Pick vs Pizz

mkandolf · #1 01-26-2010, 09:22 AM

Hello folks! I'm slated to do the musical "Big River" (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) coming up shortly and in going over the music for it I see a new notation for bass I've not come across before. "Pick" Now I've used a pick while playing my Fender electric, but I've never heard of using it for doublebass. I'm assuming it's technique like pizzicato (but not).

Can anyone give me a quick tip on this technique?

I figured based on the writer Roger Miller, this would be the best forum for this question. Thanks for your input!

salcott · #2 01-26-2010, 10:47 AM

No one would write "pick" on a part for URB.I'm guessing it's either a Fender part or a double, in which case there should be an indication of where the switch is made. The MD should know.

mkandolf · #3 01-26-2010, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by salcott

No one would write "pick" on a part for URB.I'm guessing it's either a Fender part or a double, in which case there should be an indication of where the switch is made. The MD should know.

It's a URB part for sure. 2 lines down it calls pizz. then switches back to pick. Couple pieces in the book do this. Many markings in the book for URB. I can't see switching back and forth like this is calling for.

Marcus Johnson · #4 01-26-2010, 05:42 PM

I'm guessing that it should probably read "pizz", and then assume that everything else is arco? "Pick" on a DB chart makes no sense, even to a guy who liked to party as much as Roger did.

I'm stumped.

I think it's just bad use of the terminology. Otherwise, just start shopping around for the biggest, fattest, bada$$ pick you can find.

TroyK · #5 01-26-2010, 11:25 PM

It's been a long time since I've read Huckleberry Finn, but do you think they could mean this?

troy

Jake deVilliers · #6 01-27-2010, 01:07 AM

What's the world coming to - TROIKA in the Bluegrass Forum!?! Oh, he just dropped by to pick his nose... Hey fella, us hillbillies have SOME manners.

mkandolf · #7 01-27-2010, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

I'm guessing that it should probably read "pizz", and then assume that everything else is arco? "Pick" on a DB chart makes no sense, even to a guy who liked to party as much as Roger did.

I'm stumped.

I think it's just bad use of the terminology. Otherwise, just start shopping around for the biggest, fattest, bada$$ pick you can find.

Nope, 2 lines down (8 bars later) it reads pizz.

I was thinking maybe they wanted it pulled away rom the fingerboard between thumb and finger?

moles · #8 01-27-2010, 01:17 PM

My guess is that the chart was written with BG in mind. Does it just say "Bass" at the top of the page? Or "String Bass"? I know you stated the rest of the book contains some charts with "arco" noted - I just wonder if they all came from the same source (publisher/arranger).

You could always just dig in a bit more during the "pick" passages. Or do a little slapping in there.

salcott · #9 01-27-2010, 01:56 PM

Just going on experience, I'd say any chart with the word "arco" is URB, and any with "pick" is gonna be BG.

Don Higdon · #10 01-27-2010, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkandolf

I was thinking maybe they wanted it pulled away rom the fingerboard between thumb and finger?

If you mean a snap pizz, the term for that is Bartok.

Hookus · #11 07-31-2010, 04:07 PM

Fingerstyle on electric bass is called pizzicato as well, nobody ever calls it that though. You should be able to tell if the music is marked for DB or EB by looking for an octave notation at the beginning of the piece.

rdwhit · #12 08-31-2010, 10:05 PM

Musical theater parts have all kinds of markings in them that are bogus. Often the arranger doesn't know the proper terminology. Sometimes they transcribe the part from whatever the guy in the studio recording played & guess at what the effect should be. Ignore bogus markings, play what you think is correct, keep your mouth shut about it, & keep the gig. Your musical director probably doesn't know the difference either.

pickerpete · #13 09-01-2010, 05:15 AM

I agree with the previous poster. I've played close to 100 shows and most music directors have so much to think about they're happy if the bass player is simply doing his job--laying down a good foundation and keeping good time. I played this show on both guitar and bass on separate occasions nobody had a pick in sight when it came to the bass.

Bruce Lindfield · #14 09-01-2010, 05:20 AM

Maybe the parts have got mixed up in printing/copying and they have just copied a part for guitar, which went from strumming to finger-picking?

One Bad Monkey · #15 09-24-2010, 06:17 PM

I've played that show - twice - and have a copy of the cast recording. There is definitely an electric bass on the album, and it's written to switch between using your fingers and playing with a pick on EB. Most of the time when I was picking, the guitar wasn't doing a lot of heavy rhythm, so it was probably used to fill out that texture.

That said, the second time we played it, I used my EUB instead and it still worked fine.