Bass Guitar Techniques (7 Skills All Bassists Need To Master)

Have you ever watched a bassists hands when they play?

You’ll notice they don’t use a pick.

Except sometimes they do.

And sometimes they use one and don’t use one at the same time!

Using a pick and plucking the strings with your fingers are two bass guitar techniques.

But there are many more? Which should you use as a beginner?

You’ll want to practice all of the basic bass techniques! Keep reading for a rundown of the 7 basic techniques you’ll want to master, so that you can play a nice variety of songs and styles.

 

Bass Guitar Techniques

The seven bass guitar techniques below are ones any bassist needs to know. If you are just starting out, I recommend starting with fingerstyle, but getting in some practice with all techniques if you can. You don’t have to master one, before trying out some of the others.

 

Fingerstyle Picking Techniques

Fingerstyle is a style of bass playing, but it unlocks several techniques that you’d normally struggle to perform if you used a pick.

For starters, it’s important to realize that finger-picking gives you the flexibility to approach every string and note however you want. You’ll have more control over how you phrase each tone, how much force goes into each pluck, and how many strings you wish to use at any given time.

I started playing bass fingerstyle, because most of my peers thought it was the only legitimate way to play bass. Nowadays, I also use a pick sometimes, but the finger-playing technique is what I rely on the most when my playing demands better flow and note articulation.

That being said, I recommend using this technique if you don’t need to worry about speed too much. A good way to practice is to learn some of these easy chord progressions for bass guitar.

Whether you’re playing rock, blues, or pop, fingerstyle bass is the best approach. It can also be good for metal, but only if you’re confident in your ability and have an above-average rig.

 

Hybrid Picking

Many bass players either play fingerstyle or use a pick. What if I told you that you can use both almost simultaneously? The hybrid picking style is as common among bassists as it is for guitarists, but I should warn you that it’s remarkably difficult to master.

First of all, why even bother with such a convoluted technique? As I hinted earlier, fingerstyle bass allows you to phrase notes a certain way, but we can say the same about the pick-playing style. If your notes need to be sharp and punchy, use a pick.

If only the first note in your riff needs to be sharp, while the others require special techniques like popping or thumping, that’s where hybrid picking comes into play.

Essentially, the trick to performing this technique is to land your picking hand in such a position that your free fingers can effortlessly reach the other strings. In other words, strike the first note deep enough that you can use the rest of your fingers fluidly.

I recommend practicing all other bass techniques first, since you’ll mostly blend them with hybrid picking.

 

Hammer-Ons & Pull-Offs

These are easily the two most-used techniques in the bass-playing world, mainly because they allow you to quickly play several notes. They’re invaluable techniques to have in your pocket when playing high-tempo songs, especially if they’re from rock or metal genres.

To perform a hammer-on, place your index finger on one fret, and then hammer the second fret with your ring or little finger. If enough force is applied, you don’t even need to strum the string.

The pull-off is a reverse hammer-on. While holding two frets with your fingers, simply release the second one (with your ring/little finger), which will bring you back to the note you’re holding with your index finger.

Certain licks are almost impossible to play without these techniques. The beginning of the chorus of Raining Blood by Slayer is a perfect example.

 

Tapping

Certain notes on a bass guitar are very hard to reach, especially the highest ones. Tapping comes in handy in situations when you either don’t have the time to reach the opposing end of the fretboard or the finger length to do so without compromising accuracy.

To tap notes on a bass guitar means to press the finger(s) on your fretting hand against the frets with enough force that a note comes out.

You can tap single notes with one finger, multiple notes with several fingers on your fretting hand, or string an entire riff into a chain by using multiple fingers combined with the hammer-on & pull-off techniques.

Tapping is mostly used in bass solos, but it’s my favorite bass technique when it comes to creating unique fills. Use it whenever you have the space to do it, but be careful not to overplay. You can also use tapping to play scales on the bass. In fact, scales are a good way to practice your tapping.

 

Palm-Muting

Although palm muting is far more commonly used by guitarists, you can also palm-mute the strings of your bass. This technique should be an essential part of your skill set if you’re a rock or metal bassist playing with high gain or distortion settings.

Palm muting allows you to slightly muffle your bass’s tone. If you’re playing bass in a band with only one guitarist, the ultra-deep sound of bass can overwhelm the guitar, especially if it’s soloing or performing licks on the higher notes where there’s almost no low-end to speak of.

To perform this technique, place the palm of your fretting hand against the strings. You’ll need a bit of practice to feel how much pressure needs to be applied, but since this technique is fairly easy, you should be able to learn it in no time.

 

Sliding

Sliding is a fairly common technique that revolves around fretting at least one note, and then pulling the finger up or down the fretboard. This means that you’ll essentially play every note along the way without holding them.

This bass technique is mainly used in intros, outros, and fills. However, you can also use it to smoothly jump into a riff that starts on notes that are either much higher or much lower than the ones you were playing seconds before it.

To perform a slide, place one finger on any fret, pluck that string, and then pull that finger along the fretboard to the desired note. One of our beginning exercises for bassists help you practice sliding.

 

Slapping & Popping

Slapping and popping techniques are two of the most widely used bass techniques, regardless of music genre or style.

To slap a note, you should use the outer section of your thumb or the upper section of your palm to hit it. The surface and size of this area greatly affect the tone, which is impossible to replicate with conventional bass-playing techniques.

Popping a note means to literally grab the string(s) with your fretting fingers and pull them upward. Slaps and pops are often used one after another. Simply listen to RHCP’s Flea do it in Can’t Stop, and you’ll quickly grasp the idea behind these techniques.

 

Bass Guitar Playing Styles: Final Thoughts

All of the bass guitar techniques above are ones any bassist needs to know. If you watch the best bassists, you will see they often use all of them. In many cases, they do so in the same song.

Some of the techniques are definitely not easy to master. My article on how to get better at bass guitar can help too. The bottom line is that it will take a lot of patience and practice. But that’s the case with anything worth learning. And if you ask me, it is definitely worth it to learn how to play the bass!