My dear friend Lisa is John's widow, and she will be thrilled people are discussing him with such vigor in here. He is certainly not under-rated, IYKYK, but most definitely under-appreciated.
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Pick or No pick "that is the question"
- Thread starter pLewis
- Start date
My dear friend Lisa is John's widow, and she will be thrilled people are discussing him with such vigor in here. He is certainly not under-rated, IYKYK, but most definitely under-appreciated.
My Dear friend,
Never said he was underrated.
I also said nothing about Lisa.
Must be referring to someone else.
I'm a prog head from way back. Still have my old vinyl.
Now Dave Hope, he's definitely underrated. Most peeps have no clue who he is.
Both. I've always had good reasons to use a pick, but recently got into 80s new wave and related music and many were using precision and yamaha basses with a pick.
Andy Rourkes bass lines with The Smiths sound so much better played with a pick!
As mentioned, it adds a layer of practice to be able to convincingly play a line with fingers or pick with consistency
Andy Rourkes bass lines with The Smiths sound so much better played with a pick!
As mentioned, it adds a layer of practice to be able to convincingly play a line with fingers or pick with consistency
No idea why you would interpret my comment as attacking you in some way.
Pick when you want that sound.
Fingerstyle when you want that sound.
Thumb when you want that sound.
I have found a lot of engineers prefer the sound of a pick because of the attack factor.
I prefer fingerstyle because it is so versatile and thick, but use all three methods.
Fingerstyle when you want that sound.
Thumb when you want that sound.
I have found a lot of engineers prefer the sound of a pick because of the attack factor.
I prefer fingerstyle because it is so versatile and thick, but use all three methods.
I didn't take as attacking. I took it as being wrongly quoted. I said nothing about JW being underrated nor anything about Lisa.
Was your reply meant for someone else?
I read this quote sometime in the mid/late 90s:
"I use a real thick pick, one with absolutely zero flexibility. It's like a stick. And the point is you get a lot of change in touch and a lot of change in tone and point attack of the note and coloration on that level and harmonic content of the attack by holding on to the pick tighter or looser. That makes a big difference in the tone." - Jerry Garcia
https://gdsets.com/extras/jerry1985frets.pdf
I'm not a big Dead fan, but this one stuck with me.
"I use a real thick pick, one with absolutely zero flexibility. It's like a stick. And the point is you get a lot of change in touch and a lot of change in tone and point attack of the note and coloration on that level and harmonic content of the attack by holding on to the pick tighter or looser. That makes a big difference in the tone." - Jerry Garcia
https://gdsets.com/extras/jerry1985frets.pdf
I'm not a big Dead fan, but this one stuck with me.
A couple of years ago, I joined a band doing classic rock, much of which I’d never played before. I decided to use a pick if that was the way the tune was originally recorded. It was a really eye-opening experience. I’d recommend any bass player get comfortable playing with a pick.
There's many ways of picking also.
Thick pick, thin pick, slightly dragging the side of it, thumb muting...
There's not just one pick sound.
Thick pick, thin pick, slightly dragging the side of it, thumb muting...
There's not just one pick sound.
As long as I've played plucking with my fingers, or since starting, I've never liked it when my fingernails grew beyond a constant close trim. I've not liked how it feels, the physical interaction with the strings and the tone.
Then not too long ago I put the heaviest gauge set of GHS P flats on one of my P basses and they've broke in to a stage where I discovered I can play that bass with my index plucking finger fingernail just a bit longer or just enough that I can use the nail similar to a pick, but with better dynamic control that sounds pretty cool. It's opened up to me a new way of playing.
Then not too long ago I put the heaviest gauge set of GHS P flats on one of my P basses and they've broke in to a stage where I discovered I can play that bass with my index plucking finger fingernail just a bit longer or just enough that I can use the nail similar to a pick, but with better dynamic control that sounds pretty cool. It's opened up to me a new way of playing.
