Pick technique: 4 strings vs. 5 strings

[alfredpunkjazz]

Hi guys.

I don't know if this has been discussed previously, but I am really wondering...

The thing is: I have already been playing fingerstyle for 10 years (wow, times really goes away), but now I'm in a band that demands diferent sounds, such as the pick technique...

I really like it, it has powerfull sound, plus with a tube amp, you really get the overdrive thing just by doing a hard attack on the strings (I just love it), but the thing is, right now I only have a 5 strings bass (Stingray5), and it is hard to keep the rest of the strings muted (the action of the pick makes everything on the bass vibe), and that is giving me some trouble on my left hand, I end up every rehearsal tired (there's no pain).

So my question is, do you guys think there is a reason why most pick players use 4 strings????

Plus, the right hand also suffers, there's not a good place to rest my fingers when using the pick, thus putting excessive strength and also getting tired of so much 8/8, ha ha ha ha...

[lonestarwings]

I am just a beginner, but yes, I find pickstyle and slap much more difficult on 5+ string, whereas fingerstyle playing isn't much more difficult.

Even on a 4 string playing pickstyle necessitates a lot of creative muting with the left hand (fretting with your finger pad and muting with your finger tip).

I don't necessarily think pick player avoid 5 stringers though, I'd imagine there are quite a few heavy metal players who pick a 5 string bass.

[iamthebassplayr]

Scrunchy? A lot of people seem to use one while slapping... would solve the same problem you're having.

[BZadlo]

I know what you are saying. Controling dynamics with a pick can be very difficult.
I recommend practice. If you do what you are doing, in a month I can almost guaranty it will be much easier. You'll probably even forget why it was so difficult in the beginning.
Have you tried different pick gauges?

[Ampeg SVT]

different picks and trying to control how much your right hand moves when picking can be a good thing to do, they latter might be hard to do.

Generally I keep my palm open and I practically palm mute the other strings i am not playing. Since a Stingray 5 has pretty wide spacing it shouldnt be hard to do.

Just practice, left hand technique like muting other strings also takes practice.

And people say picking is easy...

Oh and here is an example of a guy picking a Stingray 5, very very tight pickstyle technique: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuvqXV3D2IY

[lonestarwings]

+1 on finding the right pick.

I tried out half a dozen ones before I found what's right for me, and that was the "fender heavy". It's the perfect rigidity imho.

[JimmyM]

Two words: Read this thread:

Why I keep hammering the Carol Kaye pick method

[alfredpunkjazz]

Thanks a lot guys!

One more thing I noticed is that, whenever I have a good amount of volume from my amp, with a speaker close to me to hear clearly the picking, I relax my hands a lot... But I have noticed that I struggle when I can't hear very well my amp... Like an automatic desire to pick harder so I can hear it... Have you guys seen this???

JimmyM: thanks for the link, reading right now.

[Ric5]

The reason most pick player are also 4 string players is both picking and 4 string basses are retro ... The Rickenbacker 4003s5 is a bass tailor made for picking.

[JimmyM]

That's a pretty rare bird right there...love the color. When did you get it?

[Ric5]

That used to be my favorite bass ... but I got tired of it and moved on ... I used to own a lot of Rickenbackers ... I am down to 4 and they don't get much playing time ...

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/90-4003s5.htm

These days what gets me excited is fenderbirds and jazz basses ...

http://www.3dentourage.com/425/white-jazz-5.htm

[Ric5]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

That's a pretty rare bird right there...love the color. When did you get it?

I bought it about 2002 and sold it about 2005 ...