Pick players- why?

[Waster]

'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.

The keyword here was 'feel'. I think my finger tone is pretty class to be honest, others might disagree, or just prefer a different tone. That's what this thread is meant to be about; explaining why something that might not suit another player suits you.

 

[Waster]

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.

You just described me

 

[Waster]

Also, I saw a picture of another player with electrical tape wrapped around the tips of his fingers. I assumed this was to get a pick-like sound, when I tried it, I again preferred it to pick. More substance IMO. Now I use that when I want sharp initial attack. Anyone else ever do that?

 

[A-Step-Towards]

Clarity. I love playing chords and a pic just gives such clarity that only a few bass players in the world can get out of finger style, in fact i dont know of any and if they did there hands would be hagard.

Finger style looks so weird/dorky/and awkward to play. Like when a bass player is just thumping along finger style his hand is at a different angle and it just looks dumb to me. A pick player like me who rests his hand on the bridge and picks looks alot more comfy and normal, to me.

I love the clarity but i also keep my hand on the bridge and pick super close to it and then have the ability to slighty move forward and its palm muting heaven. I also speed pick , play triplets , etc. I also do a type of sweep thing. All and all my technique would be damn near impossible finger style and i have yet to meet a bass player in person that can pick as good as me. I have seen bass players picking all weird like pete wentz style but when you match proper picking techniques its crazy what you can pull off on a bass.

Those who dont use a pick really need to start-I can play finger style to but its only when i drop a pick through the song, the cover calls for it or I cant find a pick .

 

[A-Step-Towards]

I am suprised people start threads like this because I dont even think about the fact I play with a pick , its just HOW i play-I wasnt a ex guitarist or any of that crap. Day 1 I bought my bass i went and got some crappy fender picks , that was over 8 years ago. I have been in 3 bands that toured alot since that time and no one ever was like dude you use a pick? never. The only thng people did was give me props, and one person asked why the other bands bass player played with there fingers.

Finger style is what I deem a older dude thing.

 

[Irtemed]

I do both, like any good bass player.

Versatility is great. With fingers you can really do fast and smooth 16th notes, while with a pick, you get so much great attack, especially when putting the focus on high mids. When overdriving a tube amp rough playing with a pick brings forth amazing tones. When using a fuzz, you can get wonderful bassy fuzzy goodness, it's too brash with a pick.

 

[what the pluck]

I wonder if any one has ever said 'that's it, I'm not buying that record because the bass player used (or didn't use) a pick'

 

[Evil Undead]

I only play with a pick on two of my bands songs. Mainly for the tone but also for the look (they're punk covers)

 

[JimmyM]

Can someone explain to me how the OP's problem affects my life?

 

[Plantbrain]

I'm less and less a pick player, it does have that specific tonal sound, clarity, attack etc. But......so does double thumbing and so does double index fingering and so does tapping.

I think you can get there with multiple paths, but another poster made mention that he/she plays and thinks differently with a pick, I do as well, so it is a useful tool to acquire, but quite of few of the top bassist in the world have trouble with pick playing even if they have the Right hand of God. Tool/Green Day do pretty good for pop bands, and Stanly and Manring seem okay not using them.

I'd have to stick with the old: it's the player, not the method or the bass or the amp etc.

I think some pick players feel a tad insecure, please... do not. I did way back when and it was not really justified, I liked slap like many, but you can pull off some decent stuff with a pick. Still, I learned to groove with the thumb and fingers. It was more organic and physical, a closer connection to the instrument for myself.

Any upright players using picks?
That would be weird.

 

[JimmyM]

I think some pick players feel a tad insecure, please... do not.

I don't feel the least bit insecure about it. I think it's the fingers players who feel the need to put down those of us who sometimes like to use a pick who are insecure.

 

[Means2nEnd]

I use a pick about half the time but when I really sat down to analyze why I have been doing this for over 20 years it hit me. It’s was just to instigate useless posts on Talkbass.

