Muting strategy

[FuseG4]

How do you mute with your right hand, especially when moving to a higher pitched string?

I'm trying to learn the "ring finger on A" muting strategy for 4 string. Thumb rests on the p pickup face, to play E string I just play, to play A string the thumb drops down a hair into the E to mute.
When playing D, the fingers that just plucked D come to rest on the A.
For the G, I am trying to get it to become automatic to place my ring finger down on A and let the plucking fingers mute D and thumb mute E
It seems like it works...

But I've been thinking this feels awkward even after a lot of practice. Like I'm getting more automatic at muting A string with the ring finger but it doesn't feel very natural. Do I just need more isolated practice on this, maybe try harder to let the ring finger float over A at all times, or what,

Is the Wandering Thumb, where you mute the next string with your thumb whichever string that is, "better"? It seems slightly more natural and would extend to 5 string easier.

It just seems strange to teach my hands a separate movement to put the ring squarely on the A without looking, for just one string, what seems to me like the least used string. Wandering thumb is more like... Just move to the string and play... Thumb follows the fingers.

When I first started learning bass I didn't focus as much on muting but now I'm looking to start slow and play clearly and cleanly. So I figured I'd ask you guys about right hand muting technique, if this is something you guys pay attention to, and for ideas, tips and tricks please.




Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Muting strategy

I mute mostly with my fretting hand. I learned to do that because I often play with a pick.

When I play with my fingers I have my thumb resting on my B and E strings (5 string) and I’ll move that around.

But you shouldn’t need to think about muting strings if you use your fretting hand. That’s how people used to do it. Now people wrap things around the neck because they are learning the wrong way. You never saw players do that in the 70s, and they didn’t have open strings ringing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gtrjunior]

Muting strategy

I think what David is suggesting as far as using your fretting hand to mute is a good strategy.
Trying to use your ring finger to mute the A sounds awkward.

Also, the issue might be in your basic plucking technique.
Maybe you could post a short video (Troy Grady style) of yourself running a scale so we can see what you are doing.

[Mincer]

Re: Muting strategy

Using the fretting hand doesn't work when I do that Di Meola fast muted picking thing. I use the side of my picking hand's pinky.

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Muting strategy

Using the fretting hand doesn't work when I do that Di Meola fast muted picking thing. I use the side of my picking hand's pinky.

DiMeola played bass too?

[Mincer]

Re: Muting strategy

Actually he does, and this is how his bass player does it as well. But both were playing with a pick. I've seen Chris Squire do this, too, but also, pick playing.

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Muting strategy

Actually he does, and this is how his bass player does it as well. But both were playing with a pick. I've seen Chris Squire do this, too, but also, pick playing.

I had no idea he played bass as well....that was a serious question btw. Hope I didn’t come across as sarcastic. Wasn’t my intention.

[FuseG4]

Re: Muting strategy

I tried to show what I was talking about with dropping the finger onto the A string here sorry about the cell phone quality lol I was trying to find something better to record with but right now this is what I got so...

https://youtu.be/c5lwnxMSQ-M

Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk

[DavidRavenMoon]

Muting strategy

Using the fretting hand doesn't work when I do that Di Meola fast muted picking thing. I use the side of my picking hand's pinky.

If you playing like DiMeola you use a pick and palm mute.

Anthony Jackson used a pick on bass with DiMeola

But that’s not the same as muting unwanted strings from ringing out.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Muting strategy

I tried to show what I was talking about with dropping the finger onto the A string here sorry about the cell phone quality lol I was trying to find something better to record with but right now this is what I got so...

https://youtu.be/c5lwnxMSQ-M

Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk

This type of technique is fairly recent. Note that finger players never did this stuff because they knew how to mute unwanted notes with the fretting hand.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FuseG4]

Re: Muting strategy

This type of technique is fairly recent. Note that finger players never did this stuff because they knew how to mute unwanted notes with the fretting hand.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I tried to get some practice muting with my left but it seems that playing notes on G and muting A, its like I gotta fret G string with my first finger really near the first joint in order to mute the a with the tip of the same finger
Like it's workable but I have no callus near the joint and it feels like it's harder to stretch the fourth finger
Should I just be dropping my thumb to mute the A then?

Sent from my SM-G930U using Tapatalk

[Gtrjunior]

Muting strategy

If you are brand new to playing bass, the muting with the fretting hand technique might just be a matter of practice. Something that will develop over time, eventually becoming something that you “just do” and don’t have to think about.

I’m not a real bass player but I did play in an original band years ago. I played with my fingers and don’t ever recall trying to work out a muting technique...maybe I just adapted my guitar experience to bass in that respect?

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Muting strategy

I palm/right hand mute all stringed instruments to some degree pretty much all the time.