Bass Players-Pics or Fingers?

[Portobello_Road]

Are you a bass player out there? Do you prefer to use your fingers or a pic? Or both? I have been told that playing bass with a pic is bad technique and it is not the proper way to play bass. I disagree, I play with both my fingers and my pic, however, in my opinion a pic is essential for those upbeat punk riffs and technical scales that your fingers just can pull off. Many great bassists play with a pick, right off the top of my head I immediately think of Matt Freeman from Rancid or Mike Dirnt from Green Day. Although now that I think about it, Matt Wong from Reel Big Fish primarily used his fingers and you can see the insane technical scales he pulls off. So maybe it’s just a preference? What sounds better, fingers or pic? What do you prefer?

www.portobelloroadmusic.com

[I<34080]

The pics I've tried to use are always too thin and wobbly. Where do you get yours developed?

[Rockmusician]

Originally Posted by Portobello_Road

Are you a bass player out there? Do you prefer to use your fingers or a pic? Or both? I have been told that playing bass with a pic is bad technique and it is not the proper way to play bass. I disagree, I play with both my fingers and my pic, however, in my opinion a pic is essential for those upbeat punk riffs and technical scales that your fingers just can pull off. Many great bassists play with a pick, right off the top of my head I immediately think of Matt Freeman from Rancid or Mike Dirnt from Green Day. Although now that I think about it, Matt Wong from Reel Big Fish primarily used his fingers and you can see the insane technical scales he pulls off. So maybe it’s just a preference? What sounds better, fingers or pic? What do you prefer?

There is no right or wrong way. Play whichever way you are most comfortable. I played with a pick for years. Now I use my fingers most of the time.

[CnB77]

A pick is not "essential" for anything. Neither is fingerstyle. It's great practice to develop both.

Which sounds better really depends, though I will say it's very easy to make your fingers sound like a pick, but damn near impossible to have your pick sound like your fingers.

[Scott1]

To each his own. Personally, I prefer fingers as I can do more complictated beats that way. But I have heard other using a pick that put my playing abilities to shame.

[AlvarHanso]

I use both. Lately, I've been going more fingerstyle, though I keep a pick above the nut, just in case. I use the 2mm triangle picks, love those! I used to think a pick was necessary for playing certain songs and for envelope filter. For those songs, I've just been using more force with my fingers (which can lead to soreness even on my callouses), and for envelope filter, I've found settings that don't require the same level of attack as I was used to, plus, I had found that I was getting spikes sometimes with the envelope filter and pick, much more controlled now. But if anybody says picks are never a good idea, they need to talk to Phil Lesh and Mike Gordon. Plus, John Entwistle used picks in some songs. If someone questioned whether those guys knew how to play, I'd ignore their input on anything related to bass.

[jabsys]

Use whatever suits the song, you'll have a hard time getting fingers to sound like a pick & vice versa.

[C.Linton]

Anybody who tells you a pick is bad technique is utterly clueless. I would avoid listening to any advice they have to give you.

[grendle]

I use both but mainly a pick . I do fingers /tapping/chord forming/ slapping more for solo type stuff. Usually playing in a band its with a pick. I prefer the tone and even attack for guitar doubling and tightness with the kick. I use dunlop tortex Orange picks. I say use what best fits the situation. You can never be too versitile.

[johnvic]

I use my fingers but I have no hate for picks. I tried it a little bit, didn't work for me. Steve Swallow uses a pick, 'nuf said!

[Korus Bows]

I started with a pick, switched to finger and love it. Now I am looking to learn a few things with a pick, buy mostly want to stay with my fingers...

[Russell L]

I use two fingers mostly, but grab a pick once in a blue moon. I should do it more often, though, since there are things I can do with a pick that I can't do with my fingers.

Do whatever turns your wheels.

[mpdd]

been playing with a pick less and less recently, because i used to not be able to play with my fingers for the whole 2.5 hour marathon practices, but sometimes it is fun just to bang some songs out with a pick for some variety

[NewLaw83]

I do both. Both ways sound different from each other.

[slaps76]

I play some songs with a pick when I want that sound...but I'm primarily a fingers player; I'm really not good with a pick at all, it's something I've been slowly working on improving.

[makkE]

Originally Posted by Portobello_Road

I have been told that playing bass with a pic is bad technique and it is not the proper way to play bass.

Whoever told you this is probably bad at pick playing himself and stuck in a real backwards mindset. Probably both. Don't listen to these people.

[mrsal]

either or, for the first 4 years of me playing, i used a pic, a big stubby 3.0, and i loved it. now i use 3 fingers normally, and for the punk music that i play, a jazz 3

[BogeyBass]

I only use pink picks with leopard spots.....cute

[noeg5sb]

fingers, practice with pick too, but fingers #1

[calebbarton]

I use only power tools to play my bass. I find that this is an acceptable technique.


*cough*.........