When I started playing bass, I used a pick exclusively. I liked it, except for when I would drop the pick or it would rotate within my fingers, making me have to adjust it as I played. Somewhere along the line, I stopped using it altogether, and have just been using fingers ever since. I get all of the attack I need (I have a rather aggressive playing style).
That is, until late 2021. I play in a trio, and so I never have a problem being heard. But for the New Years Eve gig a year ago, we did a gig with a big band -- one with a large horn section. We did one song together (linked below), and in rehearsals, I had a hard time being heard. So I decided to use a pick, and that made enough of a difference that I didn't need to make any other adjustments. It helps that the song lends itself to pick playing. We did the same NYE gig this year with the same big band, and played the same song again. This time I used the pick from the very beginning in rehearsals, and had the same success in the gig that we had last year.
That is, until late 2021. I play in a trio, and so I never have a problem being heard. But for the New Years Eve gig a year ago, we did a gig with a big band -- one with a large horn section. We did one song together (linked below), and in rehearsals, I had a hard time being heard. So I decided to use a pick, and that made enough of a difference that I didn't need to make any other adjustments. It helps that the song lends itself to pick playing. We did the same NYE gig this year with the same big band, and played the same song again. This time I used the pick from the very beginning in rehearsals, and had the same success in the gig that we had last year.
Hard to imagine this tone and consistency of attack with fingers
I always played finger style exclusively, there was always a stigma attached to playing with pick when I was younger. I guess that stuck with me subliminally.
A few years ago I was asked in the studio to try a song with a pick and I was terrible. Always thought playing a bit of guitar would carry me through. Started practicing and realising that some of my favourite bass tones are using pick.
Now I’m in a punky band and play mostly pick and love it for more aggressive stuff. Still practice finger stuff but it’s just another tool to master.
A few years ago I was asked in the studio to try a song with a pick and I was terrible. Always thought playing a bit of guitar would carry me through. Started practicing and realising that some of my favourite bass tones are using pick.
Now I’m in a punky band and play mostly pick and love it for more aggressive stuff. Still practice finger stuff but it’s just another tool to master.
I played fingers-only for like 30 years and swore I would never play pick. Then we had some numbers come up that TOTALLY needed that crisp intial attack. I learned pick.
It's the sound.
It's the sound.
A pick is a technique you can use as well as many others available for bass. The whole "you should only play bass with your fingers" is bs.
Using a pick enables you to get tones that are Impossible without one. It works wonders with rock music and a bit of overdrive to add presence and cut through. But it also sounds superfunky, like when your after that Bobby Vega vibe, or to simulate the attack you get with a synth.
You can use it open or with palm mute and using downstrokes only or up and down.
Essentially, a pick is a tool and if necessary you should use it.
Don't limit yourself with preconceptions about what you should do or not do with bass. Without experimentation and thinking out of the box there's no inovation. Tony Levin is a great example of that.
Using a pick enables you to get tones that are Impossible without one. It works wonders with rock music and a bit of overdrive to add presence and cut through. But it also sounds superfunky, like when your after that Bobby Vega vibe, or to simulate the attack you get with a synth.
You can use it open or with palm mute and using downstrokes only or up and down.
Essentially, a pick is a tool and if necessary you should use it.
Don't limit yourself with preconceptions about what you should do or not do with bass. Without experimentation and thinking out of the box there's no inovation. Tony Levin is a great example of that.
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Never have used a pick to play bass. Still able to stay up with Runnin Down a Dream and Dark Side if requested. Even after playing a guitar a pick felt cumbersome playing bass. Makes no sense but, it did.
I would use a pick infrequently, on songs that I couldn't pull off with my fingers. But I always neglected practicing (enough) with a pick, because I was already so much more fluid fingerstyle. So I still suck with a pick!
Don't be like me! Give some time to practice both, and you will learn what works best for yourself and your music.
Don't be like me! Give some time to practice both, and you will learn what works best for yourself and your music.
