Sting and The Police - Picked or Fingered?
 

Was Sting a fingerer or a picker or both? Listening to the songs, I can definitely hear the P-Bass tone but can't make out how they are picked. I watched an old live performance of Roxanne and he was using the pick - but it sounded fingered to me.

Any thoughts or insights?

Definitely both. And Sting varied his approach from studio to live, so you never know. But his tendency was using a pick on the early stuff (Outlandos, Reggatta) and then switching to fingerstyle.

He also incorporates the thumb-plucking technique (NOT as in slap) for a deeper, rounder tone. McCartney does it as well.

And, as Robbie Shakespeare does:

both

To further complicate matters in the studio Sting would often double bass parts on upright bass or electric upright and on a few occasions a keyboard.

Yes, I've just watched The Police in concert in Tokyo 2007 and he is doing the thumb thing on Message in a Bottle.

I guess that for covers, it's just a case of picking the right style for the song.

I've done Roxanne on a P-Bass with a pick, and it just sounds very trebly but it works for the 8th notes in the chorus with alternate picking.

Back in the Police heyday, I don't ever recall seeing Sting using anything but a pick.

I agree. Pick or thumb-pick.

Here's the 1983 Synchonicity Tour. He's playing a white Spector with a pick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdHmO...eature=related

No Treble has a bass track of "Next To You" it is definitely played with a pick & dirtier than I expected. http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2012/08...n-next-to-you/

You should try rolling the tone off a bit and palm muting near the bridge for the verse sections, you should get the sound you're looking for.

Regatta De Blanc is my go-to Police CD. From what I can tell he plays his fretless P with a pick on a lot of it. I wouldn't say for sure though. I play my fretted P with a pick through a chorus pedal to simulate his sound on Walking On The Moon. Works pretty good to my ears.

Isolated Bass Track for Message in a Bottle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9GeWdObMQY

Definitely a picked fretless bass. I think it's the Ibanez Musician, as it sounds like two pickups. Could be wrong - thoughts?

walking on the moon is about the only song i can play and it sounds a lot better wif a pick aparently thats how he plays it :o

Pick

Listening to the Melbourne 1981 bootleg, at some point between songs, Sting asks for a "plectrum." I think it was right before "Shadows in the Rain" which I thought he played fingerstyle on his Van Zalinge EUB, but it's possible he was using his fretless Precision or Ibanez.

I could swear he used his EUB on "Shadows" at the concert I saw in 80, though I must admit it was 30 years ago ;) He used that and a red fretless Precision.

Observe - no pick! :eek:

Nice to hear that. I'm realy sure that is the fretless Precision played with pick.
And I think he got that Ibanez Musician just after the recording was released. Though you can see that bass in the video.

Does anybody know a isolated bass track for "walking on the moon"?
The bass in the beginning sounds different to the end...

Regards from Germany
Andreas

The Police live at Hatfield Polytechnic 21.02.1979

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MwKstla6w0

Fretless P-Bass from the get go! =)