Digging playing with a Pick

[Iristone]

I play with both pick and finger, about equally fluently. As for difficulty, I find that fingering allows for easier muting of unplayed strings, while picking allows for easier palm-muted pizzicato.
I like to use regular, medium-heavy guitar picks made of nylon or celluloid. They give my notes a defined attack with rich harmonics. When I want it mellower, there's the tone knob and there're my fingertips.

 

[berticus]

I'm a lifelong fingerstyle player as well - working on picking technique for the past year or so, but it's going slow for me. I'm getting the hang of it, but it feels like it will be quite a while before I'm truly comfortable with it.

 

[bigtone23]

I play both finger and pick. It's necessary to be comfortable with each style, as they bring out a different tone and approach to the instrument.

 

[dmt]

From the beginning, I’ve played both with pick and fingerstyle when I’m playing on my own. However, when I’m recording or playing with others, I gravitate to a pick for the attack. Nevertheless, sometimes I don’t want that attack, or I want a more "bubbly", slightly funky (oh man, though — I am not funky) sound. I dunno, I like to switch it up a bit depending on the situation and particular song. Overall, I’m equally mediocre with both

 

[Admiral Akbar]

Played fingerstyle for, geez, forty years now. Started pick on bass a few years ago, now finally feeling comfortable with it. Surprisingly, I found my pick skills on guitar did not cross over. I find I need a very different technique(s) for bass strings.

I found that pick playing helped tighten up my rhythm, even when I switch back to fingers. The precise attack makes me notice where I'm sloppy with the beat (either accidentally or intentionally).

One surprise I had: I expected pick to work well for rock/punk, but I am surprised how well pick can work for oldies you listed, for funky things, lots of styles I didn't expect.

Another surprise: changing the pick you use can make a HUGE change in tone! As big as the difference between flats and rounds. I definitely recommend getting a bunch of picks of different materials and gauges. The tone changes are big, and also not always what I would guess.

I agree with all of this, @andymac . Changing picks has as great an effect on tone (and feel) as does changing strings - even let’s say, going from rounds to flatwounds.

 

[Polfuste]

30 years finger picking here (even with a guitarist dark past), and i added it to my arsenal recently as a kind of boost pedal it works perfectly and add a New sound to my possibilities. Thanks to Anthony Jackson who inspired me this move.

 

[DWA2469]

40 years I played finger Style. I play mostly oldies. Elvis,Roy Orbison, Rod Stewert etc etc. Tribute band. Well 2 weeks ago I started playing with a pick only to find im getting more punch and more speed more clean volume. In fact ,Monday I did a corporate party with a Elvis guy and the band complimented me on how my sound was excellent!! I'm hooked now. Anyone else switch?

I am a guitar player turned bass player and so far, have only played with a pick, because I suck at fingerstyle! You Gents give me hope!

 

[MCS4]

I've played both ways since the beginning. I'll often change from song-to-song, and in some cases I'll even switch during the same song. Plenty of people have had great results using just one method, but I personally often tend to find that one or the either seems clearly superior for a particular part, either because it makes it easier to play, has a better tone in the mix, or simply just has a more appropriate vibe and feel.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

40 years I played finger Style. I play mostly oldies. Elvis,Roy Orbison, Rod Stewert etc etc. Tribute band. Well 2 weeks ago I started playing with a pick only to find im getting more punch and more speed more clean volume. In fact ,Monday I did a corporate party with an Elvis guy and the band complimented me on how my sound was excellent!! I'm hooked now. Anyone else switch?

No, but I’m glad you found a way to improve your playing ability and sound.

When I started playing guitar back in the early 60’s I started finger picking folk songs from Peter Paul and Mary as it was the only LP we had. I also had no pick and found it was necessary. thin interesting this is playing in that style, I was playing bass parts with my thumb which became very useful down the road a bit.

So when I started playing bass, I naturally used my thumb. At my first gig as a bassist I developed a pretty good sized blister thanks to using a very underpowered amp trying to be sonically relevant to the 5 brass players and drums and had to switch to using my fingers and off I when from there.

