drummer wants me to use a pick

[Spidey2112]

I would tell him to play with his hands

... or fire.

 

[Reedt2000]

... or fire.

Or in traffic...

 

[Spidey2112]

Or in traffic...

.

 

[jamro217]

Ask him what he expects to hear differently with a pick versus fingers. More treble? More defined attack? Cleaner playing? Maybe what he's seeking can be delivered fingerstyle. If it's a case of him just thinking pick playing is superior to fingers, let him examine your right medius with the remaining digits forming a clenched fist.

 

[mellowinman]

1. When anyone tells me to do anything, I tell them to bugger off
2. Then I try whatever it was they were suggesting, because I may be a stubborn A-Hole, but I'm not stupid

 

[JimmyM]

I have never been in a band where people in the band didn't make suggestions to each other for playing songs better. If you guys are that overly sensitive to it, then I'm not surprised that there are a lot of replies that start with, "I'm not playing in a band anymore, but..."

 

[higain617]

Maybe he's not just being domineering, and thinks that the pick could improve the sound. The worst case scenario is that it doesn't work. Lots of great bass players alternate between the two.

 

[Maynjo]

T

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 him to play with brushes instead of sticks, as you believe it sounds better.

 

[scuzzy]

give it a shot. you may like it. you may not. the pick-for-speed thing is simply wrong thinking. it sounds different. sometimes it fits like a glove, sometimes not. give it a shot, you may like it.

 

[fingerbun]

Playing should be fun. If it’s not then fix it. If you’re the bass player, then the buck stops with you deciding how to play. Input from other people is considered and either used or discarded.. or else get someone else.

You are into the whole area of artistic control here. My experience is I don’t always have complete artistic control.

 

[mohrds]

i mostly play with my fingers, but when i do play with a pick, i use felt uke picks, wedgie rubber picks, or flexible picks i cut from the lids of yogurt containers.

Weird, my yogurt has tin foil instead of a lid. Can I still use that as a pick?

 

[4SG]

...pay him for the pizza...

 

[ToneMonkey]

He keeps saying he only wants me to "level up" he's a lot better at music in general . Phenominal guitar player and drummer, we just keep bumping heads and I don't understand his persistence... Because a lot of outlandishly good bass players use fingers, and a lot use picks, so I don't see why he prefers I use a pick. Enspecailly since they'll be a learning curve since I've been using fingers since I started. I used a pick back when I was in a metal band but now I can play fast enough to not need to use a pick.

It could be a style of music thing. I play with fingers 99% of the time, but in a few cases I switch to a pick. Surf music (because it's so fast) and also driving 8ths or 16ths in a rock context.

Maybe you can probe for more information. Perhaps your attack isn't as pronounced as he would like to hear. Perhaps your rhythm isn't as solid as he thinks it should be.

 

[ToneMonkey]

There may be an issue with note duration. Speaking only for myself, one of the reasons I get work is that I always leave space between notes. (Mind you, I was unaware of this myself. A guitarist friend said "I can hear the space between your notes" and it registered that this was important. So I work at it.) By the same token, you've gotta play it the way you feel it. You can thank me now for my inconclusive testimony.

Spot on. I used to play for this worship leader. He was also a bassist and owned a recording studio. He had an opportunity to record Abe Laboriel and Bootsy Collins. The next time he got together he was really excited. "I recorded Abe Laboriel and Bootsy this week. I solo'd their tracks and both these guys play every note short short short. All the time."

Playing shorter duration notes does tend to leave more space between the notes. It's something I've tried to be aware of in my own playing. Of course I find that using a pick makes it harder to damp notes. It has to strictly be a left hand thing, whereas finger style I can control duration with both hands.

 

[mc900ftj]

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?

Yeah, tell him it sounds better when he uses his hands instead of sticks. So he should just use his hands.

 

[mellowinman]

I have never been in a band where people in the band didn't make suggestions to each other for playing songs better. If you guys are that overly sensitive to it, then I'm not surprised that there are a lot of replies that start with, "I'm not playing in a band anymore, but..."

I'm going to join a band with you, and suggest you spin that double bass more. YOU ARE SLACKING.

 

[Bassgeer]

Tell him to use brushes. Because when you drum you use brushes and it sounds better.

 

[I am Soma]

I would just go with "no thanks"

 

[Tony In Philly]

Just say "Sure" and then start to play like Sid Vicious. That may be enough to get him to stop.

 

[wildman2]

Since I don't play in a band and I've got zero experience dealing with an egotistical drummer that was/is a guitarist...That said.Id set up a session just the two of us and converse with him, in a diplomatic tone and mindset as to why he wants to have me use a pick.There may be some very valid reasons.Have him play the parts with a pick then you play finger see which actually does sound better for a particular song.But to tell you that he plays better and for you to level up just sounds very condescending and callous to me and counter productive for a band.If you don't get on with a pick thats fine.I cant play with one to save my a^^ god knows I've tried.But there are techniques that can sound similar to a pick using fingers give that a shot.What does the rest of the band think about the pick and your playing finger style. If it enhances the sound/vibe of the song give it a shot.Got nothing to lose and everything to gain by adding another tool in your tool box.