Fingertips or fingernails?

[Chrisk-K]

Do you use fingertips or fingernails? Or, does the answer depend on the tone you want to get?

The reason why I'm asking is I've always used fingernails only and find it difficult to get a smooth, round, rubbery tone.

[Thunderthumbs73]

Originally Posted by Chrisk-K

Do you use fingertips or fingernails? Or, does the answer depend on the tone you want to get?

The reason why I'm asking is I've always used fingernails only and find it difficult to get a smooth, round, rubbery tone.

Fingertips, picks, thumb, but never fingernails. And yes.

And yes, it's going to be difficult to get a smooth, round, rubbery tone that way.

[Ski3223]

Yeah fingertips are the best way to go for that kind of sound. If by "rubbery" you mean kinda bouncy and punchy make sure you straighten out your fingers and really play with the pad of them and pluck with varying ferocity (lol) till you get the tone you're looking for.

[Simorchid]

It depends on what kind of bass you use too. I have a Ibanez BTB that I used my fingernails to get a pick sound on for the the metal and rock bands that I was in. I managed to get a decent rounded tone by rolling the treble off as necessary on the bass.
When I bought my Warwick thumb I cut my nails off as the technique just didn't sound right on that bass.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by Thunderthumbs73

Fingertips, picks, thumb, but never fingernails.

Same for me.

[mid_life_crisis]

I trim the heck out of my nails to make sure they can't unintentionally get involved. I couldn't stand the rattling strings.
Of course I'm a newb, so who knows what I might decide in the future.

[shadow_FIX]

Don't use your fingernails....I've actually never heard of any bass player that plays that way.

[JoeNC]

Finger-style.
I'm also learning that the pad gives a better tone than the tip.
Sometimes when I get carried away, the tip of my finger makes a clicking noise similar to, but not as bad as, my finger nail.
I also keep my nails trimmed, especially before gig night.

[kuys]

We've got to evolve the instrument, take it to new places, modify it, change it to create new instruments and playing styles. I love this aspect of music, and it's one that so many people forget. If we didn't have the forward evolution of music we'd still be beating on goatskin drums and the like.

Play how ever you want. I use my fingernails when I want to get a real bite to my attack and the pads of my fingers with I want more of a thump.

[Thunderthumbs73]

The OP had a problem/observation asked for help and opinions. Most have responded and given both, without undue inflammatory language. Don't make this conversation something it's not.

[mid_life_crisis]

deleted

[Chef]

Hey guys;
place nice, with family friendly language. rule #1 here is "respect" and I'm not feeling that here, now.

this is a nice-ish reminder. if have to come back and edit multiple posts and quotes, i'll be a little heavier handed in my moderation.

thx

[Chef]

@ chris:
fat smooth tone is a combination of a lot of things.
your bass, your strings, your amp.

but as this is the technique forum:
start by taking a more upright-ish approach to you plucking hand.
play easy, use as much of the first joint of your fingers as you can get comfortable with, not just the tip.
sorta get sideways to the string, get a lot of meat on it, play easy.
play up closer to the fingerboard.

i personally keep my fingernails trimmed to "just short of the end of my fingertip," so i can use either the pad or the nail, depending on whether i want a more or less aggressive sound.
heck, somtimes i use banjo fingerpicks, because i suck with a regular guitar style pick.

so, technique, really, is what gets you results you like, and not necessarily "what is the norm" for anyone else.
experiment! have fun with it!
back in the early days of electric bass, folks played with the meaty part of their thumb, and not their fingers at all.
this, done well, can yield quite a nice round tone.
so can a soft felt pick.

you also might want to try some flatwound strings, and roll tone back some at your bass.

[King Of Suede]

If I'm looking for a smooth, round sound: Fingertips.

If I'm being more aggressive and looking for more bite: Fingernails.

[kuys]

I apologize for the inflammatory nature of my earlier post.

It's rather frustrating when I read posts on these forums where someone is trying something new and majority of the reply's are "don't do that, etc" with only very thing reasoning or appeals to tradition to back it up.

We've got to keep the evolution of the instrument moving forward, not stuck in the past stagnating. Not an excuse for my actions; just an explanation.

[mid_life_crisis]

My tone is getting much nicer but mostly more consistent as I learn to use the same length stroke every time as I pluck the string with my finger. That happened by always stroking until I make contact with the next string, which is deadened by the thumb that is sitting against it.
I'm experimenting with doing the same thing with the thumb stroking downwards on the top string in an effort to get a consistent motion there as well, since there obviously is no string beyond my B to use as the limiter if I use my finger on that one. So instead I'm trying to stroke downward with the thumb, coming to rest against the E string, which is deadened by a finger.
All that, plus learning to deaden strings with my right hand after plucking it before removing the left hand finger from the string so I don't get that rattle and "lift off" pitch drop is making these first few weeks very interesting, indeed.

[mid_life_crisis]

Originally Posted by kuys

I apologize for the inflammatory nature of my earlier post.

It's rather frustrating when I read posts on these forums where someone is trying something new and majority of the reply's are "don't do that, etc" with only very thing reasoning or appeals to tradition to back it up.

Got to keep the evolution of the instrument moving forward, not stuck in the past stagnating. Not an excuse for my actions; just an explanation.

I don't think anybody objected to the opinion: everyone is entitled to have one. It was that you basically dissed a lot of people at the same time, which wasn't necessary to make your point.
In fact, I would be willing to bet that most posters agree with the general idea that music and the use of the instrument need to continually evolve.
Apparently some also think that picking with fingernails is an evolutionary dead end. Again, that is an opinion that they are entitled to.
I don't personally have enough experience to have a valid opinion on the matter. I just know that for now it doesn't work for me. Who knows what the future will hold?

[tlr1293]

Originally Posted by shadow_FIX

Don't use your fingernails....I've actually never heard of any bass player that plays that way.

Geddy Lee admitted to growing his nails at one time to get a 'pick-like' tone.

Anyway - wanted to drop that in for informative value and to state that I too am finding that nail 'flicking' in there way too often. Mostly my middle finger though.

Great question and great answers so far (I came to late to actually have seen the flame-fest ).

[codeinedreams]

I used to use my fingernails because I felt I had better control for fast picking for punk or metal, the extra clicky sound gave it a nice punch that I liked because it cut right through the mix and that worked for the styles I was playing at the time (many bassists seem to hate that), and it was like having the best of both worlds because it was like using a pick. Now that I have well developed calluses, though, I don't feel the need to do that anymore, except when I really want to dig in like the above posters said.

[dalkowski]

Seriously, I've never understood how "nailers" don't have shredded nails after a set or two. But whatever works for the individual, works.