Getting The Sound Of A Pick Without A Pick!!

[Lukc]

So a band I joined a little under a year ago wants to hit the studio again. Last time they recorded, they asked the bassist at the time to use a pick for recording to get a "stronger sound". While I get the IDEA behind using a pick for recording, I really don't want to! I'm a lazy person who doesn't have the patience to learn a technique because of recording.

I mean I'll do it if I really have to but I don't want to...

So any magical shenanigans that will make sure my bass sounds present and active, and isn't compressed to the ground? Cheers!

 

[NoiseNinja]

Well, the only thing I can think of is growing your fingernails a little and use the edge of you finger and nail to strum the strings with, that is basicly what I do when my sort of classical guitar style fingering technique doesn't cut.
But then again it won't give you exactly the sort of punch and click a pick would have given you, and you would still have to practice it since it is basicly the same technique you use as if you would have had a pick between your fingers.

So I don't really know, honestly I don't think there is any other way than the hard way.

 

[seamonkey]

Play closer to the bridge and turn the gain up to compensate maybe.
But, I can't believe anybody would care if you used fingers if you sounded good.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

Nothing beats the clear, crisp, sharp attack of a pick when it's appropriate for a song. Pretty near impossible to duplicate that with finger tips.

 

[Dave W]

Nothing beats the clear, crisp, sharp attack of a pick when it's appropriate for a song. Pretty near impossible to duplicate that with finger tips.

Agreed. There is no substitute for a pick.

Why not learn how to play with one? It's just going to give you another tool
in the box.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Take it up a step: learn pick technique but on quality flatwounds.

Riis

 

[pcake]

i used to get a picklike sound by getting acrylic overlays on my nails. doing that also gave me the advantage of making the nails pretty much unbreakable plus the edges didn't peel at all when playing hard for extended periods on roundwounds. the catch is you have to have regular maintenance done by a nail tech - about $20 every 10 days - if you don't maintain them, you can get fungus beneath the acrylic and your nail. also due to the fact that the acrylic doesn't come off easily and the fact they rough your natural nail to apply the stuff, if you opt not to have them later, it's a pain in the butt that leaves your nails thinner than they were before till they grow out. i had them done for over 10 years - the sound i could get with them and the unlimited amount i could play was worth it to me.

 

[ddnidd1]

I used to play fairly (actually very) hard with nails for many years on roundwounds to get that upper end bite and definition.

It can be quite effective in the context of a live band..

Depending upon the thickness of your nails (they do wear down), how aggressive your playing style is and your overall EQ, this approach can be quite effective.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

Take it up a step: learn pick technique but on quality flatwounds.

Riis

Don't overlook ground wounds, sometimes called half wounds. Smooth on the surface but internally like round wounds.

 

[Leo was right]

The pick is to the bass what the clavecin is to the piano.

A totally different instrument!

My favorite bass players are finger picking.

J*** P********. J**** J*******. JPJ. JERRY J******.

Ok enough for the J. & P letter.

J*** B**** also.

And Stanley Clark, and Flea, and Geddy Lee, ect.

 

[Leo was right]

I play since 40 years and if I would be force to play with a pick I rather want to learn to play tuba.

 

[two fingers]

Nothing beats the clear, crisp, sharp attack of a pick when it's appropriate for a song. Pretty near impossible to duplicate that with finger tips.

This. Just learn how to. To me, every bass player should at least have the fingers and pick thing down. But, honestly, you should have a bag full of techniques at your disposal.

 

[Leo was right]

This. Just learn how to. To me, every bass player should at least have the fingers and pick thing down. But, honestly, you should have a bag full of techniques at your disposal.

I agree, it is always better to play more than one instrument . And singing is a plus too. This is my weakness, I am only an electric bass player, a little on the upright too but not good enough to gig. I am not very versatile but I am myself.

 

[AngelCrusher]

This. Just learn how to. To me, every bass player should at least have the fingers and pick thing down. But, honestly, you should have a bag full of techniques at your disposal.

