by Gregor Arkady

Created on: April 06, 2007   Last Updated: May 16, 2007

So you have your first bass? Great, now how are you going to play it? Are you gonna use a pick to get that high-end, clicky sound and a brutally powerful attack? Are you gonna use your fingers for a little more dynamic control, and a softer sound? Maybe you're gonna slap for that super-funky style? Regardless of how you chose to play, here are some tips to make your playing experience more enjoyable and more musical.

First, let's start with a pick. Many bass players will overlook the pick as a method of playing, writing it off as something guitar players use and leaving it at that. The pick has many advantages, and some disadvantages as well. First off, it is a great way to get a very even, balanced sound. By that, I mean that the pick will allow you to very easily chug along on, say, blazing 16th notes and never lose your rhythm. Personally I like picking in front of the neck and up to about the halfway mark between the end of the fretboard and the bridge. I have found this provides for the most dynamic control, and also gives me a little bit of control over my tone. The pick also provides a great high-end attack, and adds extra definition to your notes. Not surprisingly, the pick is often the preferred method of punk and many metal bass players, who need a strong and constant attack for their notes. The downsides are that it can be limiting. You lose a lot of the ability to change the tone of your notes, and often you will find that you are always getting the same tone regardless of where along the string you play.

Next, fingers. This method has countless variations to it, but the basics remain constant. You pluck the strings using any combination of fingers in any order. The most common are using either your index finger alone (Geddy Lee and James Jamerson used this, among many others), or using your index and middle fingers to allow for faster playing. Using your fingers to play, along with a little practice, will allow you to get a huge variety of tones out of your bass without ever changing any of your actual tone settings. Want a deep, mellow tone suitable for reggae? Use a light touch right in front of the neck for a sweer buttery tone. Maybe looking for something a little more aggressive, with a little more midrange bite? Pluck right around the middle of your available string space (between the end of the fretboard and the bridge). Looking for an incredible amoutn of top end definition and a slightly nasal attack? Pluck right in front of the bridge. Experiment with plucking techniques and locations and see how many different tones you can get.

Finally, slapping. Slapping has even more variations than plucking the strings, and everyone has their own style. The basics are the slap the E and A strings with your thumb and to snap or pop the D and G strings with your fingers. The easiest way to do this is to slap and pop right in front of the neck, but again, experiment with locations and approaches to get the best tone. Don't feel bad if you aren't slapping like Victor Wooten or Flea right off the bat, it is one of the most challenging techniques for a bass player to learn.

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