pick tapping

[BassMoley]

I did a search on this and I didn't find anything on tb about this specifically, lots of tapping in general but nothing about pick tapping. If I missed something, please forgive my foolishness and link the thread. So pick tapping, just like tapping except instead of using your fingers you tap the strings with a pick. I know this is mainly a guitar technique, I've been trying to learn to play and get up to speeds of extreme metal. Most of it is just practice and time, I don't have any questions on this I just searched it and came up empty so I figured I'd start a thread. I was on YouTube earlier and saw Lucas Mann from Rings of Saturn do it and explain it and I thought I'd try it. I know he wasn't the first to do it, just the first I saw do it. I tried It, and it seems a lot harder than on guitar since the strings are much thicker and take more pressure obviously. It gives a sharper sound, but it seems when you try and pull off The notes deaden and the pick just scrapes the strings. So it seems a modified technique would be needed to transfer this to bass. Again no questions, just thoughts or comments.

 

[Oneirogenic]

I would think that lower tension and more flexible strings would be ideal for this technique. Light gauge rounds cores like DRs or TIs.

 

[Flatwoundround]

I did a search on this and I didn't find anything on tb about this specifically, lots of tapping in general but nothing about pick tapping. If I missed something, please forgive my foolishness and link the thread. So pick tapping, just like tapping except instead of using your fingers you tap the strings with a pick. I know this is mainly a guitar technique, I've been trying to learn to play and get up to speeds of extreme metal. Most of it is just practice and time, I don't have any questions on this I just searched it and came up empty so I figured I'd start a thread. I was on YouTube earlier and saw Lucas Mann from Rings of Saturn do it and explain it and I thought I'd try it. I know he wasn't the first to do it, just the first I saw do it. I tried It, and it seems a lot harder than on guitar since the strings are much thicker and take more pressure obviously. It gives a sharper sound, but it seems when you try and pull off The notes deaden and the pick just scrapes the strings. So it seems a modified technique would be needed to transfer this to bass. Again no questions, just thoughts or comments.

This is an interesting concept to me because I do play with a pick but I also like the tapping technique trying to mimic the keyboard in the sense of doing two things at once. I generally will tap the left hand on the E and A strings down low and the right hand on the D and G strings up in the higher octave of the bass. Problem is usually those high notes do not have much definition and often don't sound that good (then I say to myself "why don't you just learn some piano instead of trying to play piano on the bass?". Perhaps the pick would give those higher notes more clarity? It is worth trying out and I will tonight when I get home from my boring insurance job and I can do what I love which is play.

 

[BassMoley]

This is an interesting concept to me because I do play with a pick but I also like the tapping technique trying to mimic the keyboard in the sense of doing two things at once. I generally will tap the left hand on the E and A strings down low and the right hand on the D and G strings up in the higher octave of the bass. Problem is usually those high notes do not have much definition and often don't sound that good (then I say to myself "why don't you just learn some piano instead of trying to play piano on the bass?". Perhaps the pick would give those higher notes more clarity? It is worth trying out and I will tonight when I get home from my boring insurance job and I can do what I love which is play.

Being as old as this post is now I'm assuming you've tried this, and have practiced it enough to hopefully make it work. I practice tapping with my fingers trying to get fast trills and all that fun stuff but its too slow, and when I try the pick tapping it just sounds horrible, the tap sounds weak the pull off is dead. Has it gone well for you ?

 

[Clef_de_fa]

There must be someone somewhere that do tapping on a bass with a pick but ... I feel like you'll need, low action, small gauge and probably a very solid pick.

But ya know ... I guess that if you're holding the pick between your thumb and first finger ... you coul use your middle finger to tap ? No ?

Most tapping bass player I saw, especially in metal, all played finger style

 

[Flatwoundround]

Being as old as this post is now I'm assuming you've tried this, and have practiced it enough to hopefully make it work. I practice tapping with my fingers trying to get fast trills and all that fun stuff but its too slow, and when I try the pick tapping it just sounds horrible, the tap sounds weak the pull off is dead. Has it gone well for you ?

I actually have not tried yet because........ I realize I spend too much time on practicing tapping, soloing, and playing bass like a classical guitar (mostly trying to sound good unaccompanied). What I realize is I need to spend more time on learning how to groove on the bass (ie. improve my rhythm feel with articulation and dynamics).

I will try to remember to give it a shot though and will get back to you.

Thanks and good luck to you.