everything I do is a lesser-known technique.

Oh wait, you want to go to the next level. Nevermind - carry on without me!

 

[BeMoreFrench]

Decades ago (I think it was in 1998 or something) a french bassist, Jean-Luc Gastaldello, released a method about a mix of all the percussive techniques and named that "Step technique". There's some things Jaco used, Doug Wimbish of course, Abe Laboriel or even Hadrien Feraud from times to times. He even codified the notation, I still have it at my family's house. It's mostly replicating what you would do with traditional percussions instruments, but on bass.



LE STEP VIDEO - BASSEGROOVE shop - Jean-Luc Gastaldello

 

[Holdsg]

Quinton Berry is one of a kind. I've met him IRL, and not a nicer guy to talk bass playing you will find.