A flexible appendage, the hand. In playing the electric bass, the Right Hand becomes the prime mover for the strings, and in so doing has responsibility for the initial timbres activated in the string.
Deciding upon RH technique will depend largely on the music being played, and the instrument of the player. The former is at once a matter of taste and propriety, and the latter a matter of practice and analysis. As for the latter, there are some practical considerations.
The first decision is where on the string to do the activating work, which requires that a look be taken at the instrument itself, pickup placement and type, and tonal response. String type is a big factor in overall tone, as is the presence or absence of frets on the fingerboard, but for the most part RH technique can be considered independently of these.
Techniques we will examine here include Fingerstyle, Plectrum, Thumb and Popping, and we will touch on Tapping and (false) Harmonics.
In fingerstyle playing, the common approach is to begin by resting the right hand above the playing area of the string (towards or over the top of the neck for a round warm tone, between the neck and bridge for a more solid 'beefy' tone, or close to the bridge for a sharp tone rich in higher overtones), finding a convenient place for anchoring the thumb if necessary, and from that rest position, staying relaxed, curving the fingers into contact with the strings. Keeping the shoulder relaxed and the elbow down, a selection of the myriad of available and inventable technique exercises can be worked through, keeping the end digits of the fingers somewhat pliable, like the bristles of a stiff paintbrush. One will discover that more digit stiffness in the bridge positions and less in the neck positions work well. As for the fingernails, generally they are kept close cropped, out of the way, although if kept immaculately trimmed and shaped, they can be used to add a click to the tone of the fingertip, but bass strings have a lot of mass and tend to make a mess of nails.
It is common practice to use the index and middle fingers in succession, and string crossing exercises are a must, with first one finger leading, then the other, in order to develop flexibility and consistency of tone. With practice, the third (ring) finger can be made a part of the team, which is certainly not fundamental, but does expand one's options, e.g., speed playing, or having the ability to play a fingerstyle passage while holding a plectrum between the first and thumb.
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Having said that, we will now take a brief look at plectrum use. The two commonly available types of plectrum associated with electric bass are the flatpick, and the thumbpick, the former being by a long shot the more popular and easier to use of the two. Due again to the mass of bass strings, heavier plectrums are appropriate. I prefer Tortex picks, ranging from yellow up to purple weights. The lighter the pick, the more picksound vs. stringsound will be generated.
As for the grasp of the flatpick, a good starting position can be arrived at by grasping an upright broomstick or similar dowel, with the thumb gently pressing against the side of the index finger's first knuckle, which is where the plectrum will be held. In actual use, the thumb closes up toward the palm, and the entire hand is pivoted from the wrist, with the rest of the fingers relaxed behind the index finger, supporting it. In some cases, the thumb and index finger will need to move freely, especially if the bass is worn low or in dextrous passages, but it ought to be noted that in protracted use the second knuckle of the index finger will experience stress, unsupported by the other fingers.
The angle of the pick to the strings will be parallel for minimizing the scraping noise associated with an angled attack, although this is only an issue when round- or ground-wound strings are used. As with fingerstyle playing, string crossing exercises are vital, leading with both up and downstrokes.
Thumb and finger popping techniques are often used in conjunction with one another, and require a wholly different approach from other techniques, particularly in the position of the hand relative to the strings. The method I use mostly puts the arm close to parallel with the strings, with the wrist curved away from the strings slightly and the hand pivoting from the elbow, rotating on the axis of the forearm. The thumb is held pretty stiffly on impact, and the string contacts the outside of the thumb on the first knuckle or so. The thumb either bounces up from the string, or passes alongside it to rest on the next string, and this all happens either just off of the end of the neck or over the last few frets, depending upon the tone sought after. To pop, the middle finger and the index finger share duties, and do the popping thing either alternately with the thumb on the return stroke, the hand snapping away from the strings from the wrist. Economy of movement, relaxation, practice slowly... those usual bywords apply.
Stay loose, stretch hands and body gently before and after playing... Good Luck!
Perhaps best known for his work with the internationally touring group Spirit of the West, Hugh's main joy in professional life is assisting others realize their artistic vision. He can be contacted via e-mail at hugh@sotw.ca.
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