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Fretless bass with a pick. Do or don't?
- Thread starter Les Fret
- Start date
It is peculiar how these kinds of "rules" get established and often originate from the god-builders - "Jaco did it this way so you must too or you're not worthy of his memory". Similar nonsense in the classical world. Those folks also like to establish a hierarchy of perceived talent such as the early 70s "my favourite guitarist can play faster solos than your favourite guitarist". Thank goodness the tappers came along and rendered that pointless argument moot.
I must admit to liking a touch of mwah but I wouldn't want to limit myself to being a wannabe Pino. He already has that market cornered and I'll never be that good. A bigger influence on me is Tony Franklin but again he has his market cornered so I'll just be myself and if people think I'm crap, no-one is being forced to listen to me!
Go for it. I promise you, the Society of Bass Conformity does NOT have your home address.
I mean, in that video you posted, you counterbalanced the pick playing by fingerpicking the guitar so the universe is still in balance.
There is something special about playing a fretless with a pick - the harder attack along with the softeninig mwah. When that works best in a song, then you gotta play the fretless with a pick.
There is something special about playing a fretless with a pick - the harder attack along with the softeninig mwah. When that works best in a song, then you gotta play the fretless with a pick.
FullumMusic
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^^^^ First response; best response.
Questions like this always make me wonder. Like, what's the thought process that even leads to people thinking it might not be allowed?
"Can you play a bass with a pick?"
Yes. Why wouldn't you be able to?
"Ok but what if the bass has flats on it?"
Yes. Why wouldn't you be able to?
"Ok but what if the bass has Jazz Pickups?"
Yes. Why wouldn't you be able to?
"Ok but what if the bass is blue?"
Yes. Why wouldn't you be able to?
"Ok, but what if the bass's body is Alder?"
Yes. Why wouldn't you be able to?
"Ok, but what if it's a fretless?"
NO! NOT ALLOWED! CALL THE MUSIC POLICE!
It's music. If it works, it works. If it doesn't work, do something else.
I think that depends heavily on when people started to play. I didn't start until 2019 and had, at the time, never heard of either of them. I mean, of course I had heard tons of Pino's work on hit records and such but didn't really think about all those as being fretless until later. Didn't discover Jaco until later and, as much as I respect his talent, it's not really my jam and I have never consciously attempted to sound like Jaco.
Once I had been playing for a while I paid more attention and started to understand the fretless sound, but it still wasn't Jaco or Pino for me. No, for me it was "The Chain" and "Sledgehammer" but mostly Michael Manring's early work with Michael Hedges that turned me on to fretless. Now that I've been playing fretless for a while I just like exploring the instrument. I don't really have anybody's sound in mind when I play it.
So, yeah, knock yourself out. If you like the way it sounds with a pick, then play with a pick. Shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks.
I agree. Everything is allowed and there are no rules. Yes I play electric guitar with fingers 95% of the time. Same for bass. But if I really need that special attack I will use a pick. I also have other solutions though to get that attack with fingerstyle or slapping. On fretless you miss a bit of the mwah and soft attack when using a pick. But for more rhythmic rock or funky fretless playing it can be useful.
I think in the fretless bass world pick vs fingerstyle is about 15 vs 85%. So, many more fretless players who use only fingerstyle than fretless pick players.
You know how other musicians are often in awe when you pull out a fretless bass (and play it well of course). And how some of them might look at you disparagingly if you play a fretted bass with a pick? Pull out a fretless and play it with a pick, and see the reaction. Fun!
I picked up fretless not because Jaco played it, though I had seen him live back in the 70's doing so. Other than in my research when trying to decide which fretless to get I had never heard Tony Franklin or Pino, or Steve Willis, play fretless before. I did it to see if I could do it, and was surprised when it was not especially difficult to adapt to the lack of frets. What surprised me even more was how much of an impact it had on my note selection and creativity. So I would say "play it anyway you like to play it, it's all good."
If it was just "buy a Jaco bass and play and sound like Jaco" what fun would this be? Kinda like buying a signature bass thinking you're going to sound like the OG? Well, it's not impossible, just improbable.
Rules do not apply, as long as it sounds good, to your ears anyway.
If it was just "buy a Jaco bass and play and sound like Jaco" what fun would this be? Kinda like buying a signature bass thinking you're going to sound like the OG? Well, it's not impossible, just improbable.
Rules do not apply, as long as it sounds good, to your ears anyway.
Make it a 7 string fretless and then pull out the pick, and watch their heads explode!
And since the fretless bass proportion to fretted basses is about the same percentage, or even less, that means only 1 or 2 people on the planet are actually playing it with a pick!
I sometimes use what was used at the recording studio, If we're copying a piece.
If they use a plec and it's a hard-driving song, I'll use a plec. I'll use my fingers, I'll use my thumb and fingers. I have used a drumstick, I guess whatever the song calls for and whatever percussive effect that you can get out of a bass dictates.
Use a pine cone if that works. Or perhaps a carrot.
If they use a plec and it's a hard-driving song, I'll use a plec. I'll use my fingers, I'll use my thumb and fingers. I have used a drumstick, I guess whatever the song calls for and whatever percussive effect that you can get out of a bass dictates.
Use a pine cone if that works. Or perhaps a carrot.
Why not? Your dentist will love you for it.
One vendor had a guy playing their bass at NAMM this year, and he only had one arm, which held the neck and handled the fretting. Delivered a clinic in hammer on's and pull-offs. He was faster and overall probably better than most people you would hear playing these days. Drew quite a crowd. Like Nate Navarro, he made me feel pretty inadequate about my playing abilities.
I love playing fretless with a pick - usually I'm 45% fingers/45% pick/10% slap, but recently I've been 100% pick because my plucking hand middle finger is messed up. I enjoy fretless through octaver too, I think I'm doing it towards the end of this video
Love what you're doing in the OP video!
Love what you're doing in the OP video!
"That's alright, this is a free country
Live like you wanna live, baby! Yeah
Ain't nobody gonna knock it, mm-mmm
Yeah, freedom! "
- Chuck Berry
Live like you wanna live, baby! Yeah
Ain't nobody gonna knock it, mm-mmm
Yeah, freedom! "
- Chuck Berry
Even though I'm a pretty fair guitarist always using a pick these days, I have little facility with a pick on bass. That said, the few times I do grab one just to mess around, I'm reminded that there are some really cool sounds available that way that you're just not going to get with fingers. Somebody mentioned picking with a .73 and that's exactly what I've done with palm muting. Nice sound.
So yeah, play fretless with a pick, use a brass slide
, whatever.
So yeah, play fretless with a pick, use a brass slide
, whatever.
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
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Nah, IME bronze works a lot better for slide bass:Even though I'm a pretty fair guitarist always using a pick these days, I have little facility with a pick on bass. That said, the few times I do grab one just to mess around, I'm reminded that there are some really cool sounds available that way that you're just not going to get with fingers. Somebody mentioned picking with a .73 and that's exactly what I've done with palm muting. Nice sound.
So yeah, play fretless with a pick, use a brass slide
