Author Topic: Thumb anchor position on Stanley Clarke Signature (Read 422 times)

hieronymous · « **on:** December 29, 2014, 10:48:34 PM »

So I have owned my SC Signature 5-string for over six years now. I have had a new music project going for a few months, and the SC has become my main bass - I finally have it set up to my liking and have been really enjoying it.

One major change that I have made is where I anchor my right hand thumb. I used to use the neck pickup:

But lately I have found myself resting my thumb at the corner of the fretboard:

The Alembic pickup design is wonderful in that it gives an anchor point, and that is where I often rest my thumb on a Fender. But I find that I prefer the sound and tension closer to the neck. And when I thought about it, given how much longer the fretboard on the SC is than a 20-fret bass plus the shorter scale, maybe anchoring at the fretboard is comparable to anchoring on the P-pickup position. Sometimes if I had to hammer away on the E string I would even move my thumb further up to about the 21st fret position, allowing my fingers a bit more distance.

I have some sound clips too - the band here is being recorded with a Zoom H2n - on this track the bass wasn't loud enough but fortunately I recorded it direct - the unaffected direct signal has been re-amped through my F-2B & SF-2 - you can sometimes hear a little bit of acoustic sound from the bass coming from the H2n. Anyway, here it is:

https://soundcloud.com/hieronymous-seven/engine-room

And actually, you can hear it here too, complete with mini-bass solos at about 3:45: https://soundcloud.com/hieronymous-seven/gotta-travel-on

One thing I realize is that, even though I'm playing a Stanley Clarke bass (signed by the man himself), I'm not going for the archetypical Stanley Clarke sound. But I realized that although he has been pictured anchoring his thumb on the pickup:

I think that he usually anchors on the fretboard, though, with that very distinctive hand/finger placement, as pictured on the classic eponymous solo album (1974?) and here:

Anyway, that's my fretboard-anchor-odyssey - I've had this building for a long time, so lots came out!

pauldo · « **Reply #1 on:** December 30, 2014, 03:52:14 AM »

Harry,
I really enjoyed the Engine Room - certainly drives!

Although it isn't apples to apples, I find on my Distillate, that like you the preferred thumb position is on the end of the fretboard. For the same reasons as you mentioned, tension and sound. That position just feels the most natural to me and I probably play there ~ 70% of the time.

Of course as we all know, different situations will find us playing with our plucking hands in different locations; close to the bridge for a tight nasally tone, or directly over the neck pick up for that robust, round tone.

So. . . . you and I have a consensus that our 'happy plucking zone thumb anchor position' is at the end of the fretboard. I am now curious as to other Alembic players and where their thumbs rest most of the time.

jamieboy · « **Reply #2 on:** December 30, 2014, 07:03:58 AM »

I am a neck-pickup-anchorer-type player. However, I now see the need to experiment.

I started out that way when I first started, and based on the music I have been involved with along my musical path (pit orchestras), I have not needed to change.

Now I can't wait to get home to go for the corner of the fretboard on my Persuader!

Jim

mica · « **Reply #3 on:** December 30, 2014, 12:26:22 PM »

Yes! We talked about this at a gathering at one point, Harry - but I'm a corner of the fingerboard rester as well.

Don't forget to pluck at the center of the string when you have a long sustain need from an open note - so awesome!

adriaan · « **Reply #4 on:** December 30, 2014, 01:06:44 PM »

You might also try holding the tips of the index and middle fingers together, side by side, then gently pull and release the string. Some lengthwise vibrato from the fretting hand won't hurt either.

hifiguy · « **Reply #5 on:** December 30, 2014, 01:42:15 PM »

I always anchored on the bridge-ward end of the neck pickup. That put the fingers of my right hand just over the bridge pickup on my SC. I was always a bridge-pickup rester on my Jazz basses and I like really taut strings. It's easier for my plucking fingers to bounce off them. Plus it helps in getting that cool Jaco sound to play near the bridge.

sonicus · « **Reply #6 on:** December 30, 2014, 02:21:11 PM »

I also like playing close to the bridge in a JACO effected mind set with the very tips of my fingers , however , I seem to move around from the neck position to bridge position depending on the sound that I want regardless on what the bass design is : Alembic , Fender, Guild Starfire , Gibson EB-3 or what ever . Quite often I use three fingers and my thumb to pluck and my thumb and adjoining part of the palm of my hand to mute . Once in a while I use any given top surface of the bass as a an anchor for my thumb or the of palm of my hand . Where it goes is just one of those spontaneous events in my playing style . You just can not pin a Crow or Raven down to any set behavior patterns ! Every moment can be brand new and fresh . Forever more ! A road with no signs or dividing lines .

