Question Palm muting a 5er

[T-bone]

So, I picked up a SUB5 thinking this will be a "gateway" to my next bass. My first thoughts are damn, that's a lot-o-strings. And I'm really struggling with the sound of an open B (playing through markbass with 2-10 cab). But my biggest challenge seems to be palm muting. With all those strings, one or two start to resonate quickly.

Any help or suggestions? I know, practice practice practice. I just want to make sure I'm practicing correctly.

Thanks!!!

tbone

 

[KevinM]

There are probably better techniques but I tend to rest my thumb on the B string when I'm not using it. I'm still developing my 5er skills since switching from a 4 in March. I also use the fingers on both hands that I'm not using directly for notes to mute the strings I don't want to resonate. My 5HH's can be very unforgiving for sloppy playing so the main thing for me is to play as clean as possible.

 

[kamakazee]

When I switched from 4 to 6 about a year ago I had this problem alot. It really takes both hands to correctly mute all the strings. It seemed that the C string came naturally for me, but the B was a beast to tame. It honestly took me a few months before I kept the B string (and others) from ringing and to make the B not stand out from the others. But oh was it worth it! there's nothing like playing E string notes on the B... You can move the building! And if its an octave of the note I'm playing, sometimes I'll let certain strings ring, for example if I'm playing 7th fret on the E and the open B decides to ring some.

Also - I like to use my left hand to mute the higher strings and my right hand to mute the lower strings, if that helps any. Practice the songs you already know and add the lower octaves on the B string. That helped me alot. Of course it doesn't work with every song. Hope that could help you.

 

[Golem]

There are probably better techniques but I tend to
rest my thumb on the B string when I'm not using it.
.......

Similar thing here, but I also rest my thumb on the
'E' in such a way that while the thumb's tip rides on
the 'E' the edge of that thumb mutes the 'B'. OTOH,
my basses wear various textile mutes, so I even if
I fail to mute with my fingers, the ringing of open
strings is less than would be normal/usual.

This muting of two strings with one thimb is really
easy on a 5-string, cuz the string spacing is closer
than on the 4-string. Kinda neat that the source of
the problem [the 5-string bass] is also the solution.


`

 

[bovinehost]

It really takes both hands to correctly mute all the strings.

Eees for true. I use both hands to mute, letting my left hand do most of the work and moving the base of my right hand thumb around a bit. If I have any natural skills, and I'm not sure I do, it is being able to keep non-useful strings from ringing and I don't even know how I learned to do that.

 

[KevinM]

Similar thing here, but I also rest my thumb on the
'E' in such a way that while the thumb's tip rides on the 'E' the edge of that thumb mutes the 'B'. OTOH,

I do this same thing. While playing this past weekend I paid attention to my muting technique so I could share it here and I'll follow the progression with my right hand so if I'm up on the A string I move my thumb up to the E and mute both the E and B. This also helps me keep my fingers plucking on the correct string without getting lost as much as I used to.

I use my left hand to mute all the strings I'm not playing so it keeps all my left fingers busy even on simple songs. I learned that trick when I played a 4-string and just had to learn to add the 5th when I went to 5

 

[T-bone]

I noticed tonight (at rehearsal) I was muting the B and E strings with my right hand thumb, the A string with my index finger, and playing the D string with my middle finger. It just didn't feel right. Too many strings!

Mute with my left hand? Hmmm

tbone

 

[guenter]

I noticed tonight (at rehearsal) I was muting the B and E strings with my right hand thumb, the A string with my index finger, and playing the D string with my middle finger. It just didn't feel right. Too many strings!

Mute with my left hand? Hmmm

tbone

Muting with right hand thumb plus right hand index finger sounds ... complicated.

I try to use the floating thumb technique (google it) whenever possible/required to mute the strings that are lower (soundwise) than the played string. Strings above (soundwise) the played string are generally muted with the left hand.

Though I must admit, that the floating thumbs right hand is "unstable" (more or less hanging in the air) in comparison to a thumb which rests on a string and can "carry" the right hand.

PS: I currently only play fingerstyle.

 

[strummer]

I notice my right pinkie gets used for muting, along with the palm-thinige.