Unusual muting technique

[norvegicusbass]

I think my playing can be a bit messy at times and think it high time I tightened up on my muting technique. I dont however like the standard floating thumb method and was interested in the various other methods you can employ. I like the kind of right hand muting that Jaco does placing his unused plucking fingers on the other strings kind of like a spider with its legs on the spokes of its web. Are there any other unusual methods out there?

[ezbass]

Check out Gary Willis' technique, it's more like a classical guitarist's.

[Toddy]

Unsure if its because I am naturally left handed playing right handed,, but noticed that I do use my left hand a lot for muting...

[Bilbo]

Anthony Jackson

[jazzyvee]

I personally use a different set of muting practices and they seem to operate sub consciously now rather than me employing anything directly. But it seems like for most of my playing I use my left hand to mute strings I'm not using but other times my right thumb mutes the B string, my little finger mutes the E-string and left hand mutes the rest. As a guitarist also I used the tips of the fretting fingers to touch the strings adjacent to the ones I'm playing to stop them ringing so I naturally do this for bass also. If I'm going for a deliberate muted tone on my bass lines I tend to use the edge of my right hand near the bridge and pluck strings with my thumb and forefinger. Not sure what happens with slapping as it's not my main string hitting technique but whatever is muting at that time seems to work and keep the non played strings quiet.

Gary Willis's technique is challenging.
Jazzyvee

Edited October 29, 2013 by jazzyvee

[toneknob]

I have my thumb on the string lower-pitched than the one I'm playing, my ring finger on the higher-pitched string. When I move up a string (A to D say), ring finger plays the first note, the hand shifts across and index/middle resume alternate plucking and the thumb mutes the string I've just stopped playing. When moving down a string (eg D to A), the plucking fingers rake to start playing the new string, ring finger moves across one to mute the string I've just stopped playing, and the thumb moves one string down (or onto the pickup, or just hangs) to mute the lower string.

Much easier demonstrated than described.

[gjones]

Although I use the floating thumb technique, I mute mostly with my left hand (fretting hand). I think most people do it without being conscious of it by cradling the strings you're not playing, with your left hand, to stop them ringing.

[Rumple]

[quote name='Toddy' timestamp='1383045417' post='2259380']
Unsure if its because I am naturally left handed playing right handed,, but noticed that I do use my left hand a lot for muting...
[/quote]

I'm also naturally left handed but play right handed and often wondered about the effect that has on technique.

[solo4652]

I use this variation of Floating Thumb technique where slide your plucking hand across the strings using the full length of your thumb to mute strings. I couldn't get on with moving my thumb from string to string at all. See what you think. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU[/url]

[solo4652]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1383048562' post='2259452']
I use this variation of Floating Thumb technique where slide your plucking hand across the strings using the full length of your thumb to mute strings. I couldn't get on with moving my thumb from string to string at all. See what you think. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU[/media]
[/quote]
Edit: After checking a few videos, it seems that the Todd Johnson method may be very similar to the Gary Willis method. A couple of tips if you try this: (1) I find that raising the saddle of the D string a little, and the G string a little more helps to slide the thumb over those strings. I usually end up with the strings more-or-less "flat" rather than following the curve of the fretboard. (2) Make sure you don't drop your arm (and then raise your wrist) because that raises your thumb off the strings.

Edited October 29, 2013 by solo4652

[chris_b]

[size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I found that the floating thumb idea was cack-handed for me. I then had a look around youtube to see which of my heroes and top players use floating thumb.

And, guess what? None of them do.

Firmly planted players:
John Patitucci
Stanley Clark
Marcus Miller playing with fingers
Mark King playing with fingers
John Deacon
John Paul Jones
Frances Rocco Prestia
Chuck Rainey
Victor Wooten playing with Bela Flek
Freddie Washington
Tal Wilkenfeld

I don't bother with "floating thumb". Anchored works for me.[/font][/size]

Edited October 29, 2013 by chris_b

[norvegicusbass]

Thanks everyone for your replies I think I will experiment with a few of the ideas put forward. Thanks again

[Mr. Foxen]

Playing messy sounding music at the moment, loads of parts where I want the bit of string ringing for texture, have to concentrate on having it happen, and its really distracting.

My muting technique is mostlyleft hand fingers mute the strings higher then the one I'm playing, right hand ones sort the lower ones.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1383048562' post='2259452']
I use this variation of Floating Thumb technique where slide your plucking hand across the strings using the full length of your thumb to mute strings. I couldn't get on with moving my thumb from string to string at all. See what you think. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU[/media]
[/quote]
This. RH fingers sound string, RH thumb mutes lower-pitch strings , LH fingers mute higher-pitch strings. Recommended by an excellent bass player of my acquaintance, been doing this since last December. Felt weird at first but so much more effective and comfortable, for me anyway.

[wateroftyne]

I'm a floater, but I use my left hand to mute too.

[RhysP]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1383045506' post='2259381']
Anthony Jackson
[/quote]

I should think using Anthony Jackson to mute your stings would be a tad cumbersome.

[norvegicusbass]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1383069135' post='2259850']
I should think using Anthony Jackson to mute your stings would be a tad cumbersome.
[/quote]

[tonyquipment]

It's a combination of avoiding open strings when muting is required, though the fretting hand can take care if that

Anything else is thumb and fret hand I guess !