had an idea last night...finger picks?

[peter6725]

So heres the situation...
I love the tone a pick gives but am useless at using them!
so I might try some of them finger picks the classical guitarists use??

what do you guys think?



Keep It Metal.

[hbarcat]

Most finger picks are very light and won't have either the mass or rigidity necessary to pluck bass strings. If you force them, the picks will fall apart. If you can find them in "extra heavy" use those but my experience is that plastic just doesn't cut it (opinions vary on this as many bassists successfully use them).

The only picks I use for bass are made of brass and I make them myself out of broken cymbals (courtesy of a heavy handed drummer I know) but they do sell them commercially. I've tried various methods of attaching brass picks to my fingers, with mixed results.

[lemur821]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

Most finger picks are very light and won't have either the mass or rigidity necessary to pluck bass strings.

You can get them in many thicknesses, and in tough metal as well. The real problem is that most cover your finger pads so you can't mute without clacking them on the strings.

These might do though:
http://www.alaskapik.com/

Or you could just woodshed with a regular pick for a little while.

[MochomanXXL]

I've seen a couple of metal bassists do a thing where they grow their nails on their index and middle fingers on the playing hand and hold their fingers in parallel and do a picking motion. But I dont know how economical that would be but that could be an option

[Orangeclawhamme]

I think that Eric Drew Feldman used steel banjo picks with Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band. I imagine that Rockette Morton also used them.

[funkydanbass]

BTW, Classical guitarist don't use thumb or finger picks. (They use their finger / nails).
Check out Dominique DiPiazza on YouTube for a bassplayer that uses a thumb pick.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by MochomanXXL

...they grow their nails on their index and middle fingers... ...But I dont know how economical that would be

Quite!

[machine gewehr]

My friend who plays classical&electric guitar has long nails.When he starts to jam with my bass fingerstyle it sounds as if he was using a pick but it sounds kinda better then a pick.

I guess this has to do with the way his fingers touch the strings.First the finger tip begins plucking thus giving it a fuller fingerpick sound then the nail hits,thus giving the edgy pick sound.

[Sammy_L_D]

Classical guitarists use their fingernails (which they file down to specific shapes/lengths for their own personal tonal and feel preference) and implement "rest" strokes.

Try fingerpicks, but there's a very good chance you won't like the feel. ProPik's have a hole in the middle so you can still rest your fingers in, gives it a more natural feel...try those if you want to try fingerpicks.

[uturnbass]

I would just say grow some nails and then play, it should sound pretty much like a pick. I've discovered I have to cut my nails quite frequently to avoid that sound, because I'm not a big fan honestly lol.