Is it wrong to play bass with your thumb?

The standard right-hand technique for playing bass guitar nowadays is plucking the strings using the first and second fingers alternately. Thumb plucking, however, has always been used as well. Using the thumb is the best way to get the fattest tone from your bass for certain music styles.

Do you have to play bass with fingers?

Truthfully, there is no right or wrong way to play a bass guitar. There isn’t even a preferred way. Any method you use to get sound out of the thing—fingers, pick, thumb, those weird stick things Tony Levin uses, telekinesis, whatever—works just fine. It’s purely a matter of personal preference.

Is it better to play bass with fingers or pick?

Using Fingers to Play Bass Usually, bass players report having more control when using their fingers, giving them a richer tonal variety, and beefier tone. In Addition, the popular slap technique used by many bassists can be easily implemented, if you don’t hold any pick between your fingers.

Is bass boring to play?

If you are considering learning to play the bass with aspirations of playing in a group, you will discover that, not only is it not boring, it is arguably one of the most important and tonally versatile instruments in an ensemble.

Is bass easier on fingers?

2) Finger plucking is easier to grasp than strumming But many people find finger plucking, which is the default technique for playing bass, easier than using a plectrum to strum a guitar. Many people find using a plectrum takes a bit longer to master, rather than using their own body parts to play.

Is bass really necessary?

Simply put, bass is important in music and necessary in a band because it bridges the gap between treble (guitar) and percussion (drums), providing a rhythmic and harmonic function at the same time. Despite the bass frequency’s hidden and subtle sound, it plays a crucial role in a piece of music.

Do you need big hands to play bass?

You have small hands and you want to play bass guitar – what do you do? As a person who doesn’t have particularly large hands, you reach for a bass guitar and start playing, that’s what. And rightly so – the bass guitar is a big instrument and demands more from your hands than any other instrument.

Why is bass bad for you?

When the loud sound abruptly stops, you will experience temporary hearing loss. Exposure to loud sounds results in the ringing effect in ears. This condition goes by tinnitus and can reach up to 70 decibels. If you continue listening to loud sound, you are likely to experience this condition more often.

Does bass hurt your fingers?

The short answer is that yes, playing the bass guitar can hurt your fingers. If you are totally new to playing, you will find it painful, especially to start with. However, the pain isn’t unbearable for most people, and with a few tips to manage it you can usually deal with it.

What is the best way to play a right-hand bass?

When descending strings—that is, playing a note on the string below the previous note—it is usually easiest to “rake,” or use the same finger for both notes in one motion. In addition to finger plucking, there are several other right-hand bass techniques preferred by many bass players including slap bass, using a pick, or thumb plucking.

What is the best way to learn bass guitar?

If you like funk, you might like to learn slap bass, which involves using the thumb to whack the strings and using the fingers to snap them against the fingerboard, resulting in a percussive style. Alternatively, a lot of punk and metal bass players like to use a pick, which is good for fast, regular notes and an easily heard, twangy sound.

What is finger plucking on a bass?

Finger plucking, also called fingerstyle, refers to the use of your index and middle fingers (some bass players use more) to pluck each note, and no matter what kind of music you are playing, this technique will serve you well while other right-hand bass techniques, like slap bass or using a pick, are not practical for all styles.

Do guitarists use pick or guitar strings?

Alternatively, a lot of punk and metal bass players like to use a pick, which is good for fast, regular notes and an easily heard, twangy sound. Lastly, a guitarist can use thumb plucking, which is seen more often among blues and jazz players, wherein the player his fingers below the strings and strokes each note with the thumb.