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pick or no pick?

#61
I think the REAL question here is "How do i get that Calbo the Go sound?" I'll share it with you. First thing you have to do is become frustrated with music and give up gigging all together. I'll play in your place (more gigs for me), your bandmates will finally have the Calbo sound. Second,invite me to an open jam,have the misfortune of going up after ive done my set. This will also cause you frustration,the Calbo sound will be the theme music of your walk of shame.
 
#64
Means2nEnd said:
I play with a pick and with fingers and I can tap and I can funk with my thumb. I play in an original heavy at times and mellow at times band. I play with what the song sounds best with for me and my tone. I have been playing over 28 years and I don’t claim to be incredible but I can hold down the low end and I get asked to play often by other respected musicians in my area. I don’t feel less than when I use a pick or fingers it doesn’t even enter my mind. Anyone who bashes a technique or a means of playing in a full generalized way has a lot to learn about being open minded and having some professional respect.

For me to even address another player because he made a stupid comment about fingers or picks or whatever is so much a waist of my time they don’t deserve me to even acknowledge them and frankly I don’t care what they think or if they gig or sit in their bedrooms doing nothing. They are stuck in a mindset they feel they need to defend or to be able to put something down because inside they truly don’t have full confidence in their own playing or knowledge of music or what it is to be a musician. I hope only that they will grow into a more professional or wider minded prospective but chances are they won’t and that’s ok too. Enough about small people with small thoughts.

As to what sounds heavier it depends on many factors and is more than just simple plectrum or not. First regarding the fingers or pick the attack and percussive sound of a note played by a pick can vary how you hold the pick. If you choke up on it only leaving the tip exposed it can smooth and fast especially when playing closer to the neck. Letting more of the pick exposed and playing closer to the bridge can get a very hard percussive punch. Chris Squire actually hits the string with the edge of the pick and the edge of his thumb and has a completely unique way of playing with a pick and has his own tone and sound completely. Versatility is also huge as it is with many forms of finger playing.

My Warwick NT 5 string thumb to me when I play it sounds huge with my fingers and wimpy when I play that bass with a pick definitely on the D or G string. My Zon Sonus with humbuckers sound freaking killer either way. I get the overall feeling that when I play a bass with humbuckers or MM pickups they tend to lend themselves better to a pick and single coil or stacked jazz pickups sound better to me with fingers. So I actually put as much thought into what bass I’m going to use with what strings as I do with I am going to use a pick or fingers. All so very subjective and unique to the individual player.
As an overall statement on famous players doing whatever on a bass just remember one thing they are famous and most likely you are not. So try to learn something from them rather than cast judgment. They too as I would imagine don’t care what you think of them and how they play even more so than I don’t. I will say there are many guys who can shred and play faster with fingers than with a pick. I can play more notes in a shorter time with my fingers but for me like many players I hear playing fast with fingers they must play lighter and the notes get lost and sound weak to me sometimes. Alex Webster and Billy Sheehan can play mind blowing speeds and have total accuracy and sound full and bad ass they are not the only ones but they stick out in my mind as the guys doing it right as far as fast, articulate, and most of all what you asked heavy. There are many more but this is already too long.

I believe Mr. Lemmy K sounds pretty freaking heavy as well as Jason Newstead, Justin Chancellor, John Campbell, Jeordie White, are a few getting it done right heavy with a pick. Get all your basses and play them both ways and decide for yourself and ask they guys your playing with what they like better. Using both is cool then you don’t sound the same all the time. If you can’t remember to bring a pick to a gig you probably can’t remember much of anything. Good luck use your ears.
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#65
88persuader said:
As has been mentioned very good players have used both techniques. For me it's strictly fingers because I feel I can get more variation in tone from my fingers. (Hard tip of the fingers for bright tone, meat of the finger for warmer tone, thumb for slapping ... slap a da bass) I've used a pick when I was just learning and on rare ocasions when I need that sound or I get a bad blister on my fingers on a gig. You can also get tonal variation from a pick however you need to depand more on electronics if you really want warm tones. One other thing I feel is true, a bass player who plays finger style can always use a pick to get THAT sound but a bass player who always and only uses a pick is at a tonal disadvantage. My PERSONAL opinion is bass players use fingers, guitarist who play bass use picks.
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I don't buy this "a good bass player use both styels". There are plenty of amazing players using about only one technique, thus fingers or pick. But it is for sure a bonus to master both styles.
 
