Fingers vs pick?

[JRA]

why do use use this technique?

easiest.

 

[Sixgunn]

I started decades ago with a pick but switched to fingers probably within two years. It just felt natural. I play a fairly wide variety of music and I have never needed a pick for the right vibe/sound, but that's just me.

 

[Vinny_G]

I've always felt that when it comes to playing the bass, the magic is in the right hand (or, for you southpaws, the plucking hand). I have absolutely no problem with picks, and I think they sound amazing on many songs, but I also think that a pick almost by definition limits the things you can do with your plucking hand...

This is a common misconception among fingerstyle players. There are many different picking techniques: Carol Kaye, Paul McCartney, Bobby Vega, Anthony Jackson, Duff McKagan, Steve Swallow ... They all play differently and they all sound different.

 

[Killing Floor]

Is this a joke? No option for banging with a drumstick? No Ebow? Whatever.

 

[sotua]

Yes.

 

[Hypocrite]

Fingers for my technical brutal death metal band, pick and tapping for my atmospheric blackened death doom band

 

[mattj1stc]

I voted fingers as this is mostly what I do, at least 98% of the time. I can play with a pick and do so when it's needed (maybe 1.5% of the time). Slapping is not my strong point, but there's one song where I have to do it all the time and another that is mostly finger with a brief slap piece in the chorus (maybe 0.5% of the time). There aren't too many songs I can think of that where you absolutely could not play them anyway you might want to (meaning original is finger but you use a pick) - most people won't notice the change.

 

[Flamingo21]

There are many different picking techniques: Carol Kaye, Paul McCartney, Bobby Vega, Anthony Jackson, Duff McKagan, Steve Swallow ... They all play differently and they all sound different.

Could you elaborate, please? What are all these different pick techniques? Maybe this warrants a new thread.

 

[woodyng2]

Fingers are best for nose-pickin.

 

[Flamingo21]

Fingers are best for nose-pickin.

Then my bass is a nose.

 

[funkmaster p]

All.

 

[Jay2U]

Welcome to TB!

Some options are missing from the poll, like carrots. Every experienced TalkBassist knows carrots are mandatory.

To answer your question, I mostly play finger style, even Punk Rock. Every now and then I pick up a pick, but I never slap my dear basses.

 

[dangevans]

1. What sound do you want?
2. What feels natural to you?

I use these two questions to decide what to use.

 

[chaak]

predominantly a finger player, have been one since i picked up the bass in 1999. .....long story short, in my current band (progressive metal) i double the guitar lines, and i am in need to using a pick. I am ok with that but not as high BPMs. so i have been working on it and i've been using what Clay Gober (Polyphia) or Tosin Abasi (swybrid) have developed, a hybrid between pick and pop. i usually cover pick style by using double thumping but that has its speed limits, after all we're humans!

 

[jwoiton]

I'm a former pick player that has just got comfortable playing with my fingers. A decade a go I was playing with a band and the guitar player encouraged me to try playing with my fingers. I tried but then he said to stop and go back to pick because I was late on the beat with my fingers. I finally figured our what the problem was I was using flat wound strings and I had trouble getting traction on the string with my fingers. I switched to round wound strings and the traction is there with my fingers to play on time now. Not sure if anyone else has experienced something like this.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

About 50-50 fingers and pick.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I'm a former pick player that has just got comfortable playing with my fingers. A decade a go I was playing with a band and the guitar player encouraged me to try playing with my fingers. I tried but then he said to stop and go back to pick because I was late on the beat with my fingers. I finally figured our what the problem was I was using flat wound strings and I had trouble getting traction on the string with my fingers. I switched to round wound strings and the traction is there with my fingers to play on time now. Not sure if anyone else has experienced something like this.

I don't think I have ever experienced that... but it makes sense.

 

[Seashore]

Nearly all pick. I like playing mellow stuff with my fingers at home, and a little bit of tapping, but pick feels natural for everything I play in a band context.

 

[Seashore]

I'm a former pick player that has just got comfortable playing with my fingers. A decade a go I was playing with a band and the guitar player encouraged me to try playing with my fingers. I tried but then he said to stop and go back to pick because I was late on the beat with my fingers. I finally figured our what the problem was I was using flat wound strings and I had trouble getting traction on the string with my fingers. I switched to round wound strings and the traction is there with my fingers to play on time now. Not sure if anyone else has experienced something like this.

I had this experience even with a pick when I first started playing bass. I realized there were two things going on - I was getting a little bit of drag that I wasn't used to from guitar, and I was subconsciously listening to and processing the other instruments too much. "Latency"...

 

[noahw1]

I use fingers predominantly but will use a pick sometimes too. Whatever it takes to get the sound I need.