Interesting. Come to think of it, I think I never saw a bass player use one. Seems like it would be quite an adaptation in technique, for me anyway.
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Fingers or plectrum?
- Thread starter Raman
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Depends on the song. But....I never play with a pick because u never have and it's awkward for me.
Joined a new band, heavy rock. Their old player used a pick and they were worried I couldn't handle the speed of the lines without a pick.
Them they saw and heard the fact I can play quadruple time with my fingers, their fears were assuaged.
I think some people just have a personal technique and style, and putting them into a box they aren't comfy with limits their ability.
Joined a new band, heavy rock. Their old player used a pick and they were worried I couldn't handle the speed of the lines without a pick.
Them they saw and heard the fact I can play quadruple time with my fingers, their fears were assuaged.
I think some people just have a personal technique and style, and putting them into a box they aren't comfy with limits their ability.
Interesting that the most “modern” imo method would translate well to an old style of music like rockabilly. I love rockabilly and have even slapped the double bass for about a year before going back to strictly electric. I would not have thought of trying to pick ‘billy tunes on an electric bass. You have me intrigued!
Basvarken
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Jerry Only of The Misfits is the only thumb pick bass player I’ve ever known of. I think it’s an interesting approach.
I'm pretty much just doubling lines that are part of the guy's pattern on guitar. (He's always so complimentary and I'm thinking: dude, you're already playing what I play!! He plays solo a lot, and as a duo with drums...) At least in that situation, the pick really seems to help lock it in.
YMMV. (This guy I work with plays that style like he sold his soul to the devil.)
Pick. I never play fingerstyle when I write originals because I sing most of them, and playing with a pick makes it a lot easier.
My fingers are very thin too, so playing fingerstyle doesn't create such a fatter tone.
My fingers are very thin too, so playing fingerstyle doesn't create such a fatter tone.
Will look it up! I know (and love!) The Misfits, but never saw the bass player in action.
I was recording some rockabiliy type songs at the time. I wanted the ka-thunk of a pick with palm muting. I put on a thumb pick and it was just natural for me.
Then in the fall, I debuted it with my band on a few songs. They loved it. I find it easy to mute or full out pick. It is also easy to switch to using my fingers without dropping the pick. If I need to up-pick fast you just squeeze it like a normal pick. For me though, it is mostly down picking and strums.
You got me intrigued. Next time I'm at the store, I'll buy one to try.
I could see if a person was already accomplished or used to regular plectrum playing like guitar, but since that always felt alien to me anyway the thumb is right for me. It always felt weird to me to have the top/side of my index finger over a string when gripping a regular flat pick. Check it out and post what you think!
Has anyone else used fingernails?
I played upright bass before playing electric and so I naturally ended up using my fingers.
I have found it very difficult to play with a pick.
I have however played some classical guitar in my past and occasionally grow my nails in the index and middle finger (right hand) this along with some nail hardener makes for a pretty convincing pick sound. At one point I even cut the nail so that one half of the nail was very short and the other extended enough to use as a sort of plectrum. By varying the angle of attack I could then get either a fingerstyle or a plectrum type sound.
Just wondering if anyone else has been down that road.
I eventually gave that up because it takes some regular nail care and I got tied of spending more time on my nails than my girlfriends.
I played upright bass before playing electric and so I naturally ended up using my fingers.
I have found it very difficult to play with a pick.
I have however played some classical guitar in my past and occasionally grow my nails in the index and middle finger (right hand) this along with some nail hardener makes for a pretty convincing pick sound. At one point I even cut the nail so that one half of the nail was very short and the other extended enough to use as a sort of plectrum. By varying the angle of attack I could then get either a fingerstyle or a plectrum type sound.
Just wondering if anyone else has been down that road.
I eventually gave that up because it takes some regular nail care and I got tied of spending more time on my nails than my girlfriends.
That level of nail care would be impossible with my manual day-time job...
I just did a session where I went from slap to fingers to palm mute pick to pick. Forget about multiple basses, multiple techniques is way more fun and versatile when you build up your skill to to a point of it feeling natural.
For decades I was 99% fingers only. I'd say now I'm 85/15 fingers to pick. Some songs just feel better with that clicky attack. Also, as I have been fighting with hand and forearm cramps, I found using a pick is easier for rock songs consisting of straight eighth notes on root notes. It gives the right hand a bit of a break in long sets. For some weird reason I was "anti-pick", and that just seams silly to me now.
95% finger pick. I’ll do down strokes with my fingernail to get the sound I want in particular song parts. Sometimes though, you just gotta pull out the pick.
Fingers by default. Occasionally, I will play the same songs with a pick just to stay in practice.
