Top Plucking Hand Technique Tips for Bass Players!

[@jamestoole3614]

Great video! I tend to struggle with keeping my thumb glued to the pickup, so this video was a good lesson in why I should practice resting on the other strings as well. Thanks for addressing this!

[@rufusbass]

Glad it was helpful!

[@marknieuweboer8099]

I mute with my right thumb largely the same way as you do. It has the additional advantage that I can keep my right wrist straight no matter which string I'm plucking. But thus far I haven't considered "stopping the note with the next finger". I am certainly going to try it, because it fits beautifully in my plucking technique. As I have small hands and long fingers I can mute three strings (in my case B, E and A) with my thumb when plucking the highest string (D). A few minutes later: just tried it and it works like a charm. Great tip!

[@IvoryMobley]

Thank you. Its very helpful. Please provide a 16 th note exercise. I appreciate all that you share.

[@rufusbass]

Will upload soon!

[@IvoryMobley]

@@rufusbass Thank you. I'm sure it will be Gr8!

[@terryadams6432]

If Jaco was a live You would be the one he took lessons from. Thanks for another great lesson Rufus

[@rufusbass]

Wow, thanks!

[@MungoMickey]

Excellent lesson. I've been looking for right hand technique tips and this was just what I needed. Most bass instructors don't cover right hand plucking to this degree.

[@rufusbass]

Glad it was helpful!

[@balbino4]

Very very very very good! Thank you very much!

[@basscirc]

Tell us in one of the videos about muted notes and the practice of using!

[@michaelanthony9068]

Love the 2 cameras ! Always hoped you start selling a decal I can put on my bass of the Rufus Parrot Thumbnail Gouge.

[@microrecording]

Great explanation and clear technique! Thank you

[@rufusbass]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jackbaker8512]

I agree. I write left-handed, but play right-handed. I think that may be part of the reason that I having issues getting my alternating finger technique nailed down (I know that I will get it eventually, since I have no issues with things like typing that require each finger to act independently).

[@rufusbass]

Interesting... See I think sometimes that the 'right handed' way is actually better for lefties....esp w all the fretting hand permutations..

[@heruausetausar]

Thanks, Rufus! I've been using the floating thumb, watching you with that clean tone. Thanks, again for the exercise.

[@rufusbass]

My pleasure! Always good to hear these exercises are working for people..

[@KyleS.1987]

Thank you for going so in-depth and sharing your insights. You're one of the most technically proficient bassists I know of, so I was just wondering if you've ever tried adding your ring finger into the mix for plucking? I've been trying for years to get that Billy Sheehan thing down to no avail, and then I see you playing as fast as one would ever need to with two fingers, and it's like, have I just been wasting my time with this three-finger thing?

[@rufusbass]

hey Kyle..Thanks for the comment- appreciate the compliment. To answer your question, I never spent much serious practice time with the 3 finger plucking hand concept. Years ago I spent some time jamming with Matt Garrison when I moved to NYC in 2000, and I thought what Matt did was incredible, -but I never found the technique easy to adapt to, and I felt the ring finger sounded weak in comparison to my 1st and 2nd, so I stuck to the orthodox approach, ..but Matt- and Willis too, do it very well! And Billy has developed something unique too..

[@bernarddionne7304]

Very well explained. Cool!

[@rufusbass]

Glad it was helpful!

[@AnthonyMetivierMMM]

Good one - thanks! Also a dual hander, with lefty writing and eating preferences, but magic tricks and bass are both “standard.” I need to work on this stuff. Picked for decades while focused on progressive thrash, but suddenly interested in fingers.

[@rufusbass]

Good stuff! I like hearing that..

[@d.kellyfitness2565]

Very cool! I’m also left handed but play right handed. I think it has really lenses itself to my writing and improv Thanks man! Cool video

[@rufusbass]

You're very welcome!

[@Lampropeltis]

You just came up in my feed! I remember you from several years ago on Music Trainer and it helped me with modes. Just subscribed.

[@rufusbass]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@Shuzies]

Always Fantastic to hear from you....your teaching reaches in and touches me. I know you have made me a better player. Thank you

[@rufusbass]

Ah thanks so much for that -wonderful to hear it!

[@MixingGBP]

When I play the G and D strings, I unconsciously put my plucking hand pinky in the space between the E and A strings to mute them both. It's probably horrible technique, but I have done it that way for 20+ years.

[@ajadrew]

I use my rh as you do & the etude looks useful! 2 cameras help!

[@rufusbass]

Great!!

[@ajadrew]

@@rufusbass 😊 👍

[@mv3772]

Great insignts to get a clear sound, from Alphonso Johnson to Gary Willis: thank you mister!

[@rufusbass]

My pleasure!

[@ErixSamson]

Super useful !

[@rufusbass]

Glad to hear that!

[@markmuzeroll2928]

Dear Rufus, thank you for the lesson. Very helpful. I wonder what your thoughts are on keeping the right thumb on the pick up when plucking the a string then following through to the e string which then mutes the e string. I noticed you suggest resting the thumb on the pick up when plucking the a string. Thank you.

[@rufusbass]

Good question! I think that's a great idea if it works well for you-I do that too sometimes- I think the main thing is to make sure lower strings belwo the one you are playing don't ring, so say on a 5 I tend to bring my thumb onto the E string when playing the A and above, and it mutes both the E and the low B

[@FondueBrothers]

Great clean tone you've got there. I wonder if you could help me with a problem that I've noticed recently. I've played Bass for a (very) long time, and for as long as I can remember, I've used my 3rd and 2nd fingers for plucking the strings, and occasionally added the 1st finger when playing triplets. I play a P bass copy with the tone rolled off for a traditional dark sound. I play with the pads of my fingers and all is well but now I find I'm getting inconsistent volume and tone with the occasional zingy twang as my finger nail catches the string. I've always kept my nails short. I should add that I'm not as young as I was when I played and gigged regularly.

[@rufusbass]

For me, plucking w 1st and 2nd is all I do. Try working on that slowly-run arpeggios, modes, lines-but really focus on integrating 1st finger.

[@zaclang4180]

I struggle with moving my thumb off of the A string while playing the root note of C when I need to play C or D cords.

[@rufusbass]

yeh, it takes time to build muscle memory on this

[@patrickroberts8728]

My thumb always rests on the pick up no matter which string im plucking how many of you do that?

[@rufusbass]

Patrick-try working on this stuff really slow-its something that takes maybe a few weeks to bwecome3 ingrained/automatic

[@deandrejbass]

I'm left handed as well. And I can't not play left handed anything