To anchor or not to anchor?

[ZeroDown]

Hey guys, just looking for some advice.

I've been playing around 9 years but have never bothered using my fingers on my right hand (I've always played in punk bands). I'm just starting to try it out now, as I'm fed up with being lost when I drop my pick!

I've been looking around for advice on technique and found this video [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4S_TiEBEI8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4S_TiEBEI8[/url]

this guy is saying I shouldn't anchor my thumb, however loads of other stuff I've read says you should. What do you guys do?

Thanks

Sam

[Major-Minor]

Hi Sam - I have spent most of my 40 year bass career using the anchored thumb method (either on the back pickup or the E string) but have recently changed to the floating thumb method. This is so much better for muting the strings you are not playing on (I currently play mostly on my 5 string which is why I changed to this method). I would highly recommend this style.

The Major

[GreeneKing]

It's probably only me, but being ex-Navy and such probably helps.

To 'anchor or not to anchor' shortly after a thread asking 'to port or not to port' kinda tickled me no end.

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=57799&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=57799&hl=[/url]

Think of the morale, port every time

Seriously though, I'd say anchor and float down the strings, a good technique to learn early on methinks.

[velvetkevorkian]

While floating the thumb takes a bit more work at first, it allows the hand to stay much more relaxed IME so that gets my vote. As the Major observed, it's also good if you want to move on to more strings.

[lowdown]

Anchor on the back pick up with thumb here.. [5 string]
Pluck with two fingers,
And dampen with my pinkie finger.[right hand]
[which also makes it easier to palm mute for me- just drop the wrist]
Have done for about 35 years.



Garry

Edited August 18, 2009 by lowdown

[alexclaber]

I would say you shouldn't [b]anchor[/b] your thumb but feel free to rest it on either pickup or the lower strings. Anchor implies too fixed a position and too much potential tension/stress in the plucking hand.

Alex

[ZeroDown]

some useful advice there - thanks guys

methinks I'll try both ways and see what works best for me

Sam

[lowdown]

[quote name='ZeroDown' post='572760' date='Aug 18 2009, 12:00 PM']methinks I'll try both ways and see what works best for me
Sam[/quote]

Always the best route.
Everybody has different hand sizes,touch etc...
Do you like playing hard or soft...
Do you attack the note, or stroke it...
String spacing....
It all comes into play.


Garry

[Rumple]

I have used the E string as a resting place for my thumb for 25 years but changed to a floating thumb when I got my first 5 string and have not looked back, for me it's more comfortable and string bampening is better. I would say try both methods and see which one suits you best.


R.

[kets]

I too have spent my 18 years of playing bass using the anchor technique of resting on a pickup or on an adjacent string, probably because it was easiest and because it's what I saw everyone else do!

As others have pointed out though, this doesn't translate well onto a 5 string though as I found out when I bought one. Had real problems with the b string sounding out. Bugger...

[steve]

I'm a floater too, switched from anchor about 12 months ago, as mentioned above, it's really helpful with muting

[kets]

[quote name='steve' post='577243' date='Aug 22 2009, 12:13 AM']I'm a floater too, switched from anchor about 12 months ago, as mentioned above, it's really helpful with muting[/quote]

Tried "floating" after reading this topic last night, and it's made a big difference to my five string playing already. I'm not getting the B string sounding out like before.

Cheers Guys!

[thisnameistaken]

IME rooting your thumb somewhere is still fine for playing fivers (although I have a slightly odd right-hand technique so maybe that's why it works for me but not others) but definitely once you get to six strings you need to move your hand when playing the treble strings. It's too much of a stretch.

[Rich44]

When i first started, the self-teachign books I bought all said to use the "travelling thumb" technique, which i did for the first three months. But I was having real problems with accuracy and noise when crossing strings, I switched to anchored and I can now pluck alot more fluidly. Don't think I'll go back to non-anchored.

[thepurpleblob]

Personally (I seem to play mostly 5 string these days). I don't anchor my thumb on a pickup at all - I anchor on the B, E or A string depending what string I'm playing. For playing the B I just back of a little with my thumb. Is this what they call the floating thumb technique? You just need to get the trick of jumping strings without plucking with your thumb - other than that easy and instant muting.

[velvetkevorkian]

Floating thumb normally has less anchorage, so when you play the A string your thumb floats over the E string, it doesn't rest on it to the same extent.

[lowhand_mike]

been using a mix of anchored and moving (not floating) so my thumb sometimes moves onto the E, then A but not further really, but its mainly anchored.
did try the floating technique but it made my arm ache way too much

[chris_b]

You can do either with a 4 string bass, but I found that "floating" was bettter for 5 string basses.

[alexclaber]

When we say 'floating' do we really mean floating?

I still stand by my belief in the benefits of resting (not anchoring!) AND shifting.

Alex

[chris_b]

That's what I meant, also.

[Guest johnzgerman]

[quote name='ZeroDown' post='571049' date='Aug 16 2009, 09:06 PM']Hey guys, just looking for some advice.

I've been playing around 9 years but have never bothered using my fingers on my right hand (I've always played in punk bands). I'm just starting to try it out now, as I'm fed up with being lost when I drop my pick!

I've been looking around for advice on technique and found this video [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4S_TiEBEI8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4S_TiEBEI8[/url]

this guy is saying I shouldn't anchor my thumb, however loads of other stuff I've read says you should. What do you guys do?

Thanks

Sam[/quote]

i find a bit of both works for me depending on the situation, floating definately works for a 5 string though, at the end of the day its what your comfortable with that matters so long as it sounds good who cares?

[nottswarwick]

I use and teach floating. For all the reasons above.

The one exception would be "disco octaves" - I find these easier to do if I anchor on the pickup.

[Guest johnzgerman]

[quote name='nottswarwick' post='588094' date='Sep 2 2009, 10:21 PM']I use and teach floating. For all the reasons above.

The one exception would be "disco octaves" - I find these easier to do if I anchor on the pickup.[/quote]

yes indeed.

[Golchen]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='572701' date='Aug 18 2009, 10:47 AM'].... feel free to rest it on either pickup or the lower strings.

Alex[/quote]

That's pretty much what I do. You get a different sound and feel anchoring over the two pups, and I like that variation.

[Kirky]

An aside - what was the logic of Fender and other manufacturers putting thumb rests [i]beneath[/i] the strings?