Plucking Most bass players opt to use their fingers in a plucking motion to play rather than using a pick.  To play bass well, you will need to develop a good plucking technique. First, you will need to establish proper hand position.  Your wrist should be as straight as possible.  A good way to find this position is letting your hand hang limp in the air.  This should be the desired position of your hand because it is the most natural.  It will also help protect you from carpal tunnel injuries.  Before we begin plucking, you must first establish where on the body of you bass your hand will go.  Most of the time, the thumb of your right hand (left if you’re a leftie) will be positioned on the side or face of the pickups.  The suggested style is keeping your thumb on the face of the pickup.  This is because the thumb can be used to mute the E string when needed. Most bassists will use their first and second digits to play.  Try practicing alternating your fingers on one string 1-2-1-2.  This will help you develop speed, efficiency, and good technique. When plucking the strings of the bass, you will want your fingers to simply glide or roll over the strings.  DO NOT PULL OUTWARD ON THE STRINGS.  This poor technique can lead to a lot of broken strings. The closer you pluck to the neck of the bass, the warmer and thicker the tone.  Playing closer to the bridge (away from the neck) results in a more percussive tone.  It is up to the bassist to decide where on the bass they would like to pluck. You may decide to use a pick to play your bass rather than use your fingers to pluck.  Picks are easier to develop speed more quickly (especially for guitarists learning the bass), and they give a different sound to your music.  Try experimenting with picks to see if you like that method of playing rather than using your fingers.  Plucking and fretting are the two most important techniques in playing bass guitar.  Proper technique in plucking will drastically improve the sound quality of your playing, and more importantly, your overall musical ability.  As they say, “Practice makes perfect”!