#66
I strum simple chords without a pick, just as if I had one in my hand. I like the tone I can get, I can't stand the way a pick sounds on a bass but that's just me. I also do alot of switching between slap/pop and two finger style so there's really no time to go grab a pick and set it down in the middle of a song.
 
#67
Fingers or die.

-You don't need to acquire picks.
-You don't need a pick to play.
-You are more "free" when you play. You are not bound to the plectrum.
-You don't need to worry about what to do with the pick when you do two hand tapping riffs.
-Slapping.
-It differentiates bassists from guitarists. You won't look like just another guitarist that picked up a bass.

Basically: if you are a talented, self respecting bassist, you will not play with a pick unless you are just messing around for fun.
 
#71
Duke21 said:
I don't buy this "a good bass player use both styels". There are plenty of amazing players using about only one technique, thus fingers or pick. But it is for sure a bonus to master both styles.
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I didn't say very good bass players use both styles, (As in you must use both styles to be good) you misunderstand the statement. I said very good bass players HAVE USED both styles meaning there are very good finger players and there are very good pick players. Chris Squire is a very good pick player, Jeff Berlin is a very good finger player. But yes, if you can use BOTH techniques I believe you have an edge over anyone who can only use one of the styles. And i do think players who ONLY use a pick are at a disadvantage because most finger players can grab a pick if needed but if you can't play with your fingers you miss out on that style of playing all together.
 
#72
I can play with a pick, very well. I used to play mainly with a pick. I chose to practice fingers and put down the plectrum. I choose to not use a pick. I can now fingerstyle very well. And I am free.

I wish others would see the light.
 
#74
It is pretty darn rare I would use a pick, I am almost 100% fingers. The only time I use a pick at all right now is in Mike Oldfield's Amarok where it is impossible to get some of those attack sounds and muted pick sounds with fingers. Other than that the only other song is Mike Oldfield's Taurus 2 and thats only in 2 parts of that song.
 
#75
96tbird said:
Just nonsense. A pick is another technique and sound; some music suits, nay demands the attack of a pick. I rarely use one and agree no bassist should limit their growth to them but its elitist hooey to have the view you express sir.
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Although I agree with you 100% I need a good chuckle every now and then, and the elitist claptrap that Mr. Skate is pimping at the moment has provided just that.

Thank you Mr. Skate.
 
#78
NateSkate said:
Fingers or die.

-You don't need to acquire picks.
-You don't need a pick to play.
-You are more "free" when you play. You are not bound to the plectrum.
-You don't need to worry about what to do with the pick when you do two hand tapping riffs.
-Slapping.
-It differentiates bassists from guitarists. You won't look like just another guitarist that picked up a bass.

Basically: if you are a talented, self respecting bassist, you will not play with a pick unless you are just messing around for fun.
Click to expand...

- I do not need to acquire lots of picks, have been using the same pick for a year. Herco plex 75 last and last
- I need a pick to play
- I feel free of using fingers
- I do not need to worry about my slow fingers.... :)
- I do not need to look like just any other bass player, I like what I see in the mirror

My group respect me as a bass player, and I do not have any issues with myself.
 
#80
88persuader said:
I didn't say very good bass players use both styles, (As in you must use both styles to be good) you misunderstand the statement. I said very good bass players HAVE USED both styles meaning there are very good finger players and there are very good pick players. Chris Squire is a very good pick player, Jeff Berlin is a very good finger player. But yes, if you can use BOTH techniques I believe you have an edge over anyone who can only use one of the styles. And i do think players who ONLY use a pick are at a disadvantage because most finger players can grab a pick if needed but if you can't play with your fingers you miss out on that style of playing all together.
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Totally agree that mastering both will give an edge, specially if you want to be a hired gun and work in studio.
The Berlin / Squire comparing is actually very interesting, while I love the way Berlin play, I didn't like his playing that much on ABWH when he had to play YES material, his finger style didn't give the right tone and feel to the songs.
I am sure many finger players can play fine with a pick but I do not think many of them master a pick to a level of other good pick players, you can't just grab a pick and master it. Same goes for the opposite case.
 

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