Looking for pick sound with fingers please!

[CauliColin]

I love the sound of a pick, but I don't like picks. Is there any way to achieve the pick sound with fingers?

[loinmute]

Funky fingers? Probably not. Why don't you like picks?

[CauliColin]

Just don't like the awkwardness. And the fact I don't have a pickguard. And the string spacing.

[father of fires]

Pluck with your finger nails?

I used to be against picks but I love the sound to much to resist.

[TripleDouble]

I play with my thumb, and use just the left corner of my thumbnail as well as some of the thumb flesh as well. Do an A/B with a pick, and emulate. It works well tone wise, but not for turbo 8ths or 16ths or anything like that. Just a clicky, snappy attack.

[Jeff 66]

Years ago I read an interview where Nathan East says he allows the very edge of his right hand fingernails to touch the string when he want's to get the pick sound. If it works for Nathan East...

[dhsierra1]

I have my right hand nails (thumb, index, middle, ring) pretty long and use both sides for up and down strokes, works well for me. They're not too long, though, that I can't get the standard fingerstyle sound. Learned that technique through classical guitar lessons years ago because they have to be able to mix nail w/flesh. I just modded it a bit for bass. I believe Duck Dunn at one point had fairly long nails as well to get more of an attack.

[HertzWhenIPlay]

Originally Posted by father of fires

Pluck with your finger nails?

I used to be against picks but I love the sound to much to resist.

I have never used a pick, don't know how to...
but sometimes I forget to trim my fingernails, and I inadvertantly produce a "picking" sound.

Maybe you could do this on purpose and see how it works for you.

[bassjnky1]

Because my background was classical guitar I have always played that way on bass. Shaping your nails correctly you will be able to produce whatever sound you like.
With the right nail shape and approach you will not hear the nail contact the string. The first touch will be flesh and the follow through with whatever amount of nail you desire.
After 40 years of playing this way it's how I feel the strings and on bass can produce a sort of hybrid sound, if you will.
A trianed classical guitarist can show you the proper nail shaping and finger strokes to get whatever you want.

[silky smoove]

I've always read interviews with guys who say things like "I EQ to where it sounds like I'm playing with a pick." or similar things. I've also heard people discuss different fingering methods to achieve a pick tone.

They all get closer than traditional fingerstyle, but they never really sound like someone playing with a pick to my ears. The ideal thing to do would be to bite the bullet and learn to play with a pick. It's only an awkward way of playing if you haven't practiced it enough. It's also another tool to have in your arsenal.

[dannoman]

I know the bass player of Flotsam and Jetsam (Jason Ward) actually tapes something to his fingers. what it is, i don't know. There was a clip on a dvd where it shows him doing it. Maybe worth the research or, just spend time with a pick... It may be awkward at first, but its actually very comfortable and easy when you build up the stamina and technique.

Plus, its always good to be able to do both...

[Russell L]

The simple answer is, "Yes," you can get a pick sound with your fingers if you grow your nails out a bit. I always play with my nails as well as the meat of my fingertip. It is a hybrid sound, as said above. As a matter of fact, I often have to lower the high mids when I want a more traditional finger sound.

Also, there are two ways of picking the strings, free-stroke and rest-stroke. I use rest-stroke. That means that when I pick the string my finger ends up resting on the next lowest string (lowest in pitch). Except, of course, I can't rest on anything when I pick my E-string (four-string bass). rest-stroke gives more attack to your notes than free-stroke. Free-stroke is simply when you pluck the string and don't touch another string.

[Ronbassman]

Let your fingernails grow a bit, and you can "grab" your index finger with your thumb and move it around as if your index finger were a pick too.

[thetawaves]

angle your fingers such that your playing closer to the nail-edge of your fingertip (boney bit of the finger tip as opposed to the "pad") and play a little harder than usual.

Works for me at any rate