Exactly. I was made to use a pick on sessions when I was younger, and I hated it at first, but the Producer had a great resume and a track record of getting great tones so I could not question his decisions.

Bass playing is all about being versatile. I get hired to play straight 8th rock one day and then play funk on a beat or even Reggaeton or Salsa. You need to be able to adapt to any style or sound to be a great bass player so I always considered situations like yours to be a learning experience and I embraced them.

 

[Leo was right]

Never a producer will tell me how to play bass nor I will tell him how make business, there is too much music made by accountable rather than musicians, but everyone have to make a living and that's ok.

I am not a pro anymore, just try to be a good amateur player

 

[silky smoove]

Never a producer will tell me how to play bass

If it's a paid session...

 

[Leo was right]

If it's a paid session...

I have respect for professional musicians they do what they are paid for, so on my day job I do what my boss want, like I said I am not a pro anymore in music so I do what I want.

 

[Leo was right]

Just to clarify a little bit on pick /no pick.

A friend of mine point me that my reply lack of clarity on that subject so I will try explain it.

The electric bass is a crossover instrument between the upright bass and the guitar (Leo legacy ) and most of electric bass player come from one of these two instruments, so it is totally normal for a guitar player to naturally play with a pick, which is not my case.

The problem is when a young player begin to play and use a pick because it have a sound that cut into the mix instantaneous compare as when he play with his callose free finger that produce a dull sound like if he had wash dishes just before, it avoid that he developed a good right hand technique and a good sound of his own. Like eating food too much salted then after it taste nothing if not salted.

You can express yourself differently finger style or with a pick, it is not one track mind one vs the other.

I must admit Chris Squire would not be the same without a pick, but for years I thought Geddy Lee only play with a pick, I saw Rush in concert in May this year, he play finger style In all songs except one.

 

[moody]

Just to clarify a little bit on pick /no pick.

A friend of mine point me that my reply lack of clarity on that subject so I will try explain it.

The electric bass is a crossover instrument between the upright bass and the guitar (Leo legacy ) and most of electric bass player come from one of these two instruments, so it is totally normal for a guitar player to naturally play with a pick, which is not my case.

The problem is when a young player begin to play and use a pick because it have a sound that cut into the mix instantaneous compare as when he play with his callose free finger that produce a dull sound like if he had wash dishes just before, it avoid that he developed a good right hand technique and a good sound of his own. Like eating food too much salted then after it taste nothing if not salted.

You can express yourself differently finger style or with a pick, it is not one track mind one vs the other.

I must admit Chris Squire would not be the same without a pick, but for years I thought Geddy Lee only play with a pick, I saw Rush in concert in May this year, he play finger style In all songs except one.

Your comment on guitar players only playing with picks is invalid. As somebody who came from guitar (classical) to finger style bass and then transferred to pick due to wrist injury. I still rarely use picks if I play a guitar (they don't affect my wrist the way playing fingerstyle with bass does).

I miss very little from finger playing while playing with a pick - and I can do a lot of things better than I ever did when I played with fingers. It's very nice having a lot of attack - which can be reduced by various means a lot easier than trying to create attack that isn't there.

 

[Leo was right]

Your comment on guitar players only playing with picks is invalid. As somebody who came from guitar (classical) to finger style bass and then transferred to pick due to wrist injury. I still rarely use picks if I play a guitar (they don't affect my wrist the way playing fingerstyle with bass does).

I miss very little from finger playing while playing with a pick - and I can do a lot of things better than I ever did when I played with fingers. It's very nice having a lot of attack - which can be reduced by various means a lot easier than trying to create attack that isn't there.

Sorry you are totally true, bass finger picking have more to do with classical guitar than upright technically speaking. Also not all electric guitarist play with a pick, thinking of Jeff Beck,Mark Knofler.

For the attack, you can have as much as you want if your setup is good, technique, eq, compression, good amp, power, gain, distortion , strings , ect. Sure it will sound different but you will have it.

With my p bass with Thomastik strings I can sound identical to Roger Water.