 

[bylar13]

Started with this in 1986. Using the same thing on the next gig, this Saturday. Never learned to play with my fingers. Is there a thread for that?

 

[Suho]

I think someone else touched on this, but experiment with different picks and pick materials. I've noticed clear differences in how some picks sound vs others, on both guitar and bass. I have picks made from the more usual plastic, Delrin, nylon, recycled gift cards, bone, horn, wood (several types), and metal - including some coins converted into picks. Some picks get expensive but you can certainly find a good variety without breaking the bank. And then I always have my fingers.

 

[Hot Rats]

40 years I played finger Style. I play mostly oldies. Elvis,Roy Orbison, Rod Stewert etc etc. Tribute band. Well 2 weeks ago I started playing with a pick only to find im getting more punch and more speed more clean volume. In fact ,Monday I did a corporate party with a Elvis guy and the band complimented me on how my sound was excellent!! I'm hooked now. Anyone else switch?

Mee too. It was at 40 years of playing when the pandemic rolled around and shut down the gigs. I decided to use the time to learn with a pick. I'm fair now but have not used one live yet. String muting was eye opening for me with a pick. I pretty much got that under control now. This thread has inspired me to bring it out for the next few gigs and see how it goes.

 

[Lo-E]

I’m yet another who played strictly with fingers for about 35 years before working with a pick. Now, almost 5 years later I’m finally getting used to it but it really doesn’t come naturally to me. I have to work on it a lot more than I do my fingerstyle playing.

Odd because I have no problem playing guitar with a pick. Just a different part of my brain, I guess.
Also, the muting is much different.

 

[John Stephen]

Right, the muting is different and also the string’s response to the pick is different, between guitar and bass. It doesn’t matter very much to me what type of pick I use on guitar, but it matters a lot on bass guitar.

 

[StyleOverShow]

So many tunes are steady eights, easy peasy with a pick and oh so clean. Yes I use a Heavy Fender too and like the attack.

 

[SDC1-ClickClack]

I think someone else touched on this, but experiment with different picks and pick materials. I've noticed clear differences in how some picks sound vs others, on both guitar and bass. I have picks made from the more usual plastic, Delrin, nylon, recycled gift cards, bone, horn, wood (several types), and metal - including some coins converted into picks. Some picks get expensive but you can certainly find a good variety without breaking the bank. And then I always have my fingers.

To expand on what you are saying: I found that picks made of hard materials produced too sharply pronounced an attack, almost a click, which might be suitable in some contexts, but was not what I wanted. Fortunately, I was told about felt picks and rubber picks by another bassist who tends to favor playing with a pick. They eliminate the click-like attack and produce a tone closer to that achieved by those who play bass with their fingers alone.

 

[John Stephen]

I use felt picks a lot. They wear out pretty quickly (the tips become too soft), but they're cheap. I also use leather picks, which are more durable and sound just a tad brighter than the felt picks. The one weakness I've found with felt and leather picks is they don't work well on roundwound strings because the soft surface of the pick catches on the surface winds on the strings.

 

[N Scott Shaw]

When I started playing bass, I used a pick. Makes sense because I moved from guitar. I gradually moved to finger style and when I started playing a five string, it was strictly fingers. I have trouble muting a fiver while using a pick. I do love the sound on certain songs.

 

[pbass2]

Been playing both pick and fingerstyle since the late 70's. I fully believe to be a well-rounded pro working in many genres you MUST be adept at both (unless you're Lee Sklar, but...he's Lee Freakin' Sklar).
There's no substitute for pickstyle sound when it's called for (no fingernails, or sloppy smacking of the fretboard or any of that nonsense--try that at a pro session when the producer says "let's try pick on this one", and see how that goes....).

 

[M-Mittlesteadt]

I use both fingers and picks, but due to a physical nerve problem, at times my fingertips become somewhat numb and have to resort to using a pick. And even then, I drop picks because I can't feel my grip on them.

Which is why I now use Black Mountain Thumbpicks and electrical "friction" tape. I put a small piece on the "finger" side of the pick. They now stay in place.

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