▁be ▁bow ed . ▁ ▁Some ▁E UB s ▁are ▁designed ▁with ▁integral ▁stands , ▁free ing ▁the ▁player ▁from ▁the ▁need ▁to ▁bra ce / support ▁the ▁instrument . ▁More ▁rarely , ▁E UB s ▁may ▁be ▁designed ▁to ▁be ▁stra pped ▁on ▁the ▁body ▁using ▁guitar ▁stra ps . ▁The ▁use ▁of ▁stands ▁may ▁make ▁bow ing ▁much ▁easier , ▁especially ▁for ▁the ▁beginner , ▁because ▁then ▁the ▁instrument ▁does ▁not ▁have ▁to ▁be ▁stabil ized ▁with ▁the ▁kne e ▁and ▁th igh s . ▁ ▁Like ▁a ▁double ▁bass , ▁the ▁instrument ▁may ▁be ▁played ▁either ▁standing ▁or ▁sitting ▁on ▁a ▁tall ▁st ool . ▁The ▁optim um ▁height ▁for ▁most ▁players ▁will ▁be ▁when ▁the ▁( index ) ▁finger ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁position ▁( i . e ., ▁second ▁f ret ▁on ▁a ▁fre tt ed ▁instrument ) ▁is ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁level ▁as ▁the ▁player ' s ▁eye . ▁If ▁the ▁bass ▁is ▁higher ▁than ▁this , ▁dis com fort ▁in ▁the ▁mus cles ▁of ▁the ▁neck ▁may ▁be ▁experienced ▁after ▁playing ▁long ▁pass ages ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁position . ▁If ▁the ▁bass ▁is ▁too ▁low , ▁the ▁player ▁may ▁need ▁to ▁b end ▁or ▁stretch ▁when ▁attempting ▁to ▁play ▁notes ▁at ▁the ▁higher ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁finger board . ▁ ▁The ▁strings ▁are ▁generally ▁pl uck ed ▁with ▁the ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁top ▁joint s ▁of ▁the ▁index ▁and ▁middle ▁fingers , ▁although ▁sometimes ▁the ▁tips ▁are ▁used ▁to ▁produce ▁a ▁m ell ower ▁tone ▁or ▁to