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Left Hand Muting When Using A Pick

Technique Intermediate 1 min read

Updated

Keeping the strings you aren't playing quiet is one of the biggest technical challenges on an amplified bass. Sympathetic vibration through the instrument's body means unmuted strings will ring whenever another string sounds. Left-hand muting — resting unused fingers lightly across the other strings while you pick — is one of the most reliable ways to control that noise.

Originally published June 5, 2013, lightly edited for clarity.

One of the biggest technical challenges in playing an amplified instrument like the bass guitar is keeping the strings you are not playing quiet. The vibration of one string through the wood of the instrument will cause the other strings that are not muted to vibrate and create uncontrolled sound in your playing. There is certainly not one way to do this, but it is certain that you need to do something or they will ring. The following video shows one of the techniques I use to mute strings while I am Playing with a pick. Muting technique is one of the fundamentals I teach. If you want personalized feedback on your muting and picking technique, online bass lessons via Zoom are available.

  1. Right-Hand Form for 5-String Bass

    Technique Intermediate 5 min read

    The extra string on a 5-string bass makes string noise your biggest enemy, and clean playing depends almost entirely on your right hand. Here's how to set up your thumb, finger mechanics, and left-hand damping so the strings you aren't playing stay quiet — plus three exercises to drill the form on open strings.

  2. Left Hand Form

    Technique Beginner 2 min read

    I look at technique as simply the process of getting the music you hear in your head out through your hands onto the instrument. You only need enough technique to play what you hear. This post walks through the left-hand default position — the most relaxed place your hand can sit — and how to practice from there.

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