The thumb on your picking hand should be positioned on either the pickup or on the heaviest unplayed string when playing the bass. Alternatively, you can use the floating thumb technique to keep unplayed strings muted. The fretting hand thumb should feel relaxed and be kept behind the neck of the bass.
Should you play bass with your thumb?
Bassists have always been using their thumb to pluck the strings of their bass guitar as well. However, thumb plucking is generally slower and gives you a fast and thick sound that may be suitable for slower tempo songs. There’s nothing abnormal about playing your bass with your thumb.
Why are bass thumb rest below the strings?
It’s a tug bar when the finger rest is below the strings instead of above. When it’s above, you rest your thumb on it and play with the fingers, when its below, you anchor your fingers on it, and pluck the strings with your thumb. The “tug bar” is below the strings to allow you to get some grip.
Where does the thumb rest go on P bass?
If it’s below the G string, it’s meant for thumb-style. You use it to anchor your fingers as you use your thumb to play.
Why do bassists tape their fingers?
FINGERING TAPE: To assist beginning bassists with correct finger placement, some bass teachers use thin strips of colored tape (e.g. 1/8″ graphic chart tape or pinstripe auto detailing tape) to mark where students should place their fingers on the bass fingerboard.
Is it OK to fret with your thumb?
In short, your thumb’s position shouldn’t matter that much, as long as your wrist is straight. It’ll change depending on what you’re playing; just like how your fingers aren’t always going to be spread out to play a major third on one string. Be flexible.
Why do bassists boil strings?
Over time, bass strings get grime pushed into them. And no matter how often you clean your strings, once grime gets in there, it’s very difficult to get out. What boiling the strings does is simply loosen and release the grime you can’t get to.
Do most bass players use picks?
Bass players generally use thicker picks. The thickness improves the bass playing control, and the overall tone of the string. The average pick thickness for bass players is 1.17 mm, while for guitar players is 0.89 mm. Remember, bass strings are much thicker than guitar strings.
Why dont bass players use picks?
They don’t like the sound: Picks produce a treble-heavy, defined sound. Although this sound compliments certain genres, some bassists are traditionalists, believing a pick takes away from an authentic sound.
Is bass easier on the fingers?
While the bass requires stronger hands and a longer spread of fingers, it’s comparatively easy to learn the basics whereas guitar is quite complicated.
How high should the action be on a bass at the 12th fret?
How high should the action be on a bass guitar? In an ideal situation, the distance between the top of the 12th fret and the bottom of the lowest-E string should be around 2.4 mm. On the other hand, the distance between the 12th fret and the ‘G’ string should be 2 mm.
Do bassists ever sing?
All bassists are the lead vocalist for their band unless otherwise noted. Only bands where lead vocals were sung are listed.
List of singing bassists.
| Name | Band(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| John Lodge | The Moody Blues | Co-lead vocalist |
| Phil Lynott | Thin Lizzy | |
| Aimee Mann | Solo | |
| Paul McCartney | The Beatles, Paul McCartney and Wings, solo | Co-lead vocalist for The Beatles |
Should I pop blisters from playing bass?
Blisters usually heal quickly once pressure has been relieved and should not be punctured unless they are painful enough to prevent you from using your hands or playing your instrument.
Can you have 2 bassists?
It’s possible to have two bassists in a band. Most bands elect to just have one bass player as this is sufficient to play music in all contemporary genres. Having two bassists generally requires writing two distinct bass parts, which leads to an unconventional sound.
Where should your thumb rest?
The thumb should also be placed at or just below the middle of the neck to create an anchor point around which the rest of the hand will move as needed. The benefit of this form is that it allows you the ability to pivot on your thumb.
Should you strum with your thumb?
Strumming with your thumb gives you a rounder sound, and strumming with a pick gives you a brighter sound. Things to keep in mind when learning how to strum the guitar with your thumb: With the down strums, use the fleshier part of your thumb. On the up strums, your nail may catch the string.
Why do bassists wear a glove?
Bass players wear gloves to prevent certain issues that might interfere with their performances. These go from keeping their hands from sweating to maintaining the blood of their fingers hot during cold weather. The simple act of wearing a glove can also put a stop to certain health problems.
What every bassist needs?
5 Essential Items Every Bass Player Needs to Know
- Bass amp. The first thing every bass player needs to understand that bass amps work differently than guitar amplifiers.
- Bass strings.
- Bass tonewoods.
- Bass pedals.
- Bass accessories.
Why do old basses sound better?
Wood dries out and resonates more, pickups age and become warmer, more organic sounding. The entire instrument fuses as one whole entity instead of just a jumble of parts. These are just some of the things I’ve heard over the years about why vintage basses sound, play, and feel better than newer axes.
Are big hands good for bass?
Short scale, mid scale, and long scale necks. Some basses have different widths at the nut. You can use heavy, standard, light, extra light gauge strings, etc, etc. Both analog clocks and good bass players have big hands to keep time.
Do you need long fingernails to play bass?
The issue is of preference rather than a hard-fast rule. You should play bass with your right-hand thumb so proper nail trimming is necessary. Some bass players still want to play fingerstyle like they play guitar. Thus, they prefer longer nails.