Below are definitions or descriptions of guitar fingering techniques which are the
same for the bass.
A good booklet which describes all these techniques and their variations and more
is: "Guitar Techniques," by Michael Mueller. Available from Hal Leonard
Publications, see 'Appendix'.
The most useful techniques for bass in order of their usefulness are: hammer-on,
vibrato, bend, bend and release, slide, palm muting and pull-off.
Arpeggiate: to pluck or pick the notes of a fretted chord in succession from
low to high. To modify this description for the bass you will have to have
understood the sections on chords so don't pick this technique as the first one
to learn. Leave it until you've gotten through the second section on chords,
Lesson V, Days 15-20. Note: for insight into more advanced arpeggiating see
'Advanced Striking Techniques, Chords and Arpeggiation' in the 'Addendum'.
Bend: pluck or pick the note then immediately pull or push the string sideways
with the fretting finger causing the frequency of the vibrating string to go higher.
A half-step or even a whole-step in pitch is the usual bend but it could be as
little as a quarter-step. You can make the bend slow or quick in differing musical
circumstances. Learn to bend with all four fingers.
Bend and release: pluck or pick the note, bend the note up then release,
slowly or quickly, back to the original note.
Hammer-on: forcefully fret the first (lower) note with one fretting finger then a
higher note on the same string with a second fretting finger without plucking or
picking with fingers on the opposite hand. Pluck or pick the first note or don't
pluck or pick it.
Muffled string(s): create a percussive sound by damping the string(s) with the
palm of the plucking or picking hand (laying the palm onto the string(s)) and pluck
or pick the string(s) without depressing them. Can also damp or muffle with the
fretting finger(s).
Palm muting: partially mute or damp the string(s) with the palm of the plucking
hand just above the bridge as you pluck or pick the note.
Pre-bend: bend the string up then pluck or pick the note. Also called Ghost Bend.
Pre-bend and release: bend the string up then pluck or pick the note and
then release, slowly or quickly, back to the original note.
Pull-off: fretting both notes to be played with separate fingers on the same string,
pluck or pick the first (higher) note and without plucking or picking again, pull
the higher finger off to sound the second (lower) note.
Rake: drag the pick across the strings in a single motion. On bass, you could
also use your thumb. If you're fretting notes of chords simultaneously on
different strings when you do this it would be called, 'arpeggiate.'
Slide: pluck or pick the string and then slide the fretting finger up or down to a
second note which may be as little as a half-step away or as far away as an
octave or even more. The second note can be plucked or picked or not.
Tapping: hammer (tap) the frets with any fingers and combinations of fingers
on either or both hands without plucking or picking the strings. If you use picks
you can tap with the edge of your pick.
Trill: rapidly alternate between two fretted notes by hammering-on and pulling-off.
Pluck or pick the first (lower) note, hammer-on then pull-off and either pluck or
pick the first note again or just keep hammering-on and pulling off without
plucking or picking the string again.
Vibrato: rapidly bend the string a number of times after plucking or picking it once.
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