Question about fingers vs. pick.....

[PTBassMan]

I have been learning "In The End" by Linkin Park. The bass line plays like 666666 6 6 444444 4 4, or something like that. Anyway, by finger playing I can't get fast enough string action (or can I?), but by using the pick I can come don on the string then back up on it. Also, it seems when finger playing it makes a longer stroke on the string and the string takes longer to settle. Which is better.

[La Garrida]

Firstly, you must be playing too hard with your fingers! the main trick to finger style is relax.
Anyways, with all things it must be practiced slower before you can start speeding it up.

The bass player from linkin park plays with his fingers. Using a pick is slighty easier (for speed in down and up-strokes) but I seriously recommend working on your finger technique as it will expand your bass playing in the long run....

[fr0me0]

I know what you mean man I'm trying to play kill the king by megadeth and its just a tad to bit fast for my fingers. Like La Garrida said you just gotta try and relax and play it nice an light. I do this weird thing where I hold my breath though I gotta stop it.

[Petary791]

The test of fingers (I think) is Fight Fire With Fire by Metallica.

You need like 3 or 4 (I saw Trujillo use 4) to play that song. If you want to work on 3 fingers, just do straight triplets (ie The Toys Go Winding Down.)

[pdusen]

Originally Posted by La Garrida

The bass player from linkin park plays with his fingers.

You are mistaken. Phoenix plays with a pick. This can be plainly seen on the Making of Meteora and the Live in Texas DVDs.

[EASonBass]

Originally Posted by PTBassMan

by finger playing I can't get fast enough string action (or can I?),

Uh, why not play it the tune with a pick? Nothing wrong with that.

[La Garrida]

Originally Posted by pdusen

You are mistaken. Phoenix plays with a pick. This can be plainly seen on the Making of Meteora and the Live in Texas DVDs.

Yeah you're right, My apologies. I got confused by the angle of his hand (Serious Low Rider!!)

[kilgoja]

i use a pic...only fingers when slapping...lol...it's just easier to me

[DaemonBass]

That song is pretty easy. As a beginner it is natural to experience some difficulty just keep practicing. Before you try playing at full speed make sure you go through it slow and get all the notes right. Train your hand. If possible, learn to play it using a pick AND your fingers. That's what I do. Neither pick or fingers is better, remember that. It's just two different sounds. Plus there is always gonna be someone who has an easier time playing with their fingers on a certain peice and then someone who is the opposite. Just find what works for you.

[ras1983]

everyone on TB knows infinitly more than me, but i think its good to remember the musicians we watch/emulate didn't start out playing as fast or as clear as they do. they had to build up their speed. we should just be more realistic of our current skills. work on building up your speed with a metronome and then once you feel you can play basic scales and runs fast enough, attempt the song in question with your fingers.

[adisu]

Hi PTbassman.
First you got to know that the bass guitar tone is different when you play a pick and when you play your fingers...
when you play a pick you'll get more high frequencies (metalic sound) then when you play fingers.
Now, if you want to do an exact imitation of a certain song you should count the sound the bass player use and see if he uses his fingers or a pick.

As for speed issue pick is fast but if you train your fingers you'll be faster playing your fingers , for example right now i practice a technique that use two fingers (index and middle) but each finger hit the string twice on it's way up and on it's way down therefore i get very fast 4 notes and it's like using 2 picks at once.

So i say you should practice them both but focus on the style and sound you want to get.

[Opas]

Originally Posted by PTBassMan

The bass line plays like 666666 6 6 444444 4 4, or something like that.

[vene-nemesis]

Originally Posted by La Garrida

Yeah you're right, My apologies. I got confused by the angle of his hand (Serious Low Rider!!)

He uses both techs, but in meteora he used the pick much more than his fingers.

[Jack]

Originally Posted by Opas

Its tab, just without any of the other strings.

[eldave777]

I prefer to play with my fingers. It's really like using four picks if you think about it. I also use this little technique where for speed I hit the string with both sides of my finger once on the way down, once on the way up. You can play as fast with two fingers that way as you can with four. The attack can be a little unballanced but if you have a good compressor that kinda makes up for it.

[burntgorilla]

When you do play harder stuff, make sure you start slow and get technique right, instead of playing it faster straight away and making lots of little errors and bad habits to compensate, because you'll just end up having to lose those.

[leftyforlife]

if you want to see some fast fingering check out run to the hills by ironmaiden and in the live in rio dvd hes playing wtih 4 fingers all at once.

[Sonic_Death]

Originally Posted by Petary791

The test of fingers (I think) is Fight Fire With Fire by Metallica.

You need like 3 or 4 (I saw Trujillo use 4) to play that song. If you want to work on 3 fingers, just do straight triplets (ie The Toys Go Winding Down.)

Ahhh, are you serious? How can you use 4 fingers on that song.. I use only 2 and although it takes a lot out of me I pull it off a lot smoother than with 3

With fingerstyle(which I almost 95% of the time play) I like to vary with what I am playing. Sometimes I will anchor my thumb on my neck pickup and keep a very stiff hand to play, other times I will anchor my thumb on the top of the neck and play with a soft touch.. Other times if I am playing by the bridge I will just let my hand hang.. Figure out first what sound you are looking for and how to achieve it, then get a comfortable position for your hand. If you're having a hard time keeping up with a song, work on endurance a bit.