What it is
Two muting jobs run all the time on bass:
- Left-hand muting: fingers you are not using rest lightly on other strings so they do not ring.
- Floating thumb (right hand): your plucking-hand thumb slides between the strings, resting on the string below the one you are currently plucking, so the lower strings stay silent.
Why it matters
The difference between a messy amateur sound and a clean one is almost entirely muting, not notes. Recordings sound tight because unused strings are not ringing in the background.
How to practice
- Floating thumb drill: pluck the A string with the thumb resting on the E. Move to D — thumb slides up to rest on the A. Move to G — thumb on D. Walk back down. Every move, the thumb follows.
- Left-hand brush: when playing a note, let your other fretting fingers lightly touch the strings above it (toward the low E).
- Record yourself. Silence between notes should be actual silence.