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Pick players- why?
- Thread starter Waster
- Start date
It sounds different.
As much as you say this isn't a hate on pick players thread, the answers are extremely obvious if you aren't ignorant, which leads me think think otherwise.
As much as you say this isn't a hate on pick players thread, the answers are extremely obvious if you aren't ignorant, which leads me think think otherwise.
You can use your nails for that scraping noise, that's what Cliff Burton did.
But to my knowledge, Cliff didn't really have that scraping tone. His was full and distorted as hell, but not scraping.
I have to agree. It's hard to imagine any reasonably experienced player who actually knows so very little about such a ubiquitous playing technique. Something tells me that trying to explain it to him is a waste of time and energy...
MM
Hamlet7768 said:
You mean when you scratch the pick (or fingernail) against the string? I'm pretty sure he does that live with Anesthesia. But I could be wrong.
- Jan 21, 2012
- 665
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- Disclosures
- endorsing artist hard luck king guitars and knuckle head strings
'better tone' is the only place you went wrong. what tone is better is up to personal taste. i for one like the sound of a pick. thats why i play with picks.
I think that pick playing is different, both for tone and actually for style as well. There are certain rhythms that lend themselves to pickstyle playing much more readily, which are just idiosyncratic to that way of playing. And they sound and feel better when played with a pick...I can't say that I can play everything I can with my fingers that I can with a pick. And I'm primarily a fingerstyle player...in the end, it's all music, and what you want to get out of it.
I don't play with a pick because I just can't get into it. But I love the sound some of my heroes got using one. I have more heroes that used fingerstyle but the "plectrum" sound had its place. I think John Paul Jones of Zeppelin used that as his primary sound as a session player.
Masoko Tanga
Masoko Tanga
I've listened to a bunch of Cliff clips, including isolated tracks from the studio, and I've never heard anything like that fingernail-scrape (which I've done when my nails are long enough, so I do know what it sounds like).
Steve Harris definitely did it, though, and you can definitely hear the result.
Hi guys, thanks for all your responses. I guess when I said 'biased' that was the wrong word; like I say, I'm not hating on picks, a lot of my heroes (Lemmy, Chris Squire, Sir Paul, to name a few) used them. This wasn't a 'Oh my gosh, why would you use a pick!' thread, rather just trying to find out other people personal reasons. I'm not too stupid to not know of the specific tonal differences, but I was trying to understand why they appealed to other players.
I'm not asking to be convinced to play with a pick; I doubt anyone here will change my mind, although I've been playing for less than a year so perhaps I shall pick one up as I mature as a player.
I'm not asking to be convinced to play with a pick; I doubt anyone here will change my mind, although I've been playing for less than a year so perhaps I shall pick one up as I mature as a player.
- Jan 27, 2010
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- 471
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Genz Benz Amplification
I personally don't like using a pick. Don't care for the sound, and it's really not comfortable for me. I don't really see a speed advantage, I can play much faster using my fingers, and I've played guitar as long as bass. But yes, it does make it easier to cut through the mix with loud guitars. I just boost my mids. I've pretty much quit using a pick on guitar as well. I just feel more connected to the instrument using my fingers.
lfmn16 said:
Fair point; I spent a few days using only pick to try and get the hang of it, but like you can tell, I didn't like it, so didn't put more work in.
The rest of what you say is totally unfair though; I am dedicated to the instrument. At minimum I spend 1-2 hours practicing a day. I started with basic technique, then basic theory (ie I III V bVII etc), then I studied the blues and now I am working on grades. I may not be Jaco, but, to be totally honest, I've been able to hold my own in any musical setting I've been placed in.
Sorry for the rant, but yeah, whatever.
I started on guitar for a couple of months before becoming the bass player (with a pick) among three guitarists. Played Aria Violin bass, Hofner and then a Fender Jazz, all with narrow necks so a wide neck causing problems didn't exist for me. I played a buddy's P Bass and the neck was just too wide for my technique.
I've played in several bands each with a different style and had no complaints about my tone, ever.
After reading so many threads like this one, around 2009 I started concentrating on 2-finger style for awhile until I got it down. I can still pick faster but for the most part, can play pretty much everything either way. So whatever the music needs, I can do it.
I also learned a bit of slap/pop but need more work on that to be proficient. I like using the pick when I palm mute which seems to be a lot lately for my jam band since I don't need the notes to ring out most of the time.
I've played in several bands each with a different style and had no complaints about my tone, ever.
After reading so many threads like this one, around 2009 I started concentrating on 2-finger style for awhile until I got it down. I can still pick faster but for the most part, can play pretty much everything either way. So whatever the music needs, I can do it.
I also learned a bit of slap/pop but need more work on that to be proficient. I like using the pick when I palm mute which seems to be a lot lately for my jam band since I don't need the notes to ring out most of the time.
MysticMichael said:The "motivation", as you put it, is chiefly tone - pure and simple. Playing pickstyle gives you that crystal clear, ringing, cutting, "piano wire" tone that's difficult, if not impossible, to obtain playing with any other technique.
If you're the type of player who doesn't acknowledge pickstyle tone as legitimate and acceptable, then no amount of explanation and justification will ever convince you - in which case, this is a waste of time.
If, however, you really didn't know any of this, yet you have an open mind concerning it, then I would commend some of the best in pickstyle bass playing for your listening pleasure - so you can begin to get up to speed. While there are many pro players, even legendary players, who might fit the bill, I personally recommend listening to Chris Squire's playing during his heyday with Yes. So check out Fragile, Close To The Edge, and Relayer - among other classic Yes works - and ask yourself: 'Would it really be possible to generate such a crisp, crunchy, penetrating, propulsive, harmonically-rich tone, by playing only fingerstyle?'
MM
Neither. Like I said, biased was the wrong word to use. Biased against picks for myself perhaps; you guys can use whatever you like. I don't see a pick player as any more or less legitimate than a fingerstyle player.
And trust me; I was weaned on Yes. Although I appreciate Squier's tone, it isn't one that I'd want for my bass; I generally EQ my amp to be as bassy as possible without sounding unbalanced.
I guess you can't win with me; I'm not looking to be converted, so don't bother trying. I just wanted to ask your personal reasons, to gain and understanding of other players. Anyone I know uses a pick because it's supposedly easier. Then again, you'd wonder about some of the people I know...
