The Bass Guitar
Seating
Before you start playing, a comfortable seating position is required. Most modern bass guitarists prefer to sit with their right leg raised, as shown in the photo. The bass should be held close to the body and in a vertical position. The main aim is for comfort and easy access to the bass.
Playing Styles
There are two styles of playing the bass guitar:
1. using the pick
2. using the fingers
The choice between these styles is up to the individual. One style is no better than the other as there are many fine exponents of both. Progressive Bass Guitar uses the pick, however all of the examples can be played using the fingers.
Playing With the Pick
Picks (sometimes called plectrums) are usually made of plastic and come in a variety of different shapes and thicknesses. Most bass players prefer a medium or thick gauge pick, as thin picks tend to give a less defined sound.
The pick is held between the thumb and index finger, as illustrated in these photos:
1. Index finger curved.
2. Pick placed on index finger with its point about 1cm past the finger-tip.
3. Thumb clamps down, holding the pick in place.
The correct position of the right hand is as such:
Playing with the pick creates a more crisp and treble sound than playing with the fingers.
Playing With the Fingers
When playing with the fingers, only the index (i) and middle (m) fingers are used.
i = index
m = middle
When playing notes, the i and m fingers alternate and the rest stroke is used. The rest stroke involves the finger picking the string and then coming to rest on the next string. The following photos illustrate the movement of the fingers in playing the rest stroke.
The thumb is not used for playing notes, but supports the hand by resting on the pick-up as shown in the following photo. The thumb can also move across and rest on the 4th string when notes on the higher strings are played.
Sometimes a technique of playing the strings from underneath is used, as illustrated in these photos.
Finger ready to pop note
Pull up and rotate wrist
This is commonly used by Funk players to achieve a "slapping" effect. For more on this style of playing, see Progressive Slap Bass.
