Does anyone else find it difficult to play bass with a pick?

[Blundomatik]

I am usually a finger style player but when I want to change it up I play with a pick. I seem slower and sometimes inaccurate like hitting the D instead of the G a lot and its not like I am a beginner but like many of you said im sure its just an apply yourself and practice at it. I did recently switch to a Clayton large triangle type pick at .80mm and its a lot more comfortable to me.

 

[BioWeapon]

Pick playing is nice for me, but I can't stand it on basses with 17-19mm spacing. I just can't deal with it. I miss strings and my playing isn't what it should be on wide spacing with a pick.
That being said I played guitar for a few years beforehand, so that might be a factor.

 

[chetbassmaster]

I played strictly with my fingers for the first year of playing but then my tedons started to hurt a lot whenever I played. Out of necessity I switched to pick and haven't looked back.

 

[jorno]

I do both. I use a thumb pic as I'll switch sometimes from pluck to pic within a song when I want to go from grit to thump. I've also found the thumb pic is more stable and doesn't require as hard a grip. I'm about as fast with each so I'll switch based upon sound desired. I had to adjust the strap to find the best height/position of the strings to do both. Then I spent time practicing to get the muscle memory required to hit all strings consistently and evenly. I realize not every bassist will want to do this. It depends on your style. This one fits mine for the time being. Good luck!

 

[waveman]

I can't play bass a pick very well. I think part of it it is due to practice. What's funny, is I am the opposite with playing guitar, I can't play finger style very well, and play with a pick much better. I have tried, and I can't seem to find a pick I gel with when playing bass.

 

[MovingPitchers]

Picks give me clarity and a better high end while fingers give me a better low end and boom. I could cover my fingernails in adamantium but that sounds painful.

Just ask Wolverine.

 

[Lownote38]

Just like with any technique, the more you do it, the easier it will be. If you play with a pick more often, you will get faster and more accurate with it. I find that using heavy picks that have a good beveled edge sound best and are easier to use (if that helps at all). I play with both my fingers and a pick depending on the song, and I have to keep both techniques in shape in order to maintain speed and accuracy with both styles.

 

[henry_du]

Sometimes I play the bass as if Im holding the pick. I dont really enjoy them though. Sometimes I wish I can use it during some parts of songs and use fingers in other parts. Kinda a best of both worlds

 

[SV777]

Im new to bass (30 years with guitar). I just don't like using a pick on my bass. I try every now and again I don't like the tone or the wider string spacing vs guitar. But in the end its all good. Whatever works for the individual

 

[newmusicmichael]

I do both. I use a thumb pic as I'll switch sometimes from pluck to pic within a song when I want to go from grit to thump. I've also found the thumb pic is more stable and doesn't require as hard a grip. I'm about as fast with each so I'll switch based upon sound desired. I had to adjust the strap to find the best height/position of the strings to do both. Then I spent time practicing to get the muscle memory required to hit all strings consistently and evenly. I realize not every bassist will want to do this. It depends on your style. This one fits mine for the time being. Good luck!

Ditto. I started exclusively with a pick, but my current instructor has really brought me around to using my fingers ... so I do both, depending on the song now.