Tutorial on how to play bass with a pick?

[bullshark]

My normal playing style is floating thumb; didn't have to learn it, it just came natural.

But then I tried to learn to use a pick by myself, but I can't even get to the end of a single bar without having a resonating mess in my hand. I can't even pick a single note without having at least another string resonating, sounds like mud, so I'm doing something wrong.

So, good online tutorial for using a pick?

[JimmyM]

Why I keep hammering the Carol Kaye pick method

[bullshark]

Thanks, but I didn't find anything in there that explains how to control the resonance of strings which aren't played. For instance, if I play some notes on the D string picking with a pick, the E and A resonate like crazy and it makes a sonic mess (the G is muted by my left hand).

[JimmyM]

You let the fleshy part of your hand under your thumb kind of graze the strings as you play. This should take care of most muting problems.

[atheos]

If I play the D string I mute G with my left hand and E and A with my right hand, it's not any different than basic palm muting. On the other hand most of the times I don't hit the lower strings so they don't even really resonate which means I don't need to mute the lower strings always. I find muting the unnecessary strings a lot easier when playing with a pick. Maybe I've played too much guitar but pickstyle just feels so much better

Btw I hold the pick like this: http://www.guitar-lessons-central.co...uitar-pick.jpg - feels the best. Yellow Dunlop Tortex triangle picks, I think I'm not the only one here who likes them

[Toastfuzz]

I usually play with fingers, but some songs are a type of rhythm thats just easier with a pick...I use a combination of muting between both my left and right hands, mostly the fretting hand. Its really a "practice makes perfect" thing, no matter what you read you won't get it right without practice. I'd just practice fairly easy riffs and muting until you can get it down.

[Christopher]

Use the side of your palm to mute the strings lower than the one you're playing; use your left hand fingers to mute the strings above. That should cure your problems.

[Flintlock]

If you really want to RAWK OUT use the fingers you aren't using to mute all of the other strings (easiest way is to use your index finger to mute behind the fretted note) and that should give you leeway to do with your right hand as you will.

[Fergie Fulton]

Carol Kaye is one of the finest bassplayers ever to play and all her work was done with a pick. There are many ways to use a pick, so so start at www.carolkaye.com/index.htm
Using a pick is great asset to a bassplayer so do not be put off with the 'fingers are best attitude', its a personal choice, bass player are defined by the way they think not how they play, unless you think Carol had it wrong.

[Skywalker83]

There is also a few lessons and licks on play bass now. A site by one of our members Marlowe DK. a great site for loads of funk style lessons and techniques. I am a daily user of it.

[bullshark]

Originally Posted by Christopher

Use the side of your palm to mute the strings lower than the one you're playing

I just spent the last 3 days trying to do this, in various ways, and the only way I could make it work is either by bending my whole arm in the most uncomfortable position imaginable, or sitting down and hunching over the bass.

I guess I wasn't built right to play with a pick, I give up. But thanks for the replies everyone.

[bullshark]

Originally Posted by Toastfuzz

I usually play with fingers, but some songs are a type of rhythm thats just easier with a pick...I use a combination of muting between both my left and right hands, mostly the fretting hand. Its really a "practice makes perfect" thing, no matter what you read you won't get it right without practice. I'd just practice fairly easy riffs and muting until you can get it down.

The thing is, I don't know the technique so I can't practice it. It would be like trying to practice a scale if you don't know what the scale is to begin with. And my usual teacher is useless for that, he plays finger style and slap on electric and DB, never played with a pick in his life. Too bad, it's pretty cool what those guys do with a pick on electric bass.

[JimmyM]

No offense, but you're being kind of a wuss about it. Put a couple halfhearted stabs at it, decide it's not working, then quit. What would Ben Franklin say?!?!

There is no aspect of playing that you can master instantly except sucking. Keep at it...it gets easier.

[dmusic148]

I think you must be doing something wrong-it's really not awkward at all. Just put your picking hand against the strings in a natural feeling position. The part of your hand that you use for muting is the fleshy part between your pinky and wrist, the 'heel' of your hand. Allow it to rest on the E and A strings while you pick the D. Just try that for awhile, then move to picking the G string while laying your hand on E, A, and D. Eventually you develop an awareness of which strings your hand is laying against. But it takes awhile, be patient. Again, it should not require you to contort in any way.

Now, this only works if you use clean technique-wrist and finger movement only. If you start swinging your whole arm around like Pete Townsend it really doesn't work at all.

[bullshark]

Originally Posted by dmusic148

I think you must be doing something wrong-it's really not awkward at all. Just put your picking hand against the strings in a natural feeling position. The part of your hand that you use for muting is the fleshy part between your pinky and wrist, the 'heel' of your hand. Allow it to rest on the E and A strings while you pick the D. Just try that for awhile, then move to picking the G string while laying your hand on E, A, and D. Eventually you develop an awareness of which strings your hand is laying against. But it takes awhile, be patient. Again, it should not require you to contort in any way.

Got it! I'm no Chris Squire, but I was able to pick a few slow line now without sounding like a mud bucket. Thanks.

Now that I know, I feel kind of stupid for not getting it before, but I was overthinking it...

[Toastfuzz]

Originally Posted by bullshark

The thing is, I don't know the technique so I can't practice it. It would be like trying to practice a scale if you don't know what the scale is to begin with. And my usual teacher is useless for that, he plays finger style and slap on electric and DB, never played with a pick in his life. Too bad, it's pretty cool what those guys do with a pick on electric bass.

I may not have been helpful, sounds like you got it, but what I meant to say was that people will post different methods that you can try to implement, but what you end up doing successfully will be a combination of other people's techniques, since your hands+muscles+bass are unique to yourself. Same as any other technique, you have to kind of figure it out for yourself, just based on other people's advice. But if someone tells you something is the RIGHT way to do it, you're limiting yourself from all the OTHER ways to do it that might work better for yourself. Like floating thumb vs. anchoring on the pickup, many will say one way or the other is "right", but whichever works for you is whats right for you. Muting is the hardest part of playing bass, especially when picking or slapping.

[Chriso21]

Here is a video of me playing a reasonably tricky song. I tend to stretch out my right hand as much as I can to mute the strings, and I also use my left hand on the strings on the neck.
Please forgive the length of my hair...its much longer now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpkdiI7jqOk

[Infernal Affair]

Originally Posted by Chriso21

Here is a video of me playing a reasonably tricky song. I tend to stretch out my right hand as much as I can to mute the strings, and I also use my left hand on the strings on the neck.
Please forgive the length of my hair...its much longer now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpkdiI7jqOk

Thanks for that video. I'm still trying to get my pick technique down and it helped me in regards to where to comfortably put my palm while plucking the E. I'll rest my palm on the fatter strings when I go to the higher strings, but my palm just tended to float on the E and it got uncomfortable and unstable. I see now that it's much easier to just rest it on the body. And I forgive you about the hair.

To the original poster, I'm glad that you're getting it down and don't lose heart. Keep at it!

[Mike Shevlin]

If you have a six string guitar available to you, learning to strum some chords may help you to get comfortable with a pick.