Any Fingerstyle Punk Players

[Blade3dge]

Hey, I notice a lot of people on this board say they play fingerstyle music but if they ever actually played punk music they would use fingers instead of a pick and have it sounding just as good if not better. But with all these claims and after plenty of video searches I still can't find a player comfortably using fingers in fast punk style music.

Now I'm not going to pretend I can walk the walk but I do play some basic punk music (isn't it all like that anyway? *shrug*) fingerstyle. I'm just wondering who out there does the same and what experiences you can share? Or better yet would anybody have some videos of other players showing us how it's done? I feel like a minority and it would be nice to see what others think

[bassteban]

I don't claim to be a *punk* rocker or punk rock musician anymore, but I played w/some old bros last night, we did some Sex Pistols, Clash, Ramones & a few ancient originals- I'm 100% fingers.
Not sure what your first sentence is saying, BTW.

[bui]

I think he means to say:
"There is a plethora of posters on this fine forum that enjoy playing their electric basses with their fingers as opposed to a plectrum, and they claim that should they ever find themselves in a musical ensemble which is of the 'punk' tradition, they can emulate the sound of a plectrum with their digits. In fact, they are so certain of this ability that you will not spy a plectrum between their digits! However, I have yet to see or hear irrefutable proof of this claim."

[DoomandHeavy]

Whenever I play Punk I always use fingerstyle, though that may be because I suck with a pick . Mike Watt of the Minutemen sometimes used fingerstyle too.

[M.Wrenn]

Ive always played punk fingerstyle, there's something amazingly fun about playing incredibly fast for extended periods of time with your fingers

[Blade3dge]

Originally Posted by bassteban

I don't claim to be a *punk* rocker or punk rock musician anymore, but I played w/some old bros last night, we did some Sex Pistols, Clash, Ramones & a few ancient originals- I'm 100% fingers.
Not sure what your first sentence is saying, BTW.

Oh wow, reading that back to myself. Yeah I don't blame you, I wrote it and I find it hard to wrap my head around. Sorry ^_^

[bassteban]

Thank you bui, for that very astute clarification.
My fingers do not sound like a pick but when playing very fast I tend to strum w/all four right-hand fingers, banging the strings w/my nails on the downstroke, which to my bad ears gets somewhat pick-like in tone. Anarchy.

[Blade3dge]

Originally Posted by Jaco9

Ive always played punk fingerstyle, there's something amazingly fun about playing incredibly fast for extended periods of time with your fingers

Nice, what sort of gear do you use? Do you ever feel like you're being held back by your choice to use fingers or can you actually manage to get a nice tone?

[AleemRadunzel]

grow your nails

fin

[HailCorduroy]

I'm play in a horror punk band and play about 50% of our songs fingerstyle.

[byebyejimmy]

Originally Posted by Jaco9

Ive always played punk fingerstyle, there's something amazingly fun about playing incredibly fast for extended periods of time with your fingers

yes! me too.

chuck dukowski of black flag... he was a fingers man i believe.

[TerenceSharp]

I play with three fingers, so It's not as hard.
(I Didn't get stuck into galloping triplets )

Favouring the rear pickup on a jazz helps it sound less round.

Not that I play Punk in any bands but I have played it.

[totallybacan]

Yup fingerstyle all the way. We play some newer punk, like Green Day and MCR, and i can't see myself playing any of these songs with a pick. It's always funny seeing peopl's reactions when they realize that bassists are breaking the norm (which isn't the norm, but rather the stereotype of punk bassists)

[Blade3dge]

Originally Posted by AleemRadunzel

grow your nails

fin

I was looking for discussion not advice. Besides, my right hand is also my "loving" hand. My GF would kill me if I grew nails on it. I'm happy with my sound and interested in the experiences of others

[Blade3dge]

Originally Posted by TerenceSharp

I play with three fingers, so It's not as hard.
(I Didn't get stuck into galloping triplets )

Favouring the rear pickup on a jazz helps it sound less round.

Not that I play Punk in any bands but I have played it.

I'm using a jazz (I use the term jazz loosely since I play a Jag) and I generally find I prefer the sound of the front pickup.

Yup fingerstyle all the way. We play some newer punk, like Green Day and MCR, and i can't see myself playing any of these songs with a pick. It's always funny seeing peopl's reactions when they realize that bassists are breaking the norm (which isn't the norm, but rather the stereotype of punk bassists)

I really can't imagine MCR without a pick. How do you get the sound your after?

[notalent]

The bassist from A Wilhelm scream uses his fingers, and they have some pretty fast stuff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8VH6FweV6A

[Blade3dge]

Originally Posted by notalent

The bassist from A Wilhelm scream uses his fingers, and they have some pretty fast stuff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8VH6FweV6A

Oh wow, I wish I could play like that

[Din Of Win]

Mike from DeepSleep plays finger style. Awesome band too!

http://www.myspace.com/deepsleepmusic

[Mr 600]

I play in a punk band, and I find myself favoring fingerstyle more and more the older I get. Some songs demand a pick, though, so I just use whatever fits the song.

[DreadRaver]

Originally Posted by DoomandHeavy

Mike Watt of the Minutemen sometimes used fingerstyle too.

After Double Nickels on the Dime, Watt went to fingers almost all the time.

Here is a Talkbass discussion with Mike Watt in which he discusses Pick vs Fingers:
Feature Interview: Mike Watt

As for myself, I have played "punk" music since 1987 and always went with fingers. On a Jazz.