Seriously though come on man there are enough professionals who have had major impact on the instrument as a whole mentioned on threads like this a million times before that this question should have been explained to infinitum already. I never ask why players don’t use one ever as really I don’t care so much why they don't. Just saying...

 

[Means2nEnd]

I don't feel the least bit insecure about it. I think it's the fingers players who feel the need to put down those of us who sometimes like to use a pick who are insecure.

Exactly

 

[SoVeryTired]

...Finger style looks so weird/dorky/and awkward to play. Like when a bass player is just thumping along finger style his hand is at a different angle and it just looks dumb to me. A pick player like me who rests his hand on the bridge and picks looks alot more comfy and normal, to me.

...Finger style is what I deem a older dude thing.

:scowl:

You see some pretty ignorant statements on TB and these ^ ... are some of them.

I play with fingers. I play with a pick. The last thing on my mind is what I look like - it's down to how I can get the right feel and sound for the song.

 

[tuckomf]

I used to. I think they sound great for punk rock or tic-tac stuff, or anywhere you need an aggressive attack. I stopped because I'd buy 8 dozen, and 2 weeks later they'd all be missing. Usually there was a handful in our guitar player's case - "Oh, how did those get in there. Sorry dude!"

Another reason not to use them is because some people refer to a pick as a plectrum, and it makes those people instantly intolerable.

 

[Birdland11]

check this out

 

[superdick2112]

:scowl:

You see some pretty ignorant statements on TB and these ^ ... are some of them.

I play with fingers. I play with a pick. The last thing on my mind is what I look like - it's down to how I can get the right feel and sound for the song.

+1

That poster needs to open his mind & start listening with his ears, & not his eyes. The more styles & techniques you have under your belt, the better chance you have of succeeding as a musician.
Musician = Older Dude term for a bassist who aspires to be something more than just a "rock star"...

 

[vin*tone]

.. I've tried them, and just can't make them work!..

Other people can. Youtube Bobby Vega. Seriously.

 

[kevteop]

In my last band I played one tune with a pick mostly because the guitarist demoed the tune with a bass part already pretty much there, and I wanted to get a sound like the one he had in mind. I liked it, I thought it sounded good.

I don't currently play anything with a pick but I wouldn't rule it out. Should really practise with one I suppose.

 

[Slammyapple]

Played guitar 8+ years before diving into bass full on. Practiced the hell out of pick on guitar. Zero interest in playing pick on the bass. Kills the fundamental with overtones, for one.

For music that needs heavy wattage and volume to sound like anything, and not much touch, playing pick obviously doesn't do much harm. But it's a rare few bassists that can seriously groove with a pick in their hand. McCartney, Sting, Geddy Lee -- they're singers, which is a weirdly nearly impossible job playing fingerstyle. (Tho Jaco makes it look Invalid Link Removed, of course.)

Mixed emotions on Entwistle, Chris Squire. Bill Wyman was just sort of lucky to be there.

Seems to be a British thing, playing with a pick. Jack Bruce and John Wetton both play fingerstyle and sing and kick it.

Anthony Jackson might be known for playing pick and phaser "For the Love of Money", but he rules barehanded.

Joe Osborn and Carol Kaye seem to be the ideal template for playing pick on electric. They're great studio players who had great producers. Sometimes they also had doubles on upright. And that whole style of production is gone, gone, gone. (Or maybe not in Nashville.)

Chuck Rainey has talked about how he plays with his fingernails to get his tone. But he knows how to play and can do what the hell he wants.

Depends on the demands of the music, but it comes down to dynamics and tone and control. And a pick just makes all of those harder.

AFAIK nobody but Steve Swallow actually plays serious creative music on electric bass using a pick. And Carlos Benavent.

Banging out 8th note roots with a pick on a sweet P-bass with 1000 watts of juice behind you doesn't make you a musician -- it makes you a construction worker. At best.

But whatever works.