What a great thread. I've been playing since '94 and can honestly say that playing with a pick is 99% what I've grown accustomed to / what I associate with playing the bass in general. I'm comfortable enough with finger style but I'll never not use a pick playing live or writing & working on new/original songs or ideas. It's just better for me, IMHO.
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OMG, He's using a PICK!!!!
- Thread starter EricMordus
- Start date
I first tried playing with a pick a few years ago and it was a mess. I think I dropped the thing 20 times a song. Then I discovered star picks and I seem to be a little better with them. I'm still a lousy pick player, but I'm working on it...and by it I mean just managing to hang on to them.
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i wish i had your pick chops. i avoid the pick because i'm too clumsy with it. 100% finger guy here. but i forgive myself. for the most part!
edit: actually i have used a pick in the studio before...but i was glad when it was over!
I could have written the same exact post. Thanks.
Pick almost 100% of the time. I can always mute and alter my pick technique to sound like finger playing, but can never get that bad ass attack and pick tone with my fingers. Using a pick is waaaay more versatile.
I did the opposite trip. Played excusively fingerstyle for 20 years then used mostly a pick for the last 10 years. I became centered mostly on modern hardcore and metal and realized some grooves are really more fluid and natural with a pick (nothing to do with speed itself in my case). Forced me to re-learn pick technique (improved my guitar skills too) and rework my tone and style, indeed developing a more defined personality in my playing I was lacking back when only playing fingerstyle.
Gotta say always fingers I can attack hard with my fingers...I use my thumb alot too and if I need to follow some fast stuff I'll use 3 fingers...so when people say a pick is more versatile I can't agree you can do alot with fingers.
I'll use whatever the music asks for. In my main band I play 90% pick, 10% fingers. I don't really think about it. But it's a good thing to have decent technique and control both with a pick, fingers, thumb... It'll give you all the sound options you'll ever need.
Teijo K.
Commercial User
I used to only play with fingers, but then I learned here that using a pick is the wrong thing to do, so an old punk in me woke up and I started learning to play with a pick.
At the moment I play exclusively with a pick in one band, and exclusively with fingers in another band.
At the moment I play exclusively with a pick in one band, and exclusively with fingers in another band.
I began playing with a pick, developed fingerstyle, and stuck with it for 15 or so years (focusing on jazz for a time reinforced this).
But playing in pub bands more recently I've come to better understand that A) some songs demand a pick for the consistency and type of attack etc. and you can't emulate this with fingers, and, probably more importantly, B) after a few beers and a few sets, fingerstyle can get sloppy.
But playing in pub bands more recently I've come to better understand that A) some songs demand a pick for the consistency and type of attack etc. and you can't emulate this with fingers, and, probably more importantly, B) after a few beers and a few sets, fingerstyle can get sloppy.
It is funny about how many of my friends and fellow musicians thought playing with a pick was lame and would tell me that they thought it was so cool I played with my fingers.
Now, I wish I was better at it. It is a fundamental tool of the electric instrument and there are many classic bass sounds that need to be done with a pick. Now if I pull out a pick, even if I suck at it, it is considered a novelty.
Back in the day if I had learned all those Yes, Allman Brothers and Aerosmith songs, the original way, with a pick, I might be better at it. At least it is something I have to work on and I do.
Now, I wish I was better at it. It is a fundamental tool of the electric instrument and there are many classic bass sounds that need to be done with a pick. Now if I pull out a pick, even if I suck at it, it is considered a novelty.
Back in the day if I had learned all those Yes, Allman Brothers and Aerosmith songs, the original way, with a pick, I might be better at it. At least it is something I have to work on and I do.
Learned with fingers.
Added pick to my techniques. Play with different thicknesses to alternattack and tone. And add thumb. And thumb pick somIncould swap between fingers and pick for a solo. They are all FUN!
As for picks not being for real bassists, Joe Osborn, Carol Kaye, Paul McCartney, John Paul Jones, Chris Squire among others, can't be 100% wrong.
Added pick to my techniques. Play with different thicknesses to alternattack and tone. And add thumb. And thumb pick somIncould swap between fingers and pick for a solo. They are all FUN!
As for picks not being for real bassists, Joe Osborn, Carol Kaye, Paul McCartney, John Paul Jones, Chris Squire among others, can't be 100% wrong.
Started with a pick, coming from guitar, switched to fingers after watching jazz upright players since that was the feel I wanted. Played almost exclusively fingerstyle for years.
Nowadays, I'm mostly fingers, using a pick or thumb when either the tone or feel of the song require it. For thumb playing I use the tug bar as Leo intended it on my basses that have it. Pick playing I mostly approach like guitar. Think Noel Redding, or Keith Richards when he plays bass.
Nowadays, I'm mostly fingers, using a pick or thumb when either the tone or feel of the song require it. For thumb playing I use the tug bar as Leo intended it on my basses that have it. Pick playing I mostly approach like guitar. Think Noel Redding, or Keith Richards when he plays bass.
- Sep 3, 2006
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And here I thought I was the ONLY crude bass player that mostly uses a pick. I feel much better now.
Certain material to me sounds a bit better non-pick. I am bad about dropping my pick and having to use my fingers.
Certain material to me sounds a bit better non-pick. I am bad about dropping my pick and having to use my fingers.
Yup. Just like that hack Carol Kaye. According to her, the pick is the only way to play the electric bass. I tend to disagree. I only go with my stubby fingers these days, but when I started it was all about the pick.Pick player until I joined TB and found out what a low-life, d-bag, hack bass player I was.<This guy looks like he's playing with a pick
NOPE! I look at it this way, I use my index finger, middle finger, and sometimes even my ring finger if I need speed. The Good Lord gave me "three picks" so why not use them.
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I am prepared to play with a pick, because there's one in my wallet. I just wish my hand wouldn't cramp up.
I have watched John Lodge from the front row, and he holds his pick between thumb and index, with the other three fingers loose as sort of a counterweight. Guess that would be worth a try...
I have watched John Lodge from the front row, and he holds his pick between thumb and index, with the other three fingers loose as sort of a counterweight. Guess that would be worth a try...
