Guitar to Bass

[The Hat]

It's probably been said many times before, but as a beginner bassist I'm finding that it is a totally different beast to guitar. Granted, I've only been learning guitar for 9 months and have had my bass for the past 6 months. It's been hung on the wall next to my guitars and I've finally got round to doing something about learning it !
It is a totally different instrument to learn. Apart from theory it's pretty much starting from day 1 again.
Learning simple riffs is not too bad but the big thing I'm not getting is the muting of the strings after I've played the note. I'm learning Chameleon by Herbie Hancock and the muting makes the riff.

Oh well, each journey starts with small steps.

[BassBus]

I wonder how much pressure you are pushing down on the string with the left hand. If you have a lighter touch you'll be able to lift your finger off the board more quickly which will help with muting. Gary Willis talks about it in the clip below.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoHEqQzbGAc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoHEqQzbGAc[/url]

[Coilte]

Yes, the bass is a different animal to the guitar and requires a different technique for both hands. For the plucking hand, try the "Floating Thumb" technique. It is a great way to mute, and as the wrist is straight, you avoid possible injury problems later on.

Here is the Floating Thumb demonstrated :

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU[/url]


As we are talking about technique, here is a clip for safe left hand technique :

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRkSsapYYsA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRkSsapYYsA[/url]

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1373793866' post='2141569'] As we are talking about technique, here is a clip for safe left hand [/quote]

Thanks for that. That helps correct a few problems I had

[jmchich]

[quote name='iceonaboy' timestamp='1373793745' post='2141564']
I have pretty much the opposite problem mate. I have played bass for years and years. I always mucked about on guitar, but recently have decided to play the guitar a lot more and I find the tighter string spacing and my sausage fingers to be a hinderance. I did see on youtube recently a massive fat guy tottaly ripping up a guitar fretboard, so it shows it can be done. The thing is, they are essentailly the same type of instument , but very , very different in practise. And thats what its all about. Practise, practise, practise
[/quote]

Sounds like you need a Mark D Phillips "chipolata fingers" special. You know, the 7 string converted to a 6

[Truckstop]

I've been playing bass for 12 years and only in the last couple of years have I developed a satisfactory muting technique while playing fingerstyle. Admittedly muting's never been a technique that I've always wanted to learn, but I've alway mucked about with it.

I think that muting is a technique that comes naturally after you've really spent a lot of time mastering your instrument. It's sort of like that unquantifiable 'soul' that a lot of musicians develop over many years.

Anyway, my way is I damp the strings near the bridge using the palm of my hand and then use my thumb and my first finger to pluck the strings. To do it, I've really worked on my thumb technique to achieve the consistency and power that I'm capable of with my usual three-finger style.

Truckstop

[iceonaboy]

[quote name='jmchich' timestamp='1373806336' post='2141766']
Sounds like you need a Mark D Phillips "chipolata fingers" special. You know, the 7 string converted to a 6
[/quote]

Chipolatas may be a bit of a small analogy, I reckon Im more a Northumberland fingered gent

[operative451]

Totally this!! My guitar playing has always been quite sloppy and punky, which really sounded awful on bass! I've had to get a lot calmer and more controlled. Good news is, it's done wonders for my guitar playing!!