Question for P-bass rock music players

[Mazinger]

Do you play with a pick?

I seem to notice that when a p-bass is used for rock music the bassist is usually playing with a pick.

Just something I was thinking about this morning.

[IAMERICCOCHRANE]

Umm, what kinda rock? like New-age punk rock crap you see on MTV (Blink 182, The Vines) or rock like Rush and stuff? You must have just seen a coincidence in that all the P-bassers u have seen use a pick. Most new-age rock bands have a bassist that use a P-bass and a pick because

A) P-bass gives a pretty grungy sound and thats what most rockers are looking for, dirty grungy bass.
OR

B) There all Guitar players who never wanted to really learn how to play the bass so they use a Pick.

[Mazinger]

Yeah, the newer bands.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see too many p-bass finger players. You're right though, it just might be the sound that they're trying to get.

[dancehallclasher]

ummm, people have been playing P basses with picks for a long time. and some of the BEST new bands do it too. les savy fav and the apes, to name a couple i've seen.

[PollyBass]

People use picks with their p-bass, because a p-bass sounds good with a pick. I had a p-bass. used a pick alot of the time. sounded good.

[rllefebv]

Originally posted by dancehallclasher
ummm, people have been playing P basses with picks for a long time. and some of the BEST new bands do it too. les savy fav and the apes, to name a couple i've seen.

Originally posted by PollyBass
People use picks with their p-bass, because a p-bass sounds good with a pick. I had a p-bass. used a pick alot of the time. sounded good.

Pretty much says it all...

-robert

[Mazinger]

Originally posted by rllefebv




Pretty much says it all...

-robert

I guess that's pretty much the answer I was looking for too.

It's just something I seem to notice when I see a bass player with a P-bass.

[PollyBass]

Originally posted by Amadeus
Oh, just noticed, I don't have a P bass. My post means nothing now.

Glad you realize this.

[JoeRules00]

I like my P-Bass because I like it's raw sound, when the tone is on full blast. I feel you get a boost when the tone is all the way up and you use a pick. The songs I play with lower tone are usually fingered, and the exception to the rule for me is Toadies - Tyler. Though I'm pretty sure it's played with the pick, I much prefer the tone/fingered sound.

[Arrrrrgh]

I never play my P_Bass with a pick, whenever I see someone ( bass player ) playing with a pick, I think they are limiting what they can do on the bass. You can make a pick sound with your fingers if you want to. If you insist on playing with a pick, get a guitar.

IMHO

[PollyBass]

Originally posted by Arrrrrgh
I never play my P_Bass with a pick, whenever I see someone ( bass player ) playing with a pick, I think they are limiting what they can do on the bass. You can make a pick sound with your fingers if you want to. If you insist on playing with a pick, get a guitar.

IMHO

Oh god, you are such a.......oh...OH NICE SAVE with the "IMHO".....That got you off the hook. but i will say people that LIMIT themselves to one aspect of playing are more LIMITED than ones that do.... IMHO...

[WillPlay4Food]

The bassist for "Shakedown Street", a dead cover band has the most unique fingering / picking style I've ever seen. He holds the pick all the time, and uses his ring & pinky fingers when he wants to finger. Throughout the set he's just seemlessly switching between pick and finger why he gets the groove on.

Quite cool, I think. I know I don't have that kind of talent . . . yet.

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

Originally posted by WillPlay4Food
The bassist for "Shakedown Street", a dead cover band has the most unique fingering / picking style I've ever seen. He holds the pick all the time, and uses his ring & pinky fingers when he wants to finger.

sounds like the technique Colin Hodgkinson uses - he often uses the pick simultaneously with his fingers for chordal playing.


I suppose most rock P bass users use a pick.
Steve Harris is the most obvious exception.

there's also Billy Sheehan, who originally used a P bass, now the Yamaha Attitude which is roughly P bass-like.

-and there's me
(although I'm working on playing with a pick too)

[Arrrrrgh]

(I Don't know how to insert who posted....)

posted by pollybass

:
Oh god, you are such a.......oh...OH NICE SAVE with the "IMHO".....That got you off the hook. but i will say people that LIMIT themselves to one aspect of playing are more LIMITED than ones that do.... IMHO...
:
(this is Arrrrrgh's response)

Thanks for the reprieve, the OL' IMHO has saved quite a few people here on talk bass. I was talking about people who limit themselves to only playing with a pick, not about people who play both ways. I can't play with a pick, and sometimes I wish I could. There are quite a few places where the extra attack would be nice... but alas... sigh..
Once again, this is IMVHO

[PollyBass]

Originally posted by Arrrrrgh
(I Don't know how to insert who posted....)

posted by pollybass

:
Oh god, you are such a.......oh...OH NICE SAVE with the "IMHO".....That got you off the hook. but i will say people that LIMIT themselves to one aspect of playing are more LIMITED than ones that do.... IMHO...
:
(this is Arrrrrgh's response)

Thanks for the reprieve, the OL' IMHO has saved quite a few people here on talk bass. I was talking about people who limit themselves to only playing with a pick, not about people who play both ways. I can't play with a pick, and sometimes I wish I could. There are quite a few places where the extra attack would be nice... but alas... sigh..
Once again, this is IMVHO

Ah, i got you. i might have taken what you said out of context a little. and by the by, all you have to do is click on "Quote" and it will show the persons post, and leave you room to write your responce.

[Arrrrrgh]

Originally posted by PollyBass


Ah, i got you. i might have taken what you said out of context a little. and by the by, all you have to do is click on "Quote" and it will show the persons post, and leave you room to write your responce.

Haha.... Thanks for the quote tip.. I'll make sure to use it while I rip to shreds all of your future posts...

thanks again

[kaboom133]

now simmer down kids...... (then again, i'm probably younger than both of you.) anyway, i play p-bass, i love the sound of it with or without a pick. i play both. if you do both, and do it in different places on the bass, you can get almost any sound you could want (or at least i want).

[TravellinMan]

Originally posted by Arrrrrgh
I never play my P_Bass with a pick, whenever I see someone ( bass player ) playing with a pick, I think they are limiting what they can do on the bass. You can make a pick sound with your fingers if you want to. If you insist on playing with a pick, get a guitar.

IMHO

I'll have to second that one! I use my fingers because 3 years ago, I lost the tip of my index and can't hold a pick at all! You can make the same sound with you're fingers just dig a little harder!

[dancehallclasher]

you can't make your fingers sound the same as a pick. sorry.

[PollyBass]

Originally posted by dancehallclasher
you can't make your fingers sound the same as a pick. sorry.