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anything a pick can do that fingers cant?
- Thread starter jaebee
- Start date
I paly almost exclusively with my fingers except when my band covers Tool songs. I used to play Tool covers with my fingers only but have found the dynamics to be suffering without using a pick. Sure you can use your finger nails and try to pull off certain licks, but sometimes it just takes a pick to create that certain sound. I was very biased about playing finger style only, but now recently, the past year I have found that pick playing has made me a better and more rounded bassist. My advice to you is try and play both styles. I have excelled in fingerstyle playing, but I have rekindled my love for our instrument with using a pick when necessary. It actually is quite fun!
Well it's a whole lot easier to do pinch harmonics with a pick, although some people seem to do it well with just fingers...
you can light a celluloid pick on fire.
Try that with your fingers and you'll end up like the one-handed bass player.
Try that with your fingers and you'll end up like the one-handed bass player.
I've always played with fingers...I find pick is really good for learning tunes because it has a midi boring tone...
You need a pick to "grind" the strings and get that cool rock sound. Not always called for, but a nice technique.
+1 to all of the above!
I got in trouble during marching band practice once cause while the director was explaining something to the percussion, I set one of my celluloids on fire which surprised quite a few people.
Plus I've seen to many pop-punk bassists who have to stop a song every time their bassist drops his pick. Unless you have leprosy, there's no reason your fingers shouldn't fall off!
I got in trouble during marching band practice once cause while the director was explaining something to the percussion, I set one of my celluloids on fire which surprised quite a few people.
Plus I've seen to many pop-punk bassists who have to stop a song every time their bassist drops his pick. Unless you have leprosy, there's no reason your fingers shouldn't fall off!
Palm muting. You can also stick a piece of foam under there or palm mute and use your thumb, but do people palm mute and play with their fingers?
OUCH!Suck.
Also, that really tight attack from a pick is sumthin' us finger players can't have. As much as I hate t, I use a pick on some songs so I can get that crisp attack, a la Tool.
Like you I have almost too much respect for them to slaughter their songs using only my fingers!
A pick can be tossed out into the audience after a righteous solo. Or can be used as a form of business card by putting your name and contact info on it.
