Pick vs fingers?

[Sarah5string]

Which do you prefer and why? I use picks at the moment but am considering venturing to the dark side.. lol

[FuturePrimitive]

Fingers.

I like to play a lot of Rush and it's really hard to play those parts with a pick. I play everything finger style, even punk tunes.

Nothing wrong with a pick but it feels awkward to me, simply because I never play with one and haven't come across a song I want to learn where I have play it with a pick.

[El-Bob]

there are already an unbelievable amount of threads covering this topic. just do a search. i use 3 fingers btw.

[Phalex]

I prefer fingers myself, but I have been known to swing both ways. I'm not sure there's a valid reason why, that's just how I play. I play guitar mostly finger style too. I even beat El-Bob cause I use three fingers and a thumb for finger style guitar.

[locolobo85]

I use both depending on the sound I'm after.

The pick has more attack and allows me to apply some of my flatpicking experience to my bass licks.

The fingers have more warmth and versatility and suit 90% of everything I'm asked to do.

[Sarah5string]

Originally Posted by El-Bob

there are already an unbelievable amount of threads covering this topic. just do a search. i use 3 fingers btw.

Sorry I'm new and didn't realise. Am I forgiven?

[Sarah5string]

Is there any benefit for using one over the other?

[locolobo85]

I don't know of a benefit of one over the other. They each produce different results for me. I couldn't find the groove on a walking blues line with a pick like I can with my fingers dancing over the strings. On the other hand, I can't get some songs with certain 16th note runs flowing like they should without a pick. In the end they're just two different styles that produce different results. It all depends on what you're playing and the sound you're after IMHO.

[tZer]

I use both, however when I first started playing (25 years ago) I only used fingers. I began on double bass and added electric to be in the school jazz band. Because of that I was a 99% finger-style player out of necessity.

Then I discovered Chris Squire and learned very quickly that a pick can create a very unique sound and feel that is very difficult to emulate with fingers. Not impossible - but very difficult.

Originally Posted by sarah5string

Is there any benefit for using one over the other?

That depends on the context. If you are playing a cover of "Roundabout" by Yes, then a pick would be preferable over fingers.

In my current project we are doing nothing but original material and I switch from pick to finger-style on a song-by-song basis. If I want a gritty, sharp-attacked, 'Squire-esqe' sound, I break out the pick. If I am going for a more subtle, funky, or otherwise 'non-sharp-edged' thing, I will use my fingers.

Another thing that will make me choose fingers over pick is if the line I am playing has a lot of large interval/multi-string crossing phrases. Since I am more fluent with my fingers, I can play more complicated parts finger-style. So if I have a line with lots of arpeggios or octave+ leaps, I use my fingers.

It's up to you and what you are trying to do.

[Purple Haze]

Depending on what im playing i'll use a pick or my fingers.

I use fingers mostly though, I feel more in control of my bass using my fingers and like the sound better. But hey each to their own, people should just do whatever they are most comfortable with.

[Mon Rominee]

you were forgiven until you asked ANOTHER too frequently asked question....do a SEARCH!

[Sarah5string]

Originally Posted by Mon Rominee

you were forgiven until you asked ANOTHER too frequently asked question....do a SEARCH!

[Mon Rominee]

don't be sad. in fact, why don't you look right above your thread, and you'll see a sticky devoted to exactly this.

learn away.

Better yet, didja notice the pick vs. fingers thread on this very page, about 18 posts under yours?

[Sarah5string]

thanks will have a look now

[El-Bob]

Originally Posted by Sarah5string

Sorry I'm new and didn't realise. Am I forgiven?

i don't know about the other guys, but I'll forgive you this time

[El-Bob]

Originally Posted by Phalex

I even beat El-Bob cause I use three fingers and a thumb for finger style guitar.

guitar?

[KsToaDangr]

pick VS fingers? depends on the style I'm playing. punk, metal, and new wave, I use a pick. ambient, noise, jazz, and country, i fingerplay. other stuff, it depends on what I'm going for.

[Purple Haze]

Mon Rominee - stop being such a wa**er.

So what, she didn't do a search. Is it such a big deal shes started a thread thats been covered before, shes certainly not the only person ever to have done it.

In fact people complaining about people not searching annoys me more than people who post topics that have already been covered.

Sorry for saying what I think, but the was no need to be so rude.

[Mon Rominee]

Originally Posted by Purple Haze

Mon Rominee - stop being such a wa**er.

So what, she didn't do a search. Is it such a big deal shes started a thread thats been covered before, shes certainly not the only person ever to have done it.

In fact people complaining about people not searching annoys me more than people who post topics that have already been covered.

Sorry for saying what I think, but the was no need to be so rude.

Wow. You're cool.....where's that ignore button again? So I'm a wanker now, for saying things even mods have said? ( exactly HOW are you not being more rude than I?) Why the heck do you think there IS a sticky in the first place?

I wasn't being rude, I was being constructively critical, there's a difference, that you obviously don't see...

If I were being rude, I'd say "hey newbie, how lazy do you have to be to not notice both a sticky AND a thread about the very exact same thing on the first page?"

But I didn't, because I'm not rude...go learn some netiquette.

[Rodr-Evil]

Fingers all the time