Do you play faster/easier with Flats or Rounds

[smtp4me]

Faster...? No. Less resistance against finger movements with flats...? Yes.

 

[Nebadon2000]

In my case Rounds; Always used Rounds since '75 then for first time in 2019 tried EB Cobalt Flats
were Very Sticky lessened somewhat after a month[also had other problems]
When I mentioned this in a thread got dozen plus replies that all flats are Sticky and a dozen plus from users saying they are never sticky

 

[woodyng2]

I play fastest on tapes.

Beat me to it. Labella Copper white Tapes are really slick and fast.

 

[MCS4]

The average round is a little easier for me to play compared to the average flat, due to tension. But this can be addressed with stuff like Labella LTFs.

 

[ajkula66]

I play fastest on tapes.

This. Given that tapes were not offered as a choice, I voted for rounds.

 

[Crackle]

I play faster on rounds. My experience with flats is that they produce high friction because of their flat surface.

 

[factory presets]

Too easy. I don't play fast. I play16th notes. If I can't execute those cleanly in whatever song at whatever tempo, I know I need to practise more until I can. I don't want to squeeze a couple of ghost notes into some gaps. They won't make anything groove harder.

 

[bassdude51]

I'm a flat stringer. About 20 years ago, I played and loved rounds but as I got older, I became annoyed with round's "twangy" sound.......(I play bass not guitar.) But, I respect round wounds and players that use them. After all, there are soooo many different brands and kinds of rounds as well as their different sounds.

IMHO, I don't think that flats or rounds are faster to play. But doing slides with flats is definitely easier and more comfortable. Perhaps flats might be more forgiving doing long playing sessions.

Generally speaking, flats keep their sound and last a long time whereas rounds loose their sound and have to be replaced more often. (There are stories of flats lasting 15 years.)

(I also like flats because they are forgiving on fret wear compared to rounds.)

"To each his own."

 

[ole Jason]

I find flats more uncomfortable to play fast for extended periods of time due to the increased surface area of the string and generally higher tension for most sets. Both of those things can be taxing on the hands over time. I also prefer flats to sound pretty low and thuddy which, IMO, isn't the best for playing fast since the strings speak a little slower with that kind of tone.

OP you really just need to try both out. TalkBass is a bit of an outlier in terms of how much people like flats and they're voting accordingly. I think you'll find in the real world the vast majority of people into "playing fast" are going to be using lighter gauge rounds.

 

[Kael]

I can play fast enough to be unmusical on either. To be fair, I probably play unmusically on both normally.

 

[ravlin]

The previously mentioned stickiness of flats definitely slow me down a little on my right hand, but no left hand effect. I still play flats mostly because it's not a big enough difference to make the toan trade off.
Edit: autocorrect error

 

[DrBnz]

I doubt either is "faster". Flats might be "easier" just cause i don't have the string squeak noise and I can drag (not pick up) my fingers as much. But knowing me I'd play them the same and it would be awash.

 

[drumvsbass]

I'm definitely faster on rounds. Something about the smoothness of flats takes my finger an extra millisecond to grip the string when playing VERY fast. Under normal playing (not soloing) conditions it doesn't matter. I love flats and rounds for different things. Playing fast isn't either of them.

 

[MingusBass]

It really depends on the tension of the strings. While a flatwound string might be slick and 'easy" to play, if it's something with a lower tension like a Thomastik Infeld I find it harder to be as precise as a standard 'ol roundwound string.

 

[Nev375]

I want to vote carrots. Thank you for making it a valid poll, by the way. And beets is definitely an intriguing option, but I voted doesn't matter.

It should be noted that I use flats on fretless and rounds on fretted. And Elixirs specifically, and those have kind-of a slick coating.

Like others say, flats can get sticky in humidity, so that's a factor, but other than that, all things being equal, it's a wash.

Hope this helps!

You're welcome.

...

Amen.

 

[mborn]

Flats and fretless. Especially if you want to slide around the ebony neck.

 

[sotua]

It's all about the setup and how the neck fits with you. I have a bass that plays consistently easier than all the others I have, it doesn't matter if it's strung with flats or rounds (I've tried pretty much everything with that bass, nickels, steels, light 30-90 gauges, round core, hex core, rounds, flats)

(Yep, that's my #1 that I've had for 20 years. Other basses come and go, but that one is a life long keeper)

 

[RGerhart]

Rounds for me, but I think that may be just because 99% of my time spent playing bass has been on rounds. The few basses that I have with flats are great, but flats have always seemed to be "sticky" to me, no matter what brand/gauge I've tried.

 

[IAMPK]

I've played only on rounds forever. Was practicing some Jamerson a few years ago and thought flats would be appropriate so I threw a set on and the change in tension made my technique go out the window. Heard it Through the Grapevine - Gladys version - isn't speed metal or anything, but I could not play any of the faster parts like I was doing onthe rounds.

Maybe I'll have to try those LTFs but the regular flats just made it feel like my fingers were drunk.

 

[logdrum]

Thank all for indulging. It's still a tie - Carrots vs Beets. We need a tie breaker.