drummer wants me to use a pick

[PauFerro]

So our drummer keeps pushing me to use a pick. Implying I'll be better if I use a pick. I keep telling him it has nothing to do with skill level and I always preferred using fingers... His reasoning is when he plays bass he uses a pick and he "sounds better than me" so I should use a pick.... Any way I can dumb it down for him?

I learned a long time ago not to a) tell people what to play and b) not to tell them what equipment to use. They will always fight it. I DO get conceptual on them. Can you make the notes more distinct? The bass sounds too trebly for a rock band, can you make it more bassy? Not "You need to play a Warwick thumb on the rear pickup" or "Time to buy an Ampeg SVT whatever". That only leads to backlash

Ya know... Perhaps the way to approach this is to tell him that you're not comfortable with a pick... but would appreciate what specifically within the sound and musical inflection he is unhappy with so you can work on it. I see that as a diplomatic way to tell him to bugger off and perhaps get a real critique for you to analyze.

You may also want to send him the following link with "loving" message attached...[BTW... are they really playing that fast or is that a Final Cut slight-of-hand?]

Who is the female bass player in this video?

 

[edencab]

start using 1 finger a la Jamerson!

 

[jchrisk1]

When you play drums, you use rubber mallets and sound better than him. He should use rubber mallets.

 

[gorneyg]

First of all...he's a drummer.

 

[Reedt2000]

It doesn't sound like the drummer's reasoning is very constructive. If he said it would be better if your bass tone had more articulation or a stronger attack I'd say he might have a point. The fact that his reason is

he "sounds better than me"

makes him sound like kind of a d!#$

 

[madbass6]

So our drummer keeps pushing me to use a pick. Implying I'll be better if I use a pick. I keep telling him it has nothing to do with skill level and I always preferred using fingers... His reasoning is when he plays bass he uses a pick and he "sounds better than me" so I should use a pick.... Any way I can dumb it down for him?

drummer needs to stay in his lane !
Why is it always the drummer!!!!

 

[Stewy Lj]

Did he taped himself to really know how he sounds? Our brains are so good, that sometimes make us think we are better than we really are. If you don't believe that, try speaking a different language.
You can actually use your fingers and sound like a pick, takes a lot of practice.
See example below

I use this style when I need a different tone.

 

[gjohnson441496]

Try using a pick. You might like it. Playing with a pick is groovy man. I almost exclusively play pick style. However, I was in a situation like yours once...

I invited a drummer to my home for a jam session. He suggested I use 3 fingers for my right hand (strumming hand) technique. Yes, I was offended and wanted to kick him in his "tom toms", but I took a deep breath and tried it. After a few days of trying the 3 finger technique it turned out that I simply just didn't want to play like that (however, I do use it occasionally because it comes in handy when my fingers are fatigued). But, at the next jam session, he asked me to play using 3 fingers and I told him to f#<X off. Made me feel good!

 

[MJ_Sotti]

I must be changing. I'm working with some new guys, and they want to do "living in the Past" Now I've heard it 8,000,000 times, but never really picked it apart...but off the cuff it's pretty darn good if I say do so myself. So, after the first practice I get a email from the guitar player saying "I've sent a link with a youtube tutorial for Living"...

So in my own way I say "thanks for the tip Chuck"...

After the second practice..."the intro to LitP still doesn't sound right..."

Normally after the first email I would have told him to go screw himself, so he has one more chance...

 

[Dalewyatt]

Tell him to use brushes...they sound better!

 

[Chrome Dome]

Every guitarist,I have ever known,that plays bass also,will always use a pick. When they ask me to use my bass guitar? Always tell them NO,if they have to use a pick! I tell them when they have to use a pick,they are a frustrated guitar player. And I know,it is everyone's personal preference. I think it is all about the technique,and how you are use to picking the strings? Okay I'm done!

 

[TKnights]

So our drummer keeps pushing me to use a pick. Implying I'll be better if I use a pick. I keep telling him it has nothing to do with skill level and I always preferred using fingers... His reasoning is when he plays bass he uses a pick and he "sounds better than me" so I should use a pick.... Any way I can dumb it down for him?

First off , if claims to sound better than you. Ask why he is the drummer and not the bassist . Secondly , suggest that you'll use a pick if he uses brushes . Thirdly , Take one of his sticks and shove it down his ars .

 

[Canadian APII]

Sometimes I see some definition lost through effects like a compressor. Dial back a bit if you are using one and see what happens. Sometimes lowering the strings until they just buzz a bit. That has worked for some bands. It might give him the cues to pick up on and you can still play finger.

 

[MattZilla]

He just prefers the sound of the pick, apparently. Doesn't make it better or worse, just a preference, he shouldn't be trying to force it on you. Uncool.

if the op were playing an upright played arco'd, bridge-mic'd into a B15 and the band is trying to sound like Operation Ivy, it would be super cool of him to just say "but I like the sound of my rig"? Fact is: he'd probably be being shown the door. Grab a pick, or find a different band.

 

[BooDoggie]

So our drummer keeps pushing me to use a pick. Implying I'll be better if I use a pick. I keep telling him it has nothing to do with skill level and I always preferred using fingers... His reasoning is when he plays bass he uses a pick and he "sounds better than me" so I should use a pick.... Any way I can dumb it down for him?

Tell the drummer he must use hammers. Tell him that when you play drums you always use hammers because they make you sound better than him because they are louder than his puny little sticks...

 

[bobba66]

You might start sounding like Chris Squire. No, probably not.

 

[Two Leggs]

Tell him to use brushes...they sound better!

Or chopsticks

 

[Altitude]

Maybe it's because he's right but he likes you and wants to keep you around? If he's that skilled, maybe it might not be a bad idea to listen to him and be hyper critical of yourself in order to get better. Use this as an opportunity to discover what he likes about your pick playing more and get better using fingers.

+1. You don't have to commit to turning into Steve Swallow. Try a pick on a couple tunes, see how you like it. It's a legitimate way to get a certain tone out of the bass, no harm in adding it to your arsenal.

 

[JRA]

Any way I can dumb it down for him?

no. you cannot get dumber than a drummer. good luck trying!

 

[TomB]

Maybe you just need to stop cranking the bass knob