What do you think is faster...double picking or plucking on a bass?

[MistaMarko]

Which you guys think is capable of being faster..picking speed like John Petrucci or just any faster picker, or finger plucking on a bass? Always wondered when it comes down to it, which one could be faster...

[DubDubs]

Playing with a pick is theoretically faster. But there are definatly fingerstyle players that are faster than your average pick player. If you want speed playing with a pick is faster by nature but you can definatly pick up speed with enough fingerstyle practice.

[morf]

I think if we talk about DOUBLE picking/plucking, plucking will be faster.

[lemur821]

I'm faster with a pick, but some people are pretty quick with their fingers. Especially when they use all of them.

[bassicinstinct]

Just a a matter of interest, why the hell would anyone want to know?

IMHO, it's a little like asking where the bluest sky is.

[pocketmonster]

There is no faster way to play a stringed instrument than with a pick. This comment is based on "flatpicking" competitions. If you get a chance to see these guys play guitars, mandolins, whatever, you will have no doubts on this issue.

That said, bass players who only use a pick cannot cover all songs and styles. Being adept at all right hand techniques makes for a versatile player.

[MikeBass]

Dominic DiPiazza.
Does a hybred of picking type motions/fingering/flemenco.
There are countless links to YouTube clips of him floating here on TB.
He's UNREAL!!

[davesisk]

Originally Posted by pocketmonster

There is no faster way to play a stringed instrument than with a pick. This comment is based on "flatpicking" competitions. If you get a chance to see these guys play guitars, mandolins, whatever, you will have no doubts on this issue.

What kind of tempo can they hit with a pick, just out of curiosity? I fingerstyle pluck with all four fingers (index through pinky), and when I stopped working toward building speed, I was doing sixteenths between 140-150 bpm, which is pretty quick. I couldn't see needing to play anything faster, so I shifted my efforts in a different direction. Just curious...I occasionally play with a pick, but I can actually fingerstyle pluck faster. And it auto-magically sounds staccato and "thumpy" rather than the "twang" I get with a pick.

Dave

[KuMBye YamALaWd]

Depends alot on the musical idea being played...

say you're playing 16th notes at 160 BPM;

1) if you're playing a single note repetitively, say "D" on the A-string... then Pick might be faster

same if you're playing notes in Groups of 4 or more, eg.

AAAA CCCC DDDD GGGG

*BUT*

2) if you're playing fingerstyle, and raking the strings from G to E ---> that's fast.... although it can be done with a pick as well.... but recovery AFTER the rake (to play subsequent notes) will be more difficulkt with a pick


..

[Sonorous]

Originally Posted by MikeBass

Dominic DiPiazza.

Dominique.

Sorry, I'm not trying to be a spelling Nazi or anything, but if anyone feels inclined to do a search for previously mentioned YouTube clips...

[MistaMarko]

i actually did a search with that wrong spelling and nothing came up and i cried. thank you.

[MistaMarko]

Originally Posted by davesisk

What kind of tempo can they hit with a pick, just out of curiosity? I fingerstyle pluck with all four fingers (index through pinky), and when I stopped working toward building speed, I was doing sixteenths between 140-150 bpm, which is pretty quick. I couldn't see needing to play anything faster, so I shifted my efforts in a different direction. Just curious...I occasionally play with a pick, but I can actually fingerstyle pluck faster. And it auto-magically sounds staccato and "thumpy" rather than the "twang" I get with a pick.

Dave

Jeez how do you do that. Do you have to rotate your hand? I can't even do 16ths at 40 beats per minute like that.

[lemur821]

Originally Posted by davesisk

What kind of tempo can they hit with a pick, just out of curiosity? I fingerstyle pluck with all four fingers (index through pinky), and when I stopped working toward building speed, I was doing sixteenths between 140-150 bpm, which is pretty quick. I couldn't see needing to play anything faster, so I shifted my efforts in a different direction. Just curious...I occasionally play with a pick, but I can actually fingerstyle pluck faster. And it auto-magically sounds staccato and "thumpy" rather than the "twang" I get with a pick.

