Prevailing wisdom on muting E and A string

[Cestrian]

I habitually rest my thumb on the E string when playing. My new bass teacher is insistent that I should also rest my thumb on the A string when playing the D and G strings. Before I spend a fair amount of time trying to incorporate this into my technique, I was wondering what the Basschat community thinks about this approach?

[allighatt0r]

My thumb moves often. I tend to rest it on the string above the one that I'm playing. I'd suggest you listen to your bass teacher, you're paying them for their wisdom, why not accept it?

[allighatt0r]

I should add: The reason that your bass teacher is suggesting this, is to aid in muting the strings that you are not playing. Without moving your thumb, it is harder to stop the other strings from ringing in sympathy with the note you intend to play.

[allighatt0r]

Sorry for spamming your thread. This video explains:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVj3Gi5ruYc[/media]

Edited October 5, 2017 by allighatt0r

[Dood]

Hopefully your teacher has explained clearly the reason for doing this and any advantages or disadvantages to the technique?

[Oopsdabassist]

There are many ways of muting strings, maybe you already mute the others in a different way?

[Urban Bassman]

I was taught to do this and I do it without thinking about it, works a treat.

[solo4652]

This works for me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU

[Cestrian]

Just watched the Bass Muting Technique (Controlling your Tone) video. It was really informative and useful. Thank you so much.

[chrisanthony1211]

When i'm not playing and E or A string my thumb is generally wedged between the two of them making sure they're both nicely muted..

[TheGreek]

I tried adopting the "floating thumb" technique - found that it didn't come naturally and interfered with the groove as I was constantly thinking about it.

Fair play to anybody who can master it - I can see how useful it would be.

[chris_b]

Your bass teacher is right. Why are you checking up on him?

The easiest and most effective right hand technique is to move your thumb from string to string (between pickup, E string and A string) when you are playing. Watch videos of the worlds best players and you'll see most of them doing this.

[ambient]

This is one of the ways I mute on my 7 string. I'm also muting with my left hand fingers that aren't being used to fret notes.

[chris_b]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1507202860' post='3383861']
This is one of the ways I mute on my 7 string. I'm also muting with my left hand fingers that aren't being used to fret notes.
[/quote]

+1

[Gottastopbuyinggear]

I taught myself to do this without too much difficulty, despite it seeming quite alien at first - I'd bet a few 10 minute sessions over the course of a week will give you the muscle memory to do it. Follow the usual approach of starting out very slow and deliberate to get it right, and then speed up gradually to a normal playing speed.

In theory you only need to rest on the string two below the one you're playing if you're following through your pluck into the string below, if you see what I mean... I think they call this a rest stroke as opposed to a free stroke? Whether there's a "correct" way of doing it I don't know, but I taught myself to be able to walk my thumb to the string below the one I'm playing, as well as sticking to the one two strings below, and I sometimes find that helps with consistency.

[chris_b]

You will end up with the thumb moving automatically. You won't even think about because your focus will only be the note you are going to play.

[CameronJ]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1507205309' post='3383897']
You will end up with the thumb moving automatically. You won't even think about because your focus will only be the note you are going to play.
[/quote]

+1 I'm kinda halfway there with this but I am getting better at it no doubt. It's kind of a situation where the less I think about it the more I find myself doing it naturally but once I start thinking about it I trip myself up! Baby steps...

[Froggy]

I agree with what's been said. It's something I wish I had worked on more at the start. As has been said it feels alien at first. I'm incorporating it more into my scales and warm up exercises hoping that it will follow naturally when I'm playing.

[interpol52]

I muted the strings on all the 4 string basses I've had without even realising I was doing it.

Since playing a 5 string I've had to work really hard at my muting technique. It's a combination now of the floating thumb and fretting hand muting.

It takes time to master on a 5, I'm not there yet. Fun though!

[Dood]

Quick tip: If you rest your thumb on a pickup or a string, don't let it support the weight of your arm/hand. It should be touching, resting and firm enough for your finger to pull back towards only. Though the tendency is to then rest your forearm over the top of the body and dangle a hand down on to the strings. Don't do that either

[discreet]

Or you can bypass all this by playing with a pick and palm muting.

[CameronJ]

Palm muting is a skill that still escapes me! Mainly because I never play with a pick, but still...

[Dood]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1507226495' post='3384096']
Or you can bypass all this by playing with a pick and palm muting.
[/quote]

Yes, but don't forget the fun of putting one of those 'real bassists only use fingers' buffoons back in the place when you switch between the two effortlessly mid song Most of the time I don't even put the pick down as it hides in the crease of my index or middle finger depending on what I'm playing. Or in my chops ha ha!

Edited October 5, 2017 by dood

[discreet]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1507242152' post='3384263']
...I don't even put the pick down as it hides in the crease of my index or middle finger depending on what I'm playing. Or in my chops ha ha!
[/quote]

I pop mine in my nipsy until needed, then guff it over my head and catch it just in time for the chorus.

[Oopsdabassist]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1507225860' post='3384092']
Quick tip: If you rest your thumb on a pickup or a string, don't let it support the weight of your arm/hand. It should be touching, resting and firm enough for your finger to pull back towards only. [/quote]

Interesting..why do you say that?