Pick technique with fingers?

[krfoss]

Hey there,

I usually play finger style, but have had to learn some pick technique to get that new rock/ punk sound: ahemlameahem. Anyhow, I know banjo players have picks that attach to their fingers, but does anyone know if you can put something on the tips of your fingers to get that pick sound, but still use a finger style technique?

[TeeMartin]

Yes, fingernails.

[fettbass]

Not to sound arrogant or condescending, but I recommend you learn to use a pick. I was initially skeptical when someone suggested it to me, but it took about a week to get used to, It's in my "technique" toolbox, and I can use it to play guitar or mandolin and a lot of other instruments i wasn't able to really play before because I had a "bass playing" right hand technique. It's versatile, and there's no harm in learning it. You can always learn to pick while growing out your nails, so you kinda kill two birds with one stone.

[Infernal Affair]

Do a search for "finger picks" with the quotation marks around it.

[Greyvagabond]

I second learning to use a pick. What harm could come from having another tonal palette on bass. And as for picks being lame...well, that's a conversation for another day I guess! Anyways, I learned (after years of fingers-only) but playing the Ramones; nice and simple, and lets you focus on your picking, not the actual notes! Also, its quite fast, so you build up strength fast. Go get some Ramones and rock out!

[jgroh]

Ive always used a pick (for 21 years now) and after recently getting a fretless, I have been teaching myself fingerstyle. I recommend to anyone to bust out the pick occasionally, it can really work for a different attack on certain songs, however I have been experimenting with the fingernail technique (playing fingerstyle but let my fingernails hit the stings instead of the pads of my fingers). I tell you, I get a pretty cool sound from it. Kind of like a halfway point between fingerstyle sound and pick sound.