Plucking

There are many techniques for plucking string instruments. This article lists and describes the main types. Demonstrations and discussion of various techniques can be found in the video and audio clips in the articles below.

Plucking

More than any other string instrument, the double bass is associated with pizzicato. In jazz, plucking is the normal way to play the instrument.This has led to a vast range of nuances available to the bass player. In the clips below Corin Long demonstrating the main ones, pizzicato - Corin explains how the sound changes when different parts of the string are plucked eg near the middle or towards the bridge, different ways of plucking the strings, different ways of plucking with two or three fingers, playing chords and strumming the bass. All string players use vibrato to help sustain pizzicato notes.