Learning How to Play the Bass

There are many, many techniques for every aspect of playing Bass guitar. The first thing a beginning bass player should focus on is right hand techniques (or left hand techniques, if you’re a lefty).

The idea is to learn how to strike the strings, learn how to make different types of sounds and to practice each of those sounds thousands and thousands of times each. So here’s how to start:

Finger Picking:

This is the simplest method of striking the Bass strings. All you have to do is place your right hand (or left hand if you’re a lefty) over the Bass strings somewhere between the bridge and where the neck and body of the guitar meet. On many recent models of Bass guitar, you can place your hand directly over the pickup. Some people even rest their thumb on the pickup.

Use your index, middle and/or ring finger to pluck the desired string. Different sounds can be achieved by doing this closer to the bridge (for a thinner, tiny sound) or closer to the neck (for a fuller bass sound).

Using a Pick:

The placement of your hand is roughly the same as for finger picking. Taking a guitar pick between your thumb and index finger, place your hand somewhere near the pickup. Align the pick with the string you’d like to pick, then use it to pluck the string similar to the way you would with your finger.

Different sounds can be achieved by doing this closer to the bridge (for a thinner, tiny sound) or closer to the neck (for a fuller bass sound). Also, notice that the tone of the pick is different than the tome of a finger.

Slapping with your Thumb:

This technique is best used in a position near where the neck and body of the guitar meet, within about an inch of the end of the neck. Holding your right thumb parallel E string (the thick one on a 4 string Bass), you’ll strike the string with the left side of your thumb as you look at it from the top.

Make sure that you strike the string hard and bounce off the string quickly. This will produce a clear, bright tone.

Left hand Technique: How to make notes

words, words, words.