So how many people use a pick?

[LowfreqB]

"Double bass is hardly a "fingers only" club! I generally use my bow about 98% of the time. In fact, I find it a waste to hear a great double bass played ONLY with the fingers. "


Damn it pays to think eh? guess thats why I play an electric and not an upright? (:}) hehehe!

Its a matter of tonal choice for those that CAN make different tones come from there bass. Its like this, I suck at the pop and slap thing, I can get along, but I'm no Les Claypool! So do I suck now? I can play with time and groove better then alot of some pop&slapers. Getting it in the pocket is more important then whether you use a finger,bow,pick,nose

[bassbrad]

I use a flat[ick when that sound is needed just like I use the other ways to get the string vibrating.

[heebs99]

hey lately ive been playing alot of punk because thats what i like to play and thats what i play with my friends who play guitar. i play with my fingers, and always have for the 7 months that ive been playing bass. however, i just cant seem to keep the speed up at the right rate all the time. ive heard of things called finger picks that i guess slide onto your fingers and kind of act as fake long finger nails that you can play with. i think this might help my speed. anyone know anything about them? next time i stop into the guitar shop i just might pick up a couple of them. im just curious about other peoples' experiences with them. thanks

[JustAnewbiz]

I prefer the sound from playing with a finger than with a pick. But...sometimes it just looks better, especaily when you are playing rock stuffs.
Also...i felt that it is eaiser to play a baseline that u need to switch around strings very often and fast with a pick.

Anyone know any AMPS or EFFECTOR that can give a soft sound even when playing with a pick?
(I ask this because i see alot of Jrock bands bassists play with a pick but they has very soft sound, like playing with fingers.)

Thanks for answering my questions~~

[ctstraightedge]

Personally, i don't think it matters if you use fingers or a pick. I have been playing on and off for 4 years now and I find that each one is good for certain kinds of sounds. Fingers are better for Jazz and blues stuff and picks are better for punk/hardcore and most new metal.

[Kyoryu]

taken from the web site of Carol Kaye.

"Jerry, yes your sounds are great with a hard pick and the versatility is something, from deep bass (they'll accuse you tho' of playing w/fingers, it's so deep-sounding) to the highest pick-sound (but w/the bottom left in!). "

"First of all, it doesn't matter to me if anyone plays with
a pick or not, never did"

"Have always played with a hard pick, altho' much of the time it sounds like fingers. "

"But if you're going to play with a pick (I've never played with fingers, never had to), "

I could go on, of course. I'm not attempting to say that anyone should play with a pick (or any other preferred method), just kinda politely pointing out that for those of you 'purists' who feel that there is something wrong with playing with a pick, well, you've got a fair number of bass heavyweights on the opposite side of that argument.

Kyo

[puppet654]

well, for some things a pick just sounds better, like the bands I'm in that are punk or rock or stuff where you just need a hard, driving sound with not much technique. But for other stuff, like a worship music band I'm in where the style is slower and more melodic, a pick just is too harsh for it, so I stick to my fingers. I usually use either a Tortex .6 or .73, anything heavier and I get too booming of a sound and a screwed up rhythm, anything softer and too much of the sound of the pick and it snaps too much.

[smoothergroover]

Pick is one sound.
Fingers is another.
One not better than other just different.

I'm with Jeffbonny on this one!I prefer the feel of using fingers but at times I need the tone and articulation you can get with a pick. At other times I might need to mute with my right palm and play thumbstyle to get a faux-upright sound. Or whatever other technique works for the song.

BTW attempting fast rock songs with my fingers (although frustrating at first) helped my RH strength/dexterity/confidence no end as a beginner. Why not try it?

[Bass-A-Nova]

I can only use finger-style, so personally I kinda admire those who can use a pick (even if they ARE former guitarists). For me, fingers is just plain faster, but it's not 'cause I'm a purist. I just started playing w/ finger-style, and frankly don't have much incentive to use a pick. I'm not interested in being an all-knowing, Zen Master of the Bass (though it's certainly a worthy goal), so I just do what's most fun, for now. But I think the best-'o-the-best probably would use both, depending on the song...