Hi. I'm just getting started, learning to just play some simple riffs and play along to some easy grunge and punk tunes.
At the moment I'm playing without a pick, plucking with fingers but my main interest is punk and I've noticed a lot of my favourite punk bassists (especially hardco re bassists) seem to use a pick.
If I want to play punk, should I use a pick from the start or learn to play without and then change?
As a teacher, I recommend learning both ways, but most people gravitate toward specializing in one way or another. Whatever style gets you playing and practicing more is the first thing to think about, and yes, the vast majority of punk and hardcore players use picks, mainly because the tone has a crisper attack, and it’s easier to play a lot of fast notes (yes there are plenty of exceptions to this, this is just the most typical case). If the players you like use picks, don’t hesitate to try to emulate what they do. Mimicry is a big part of developing as a player. If you can’t do it, you can practice more, or try another way, there’s no simple answer, and playing fast punk music isn’t inherently easy.
You might find one way is naturally easier for you, which is normal. If you’re just going to play punk and hardcore, so be it, but I prefer flexibility and authenticity to the song of the moment personally. There’s nothing saying you can’t use different techniques for different styles. When I was playing in an 80s cover band, blues bands, wedding bands, and jazz combos, I’d use different techniques to fit the style (and did it all on one bass for over a decade at one point). My natural inclination is fingers, but always have picks handy, and practice enough to have clean technique, even though it’s not the technique that “speaks” to me. Ideally, you use the technique that gets the best result for each tune. Some folks are more stubborn, or lack the ability to cross over techniques cleanly. That’s not a problem if you can make it work for you. There are many different ways to navigate a career, I’ve chosen “jack of all trades, master of none,” and I’m happy, your mileage may vary.
Some folks have physical or other limitations that lead them to one style or another. Overall I find it easier to sing if I’m playing with a pick, but if I practice enough, I can get most songs down with finger style. Both styles have unique challenges as far as playing pure, clean notes, I don’t find one way inherently easier than the other, as long as you spend a lot of time on making sure your notes come through clear and strong. Interestingly, I have one young student who has diagnosed coordination issues, so I figured bass with a pick would be a good direction to go, since there are less parts in motion. The kid practiced a lot and made slow progress but enjoyed it, so I was fine with our progress. One day he just tried playing with his fingers on a whim, and what do you know... he made more progress in one week than we had in months prior. He’s now a legitimately darn good bass player, and owes it all to his own experimentation and work ethic. This is not typical, but goes to show you just never know what’s going to click for each person.
So long story long, try both, and try to do what sounds best in the given setting. If the “wrong” technique actually gets you playing a certain style better than the “proper” technique, go for it. The ultimate judgement should be based on the audible result, not what “should” work or what others have done.
