Pick tone without the pick?

[taygunov]

Like the title says, I know it sounds a bit silly but I want to know what you guys consider the closest way to achieve a pick tone without using one.

Not just in terms of technique, but strings, tone, pickup blend, and anything else...

Thanks!

[Von Felgenhauer]

Have you tried growing out your nails and using them?

[OldFenderPlayer]

I'd say to get close to a pick tone using your fingers you would need to have fingernails long and strong enough to use, and to have your EQ (on the instrument and amp) set to favor a treble-heavy tone, and play near the bridge.

I played only finger-style for many many years, but when I starting using a pick a few years ago, my style options really increased, especially when a song needs a driving bass line. Plus using a pick saved the tips of my plucking fingers when I'd do the rare 4-hour gig. So I support any bass player learning fingerstyle and using a pick.

[taygunov]

Originally Posted by Von Felgenhauer

Have you tried growing out your nails and using them?

Haha, I actually have, but thing is, I always break them on something before they grow long enough!

Does it actually work/sound good? I am willing to try again

[taygunov]

Originally Posted by OldFenderPlayer

I'd say to get close to a pick tone using your fingers you would need to have fingernails long and strong enough to use, and to have your EQ (on the instrument and amp) set to favor a treble-heavy tone, and play near the bridge.

I played only finger-style for many many years, but when I starting using a pick a few years ago, my style options really increased, especially when a song needs a driving bass line. Plus using a pick saved the tips of my plucking fingers when I'd do the rare 4-hour gig. So I support any bass player learning fingerstyle and using a pick.

Thank you for the tone tip. I do know how to play with a pick, but its just that after so many years of playing with fingerstyle and learning how to mute the strings and playing cleanly and evenly, it just sucks to go back to a pick and sound so uneven and messy!

[jgroh]

Maybe look into the Geddy Flamenco technique?

[maxgrant]

I often play the guitar with my fingernail. I don't pluck with the edge of the nail, rather I strike the strings against the middle. When I do this, I use my first finger for the downstroke and my thumbnail for the upstroke.

I end up holding those two fingers together as if I am gripping a pick, which at least on one occasion led to an hysterical scene when my young daughter wanted to play also, and kept trying to take the "pick" from me. Boy did she get frustrated!!! :-)

It is not the same as a pick, but it gets me pretty close. And you don't have to grow your nails out or worry about their strength. The one downside is there's not as much accuracy as a real pick.

[SBsoundguy]

Why not use a pick?

Sometimes if I need a pick sound I downstroke with the back of my fingernails.

[rockstarbassist]

Pick tone is great. Nothing is going to emulate that plastic or metal or felt or rubber grinding against some roundwounds. Which is why we use it! :thu:

Just do some searches... All the "not real" bassists use picks anyway...

You can also try those Dunlop finger pick things. Slip over the end of your fingertips, get you that pick tone, you just don't have to get your wrist into shape.

[Russell L]

I do pretty good using my nails. They don't have to be very long.

[PazzoBasso]

Wal basses have a "Pick Attack" feature that (according to the Wal site) works like this:

Volume Knob: rotary adjustment of output volume, pull to actuate pick-attack. A narrow band of high frequencies is added to the overall tone-setting to provide dynamic, percussive attack.

Now all you have to do is figure out how to add a narrow band of high freqs to your overall tone - or buy a Wal & pull the vol knob...

[jaywa]

I've gotten some good success by pinching my index finger and thumb together as if I were holding a pick, and then just hitting the strings with the top of my index fingernail instead of the pick.

I have kind of weird fingers in that when I trim my nails short, the end of the nail is a good 1/4 inch back from the end of my finger, so what happens is my nail hits the string and then right after that the flesh of my fingertip... which gives me the attack but still a bit of warmth very similar to what Chris Squire has talked about with his "pick and thumb" technique.

This was a revelation to me cause I've never really liked the "pure" pick sound, not to mention it's a PITA always having to keep some around.

About the only limitation I've found to this technique is that I can only play downstrokes. The up-and-down thing doesn't work so well.

[dave64o]

I tried that same technique too and was frustrated because it was tough to get up and down strokes to sound even, I found the sound varied with the length of my nails, and I also found I also had to adjust my technique based on the length of my nails.

After I realized I was going through more trouble to simulate playing with a pick than I'd go through learning to actually play with one, I decided "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" and started playing with a pick at least part of the time. I'm still not great at it, but when a song needs it I can at least get by. I'm also now incorporating it into my lessons on occasion (until recently I did all my lessons finger style since that's how I usually play).

[HogieWan]

If you want the pick sound, use a freaking pick! How is this hard to understand?

[Firesalt]

There's an instructional video on BassPlayer.com by Bryan Beller on playing metal with a pick sound while using your fingers. It boils down to flicking your fingers across the strings so that you're striking them instead of pulling/plucking as with standard finger style.

[jaywa]

Originally Posted by HogieWan

If you want the pick sound, use a freaking pick! How is this hard to understand?

Silly as it sounds, but some people have trouble holding on to a pick. I did, anyway. So finally I just said screw it and came up with another way to get essentially the same sound. At least 90% of the music I get paid to play calls for fingerstyle anyway so it's not that big a deal for me.

[Gasman]

No offense, but if you think you sound like you're playing with a pick with anything but a pick, you're just fooling yourself. If you like the sound, fine. But it's not the same. You can't get the kind of attack with your fingers, no matter how long your fingernails are. I've never listened to anyone playing fingerstyle and been surprised that they weren't using a pick. Listen to Soundgarden or Screaming Trees or early Queens of the Stone Age. Those guys play with a pick on flat-strung P basses and have their treble turned way down- and it still sounds like a pick.

That said, you can get a pretty cool effect by striking the strings with your thumb and forefinger positioned like you're holding a pick. I think there's a term for it, but I don't know what it is. Regardless, you still get that strumming attack that's very percussive, but still not a pick.

[chaosMK]

This isn't really a technique comment, but I found the Sansamp BDDI to really enhance finger style presence. It's been my standby for years.

If you have weak finger style, that could be an issue though.

[rondohd]

Go to a nail salon...fake nails. Or try finger picks from a banjo. Both have worked for me.

[hutchison_james]

Learn slap!!!