Backpicking?

[Pratticus]

Just a quick question, what exactly is backpicking in regard to bass? Is it just playing a note with the nail of a picking finger instead of the fingerpad?

[Audiophage]

I've never heard of it, but if you've heard it in a guitar player sense, it's probably the same thing on bass.

[Tapper]

I don't know if this is it or not, but when playing slide guitar, I sometimes "snap" the strings by drawing the heavy pick back up (towards me) and letting the strings 'pop' back up as the pick crosses. I seldom use a pick on bass, but I imagine the same technique could be used. Try it, it gives a distinctly different sound than regular 'down'-pickin'.