Picking

[Trist6075]

Just wondering how do u people who use a pick hold it. I have been working on some stuff where I will need to play with a pick and sometimes pick two strings at once. I found out that holding it with your finger tips and thumb scrapes your fingers at the bottom of my nail which hurts. Should I curve my fingers and have the pick in the middle with thumb on top? Let me know what works.

Thanks.

[cowsgomoo]

I use a fairly traditional grip, with the pick between my index finger and thumb... I keep my other 3 fingers fairly straight and spread across the strings for stability/leverage/muting when necessary

[Mongeaux]

Check out Carol Kaye if you want to learn the right way to use a pick. It makes a big difference. Scroll down a lil bit and you will see a picture and a explanation of how to use the pick on a bass. My pick playing has been much improved from following her suggestions.

http://www.carolkaye.com/www/education/tips51.htm

[bogart]

Originally Posted by Mongeaux

Check out Carol Kaye if you want to learn the right way to use a pick. It makes a big difference. Scroll down a lil bit and you will see a picture and a explanation of how to use the pick on a bass. My pick playing has been much improved from following her suggestions.

http://www.carolkaye.com/www/education/tips51.htm

Lets face the facts here. This is America, Jack. There is no right or wrong way here. Hold the damn thing however you need to hold it. This could be different fo playing hard or soft. in other words, Using index and middle fingers for more bite during powerful parts, and using just the index for faster parts.
Personally, I hook my index finger like I'm making a fist, then close my thumb on the pick. I also use the "wrong" end of the pick. Meaning, i use one of the rounded corners of the end of the pick. Where people usually hold it. This gives me a longer surface to hold, and doubles the effective area of the pick, as I can reverse it when one side wears down. Basically, expeiriment with it. No one can tell you what will work, only what works for them.

[John Deppel]

I hold my pick with three fingers. My thumb on top, and my index and middle finger underneath, like Jason Newsted does. Sometimes it does cause my middle finger to rub against the strings, but I've held my pick like this for so long that my fingers are used to it...

[The Golden Boy]

Originally Posted by Almighty Bass

I hold my pick with three fingers. My thumb on top, and my index and middle finger underneath, like Jason Newsted does. Sometimes it does cause my middle finger to rub against the strings, but I've held my pick like this for so long that my fingers are used to it...

I've held my picks like that forever as well... I heard Eddie Van Halen holds them like that too.

I was at a Mars store trying out a guitar, and this local old blues guy (who's a mighty fine guitar player) starts yelling at me- "That ain't no way to hold a pick, boy!" (that works better when you use the old blues guy voice and being yelled at by a skinny old black guy in a floppy cowboy hat an polyester pants!)

[Mudfuzz]

Originally Posted by Almighty Bass

I hold my pick with three fingers. My thumb on top, and my index and middle finger underneath, like Jason Newsted does. Sometimes it does cause my middle finger to rub against the strings, but I've held my pick like this for so long that my fingers are used to it...

That's how I hold mine as well. It also lets you slide your pick in to your other two fingers so you can switch to finger style.

[lemur821]

I use my thumb and middle finger, angling the upper face of my pick towards the neck end of my bass for easier picking and better tone. I sometimes curl my other fingers into a loose fist, and sometimes splay them out.