Dave

I don't know about them, but I can play 16ths at 250 bpm or so pretty easily with a pick. Maybe faster, but that's where my metronome stops. I can't necessarily fret and cross strings that fast, but that's my picking speed.

[BrandonBass]

I havent seen any bassist faster than sheehan, so I guess a fingers can go just as fast as a pick

[Suckbird]

i do 16th notes over 200bpm using 2 or 3 fingers..

that's not hard to do with a pick, i never practice using a pick but i could probably strum one string faster.. of course it would sound like **** because my pick technique sucks and it would be without any control... still guitar players can go like 300bpm and faster i guess..

[MistaMarko]

is it easier to shred on a guitar than a bass then?

[davesisk]

Originally Posted by MistaMarko

Jeez how do you do that. Do you have to rotate your hand? I can't even do 16ths at 40 beats per minute like that.

RE: 4-finger picking 16th's @ 140-150 bpm

I just kept practicing it with a metronome until I got it consistent. Have to start very slow and get your dexterity built up, then start working up speed. Using a metronome or drum machine is crucial. It actually took me a couple weeks just to get from about 50 bpm to 80 or so bpm...after that it was an incremental uphill push. I haven't practiced any speed exercises in a while, so I doubt I could hit the 150bpm at the moment, but that's where I stopped. I like to play grooves, and those are usually tempos of 90-120 or so. Anyway, it took me about 5-6 weeks to get it solid at a range of tempos that were useful for music that I do. It's really made a difference in my playing (ie. in what I can rhythmically execute), so it was well worth the effort to me.

I actually keep my hand fairly flat over the strings and angle my wrist just a tad to the right (or roll it back and forth slightly as I play). I can't reach well with the ring and pinky, so I position my hand so that I'm reaching with the index finger, if that makes sense.

There's really three benefits to this 4-finger picking, as I see it:

1) Speed: I can't pick nearly as fast with two fingers. I can get close, but it sounds like a blur of notes rather than distinct staccato notes. See #2!

2) Staccato notes: With 4-finger picking (index - pinky, that is), the notes auto-magically come out staccato. The string gets a finger back on it quicker, so the notes are bright and short. I really like this characteristic, it works well with 16th-based funk grooves (Rocco Prestia types of riffs). You could also mute with your left hand, or mute with the ring and pinky, but I get a dull and short note with those techniques, where with 4FP I get bright and short notes. I like that better, it's a different sound.

3) Economy of motion: At a tempo like 120bpm, I can play straight 16th's for quite a while without fatique. Each finger only has to do the work equivalent to playing quarter notes at 120bpm, which isn't particularly demanding. There's four fingers on my hand and four 16th's in a beat...it just made too much sense to not learn!

Dave

[Poop-Loops]

You play with your pinky? Did it take you long to get it strong enough? Do you need to keep shifting your hand in order to reach with it, or do you just play in a fixed position?

[davesisk]

Yup, I do play with my pinky. It took about two months or so to get it strong enough that I didn't miss notes, and that I could consciously accent the note the pinky is playing (like when I want to stop on the pinky). If I can give you a mental picture, I *slightly* flex my whole hand to the left as I pick from index to pinky, using the wrist as a pivot. Maybe I should try to do a short video of this, eh?

Just as an example, here's a worship song that I fit some drums and bass to (it was originally just acoustic guitar and vocals from my church's music pastor...and yes, I play drums in addition to bass). The takes aren't final, so this is a rough draft with a little slop, but you can get an idea of what it sounds like. I used a very midrangey tone to get the bassline to cut through well.

http://www.ipass.net/davesisk/music/...ys_TestMix.mp3

I didn't clock it, but I think this is around 120 bpm or so? All the 16th's and the short (4 note) sixtuplet riff in the chorus are 4FP'd. This isn't intended to be "shred" by any means...the target was a very energetic groove, and I think I accomplished that. I couldn't have done this with 2-finger picking...I couldn't have gotten it fast AND muted AND fairly bright. (This isn't that bright because these are quite old/dead strings...with newer strings it would be much brighter...I'll worry about that in the final tracks though).

[pretaanluxis]

Originally Posted by pocketmonster

There is no faster way to play a stringed instrument than with a pick.

i agree