sonicus · « **Reply #7 on:** January 01, 2015, 12:29:10 PM »

I often slide my thumb across the string directly over the string being plucked so that it is in immediate position to mute the plucked string below as called for . With this hand position you can move the plucking location anywhere on the pluck-able service and mute at will with the side of your thumb . Keep in mind that you will have to keep this hand position while moving left to right or up or down . It will become automatic and second nature eventually .
There is no permanent anchor with this method and the ship sails freely across the Sea ! How do you keep from floating away ? Set the Bass on the stand !

wfmandmusic · « **Reply #8 on:** January 01, 2015, 07:13:48 PM »

Enjoyed Engine room as well. Nice bass sound.

hieronymous · « **Reply #9 on:** January 02, 2015, 08:04:45 AM »

Wolf, do you ever do the floating anchor technique? I think that's what it's call anyway. I have always anchored my thumb on the string above the one I'm playing, but it doesn't work when you are playing the E string (or whatever string is lowest on your particular bass) - apparently some people don't anchor their thumb at all when playing the low E. I've experimented with it a tiny bit, but I really like to anchor my thumb somewhere when playing the low E string and on my Stanley Clarke bass I feel like I have finally found a home at the corner of the fretboard.

I think part of it is that I want to cut down on the number of variables and get a good solid sound to start with and the corner of the fretboard, extending back as far as that spot between the 21st-24th frets, seems to be the magic number for me!

To be honest, I have never been an anchor-close-to-the-bridge kind of guy. I love Jaco but that sound isn't for me personally. Actually, a lot of pick players pick close to the bridge - likewise, I prefer to pick somewhere between the neck pickup and the neck.

I kind of forgot, I actually have some video from the Engine Room session - it was just me and my drummer Patrick warming up, getting comfortable and exploring - I'm not thrilled with my playing in this clip but it led to the Engine Room track when the guitarist joined in. Unfortunately, I hadn't charged the batteries on the video camera so I only got a few minutes of video and didn't get the best part.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6AfqkVKHvs

And for fun, here's another section where I switched to pick. I also forgot my pedalboard at this session, so I didn't quite have the effects dialed in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53cWNfwvm4E

sonicus · « **Reply #10 on:** January 02, 2015, 08:53:21 AM »

Harry , Yes , I like the floating anchor I suppose that is what I am describing in my post # 3847. On a low open E ,my wrist / sometimes forearm support my plucking. One aspect of plucking close to the bridge is that I like is the string tension there on 16th note staccato playing
. As Mica points out in her post #8359 Don't forget to pluck at the center of the string when you have a long sustain need from an open note - so awesome! I Agree Mica !
Harry, great vids , I enjoyed those. I like your picking technique in the second vid.

Wolf

jazzyvee · « **Reply #11 on:** January 02, 2015, 10:06:14 AM »

Cool stuff Harry I've spent some time listening to your band play whilst on my computer. I've just made enquiries about starting an electric jazz-funk trio with the same lineup so it's giving me some feel for what can be done.

hieronymous · « **Reply #12 on:** January 02, 2015, 10:48:03 AM »

Wolf, yeah, when you start getting into the 16th note thing I can see plucking closer to the bridge, and that's probably when I would use the neck pickup as my anchor - on the Stanley bass it's actually pretty close to the bridge. I just don't really use that technique too much in the current configuration, though I do love it, looking more towards Rocco Prestia for inspiration in that style. Actually, it might be time to woodshed some Tower of Power with the Alembic and see how it goes!

jazzyvee, I look forward to what you come up with! One thing that I haven't taken the time to incorporate yet is my bass pedal synth - that helps fatten up the bottom end a bit, especially during bass solos, which I find I have to do a lot more of in the trio format. Also, the synth can help add another texture since the trio can perhaps be a bit limiting after a while.

hieronymous · « **Reply #13 on:** January 06, 2015, 11:25:38 AM »

Mica, I guess I do remember vaguely talking about this at a gathering - talking about one vs. two pickups sticks out in my mind more though. You've successfully converted me to single pickup!

And unfortunately I don't get that many opportunities for long sustainy notes - might try and do some more! Though for me that's what synth bass pedals are for.

kenbass4 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 06, 2015, 03:48:52 PM »

No, Harry. Bass pedals are meant to be tuned up 2 octaves and used for high string parts in a power trio...just ask Geddy Lee.
:-)