Pick versus Fingers: Which is supposed to be the "difficult one?"

[i_bass_bass]

When I first started playing bass, I played exclusively with a pick for about a month (I came from a guitar-playing background, so it was more comfortable for me). It worked pretty well for a while, but then I tried to learn Master Of Puppets by Metallica. It was too fast! I remember having to ditch the pick and learn fingerstyle because I couldn't keep up with it. Now I hardly ever play bass with a pick. I like the way the pick sounds, but fingerstyle is just so much easier (and more fun IMO).
That was the conclusion that I came to. However, everything I've seen on the internet seems to claim otherwise. Of course, there's the ones who claim that "real bassists don't use picks", which I'm certain is comprised mainly of people who have never touched an instrument. But I've seen many discussions that seem to point to the idea that fingerstyle is more difficult.
I've seen discussions about how it was impressive for Cliff Burton of Metallica to play his solos without a pick. I can (kind of) play similar to Cliff with my fingers, but with a pick? No way! Jason Newstead has my respect for shredding For Whom The Bell Tolls with a pick. I've seen people praise Robert Trujillo for playing fingerstyle as well.
Another example is the techniques I've seen discussed on how to play Iron Maiden basslines. I personally play Maiden songs with my two fingers, just like I play everything else. But from what I've read, that should be impossible! You HAVE to either play with three fingers or with a pick. I have tried to play The Trooper with a pick and I cannot. Too fast!!
What is supposedly "easy" is actually very hard for me, and what is "hard" is easy. Maybe I just don't practice enough with a pick, or maybe I'm just built different. I don't know.
What do you guys think? Which style is easier or harder for you?

 

[Lee Moses]

It depends what you're playing, IMO. String crossing tends to be easier with two (or more) fingers than with a pick. Playing fast on a single string will probably be easier with a pick.

And it also depends what you're used to. If you've spent your whole life playing with your fingers and never touched a pick, playing with a pick is going to feel foreign; and vice versa.

 

[Les Fret]

Both

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

To me it’s like saying, what is an easier language for children to learn, English or Chinese — whichever you are most exposed.

 

[Wannabebass]

I’m a relative newb and have been using fingers exclusively since starting bass a few years ago. Even my really bad pick technique sounds exciting to me because it’s so percussive and the attack is so strong. Hoping to get equally mediocre on both pick and fingers.

 

[llmk]

I'd say it greatly depends on your background, your taste in music, you physiology and how you learn the instrument. I'd take a wild guess and say that a (slight, maybe) majority of bass players play with 2 fingers so maybe a majority of players would find it to be the easiest way just because that's how they normally play the instrument.

To me it is actually the hardest way, I suck greatly at 2 finger playing, and can't keep good time. My background is 31 years of electric guitar so 31 years of pick playing, therefore I find pick playing to be, by far, the easiest way. I had to change the pick shape from medium teardrops to big triangles and adapt to the new string spacing and thickness but it is, to me, way easier to play fast with a pick than with fingers.
When it comes to fingers, I naturally play with 3, thumb+index+middle or generally index+middle+ring and although I am far from keeping perfect time, I find it way easier than with just index+middle. I also find slap and one finger playing much easier than 2 fingers.

 

[thedovewarlord]

As a former guitarist, when I began playing bass I gravitated to mainly with a pick to a point where just a few years ago, I was nearly exclusively a pick player.

back when I was starting out, I didn't find playing with my fingers all that difficult, maybe because I dabbled in some classical finger style guitar, in those days everyone needed to learn at least some of Randy Rhoad's "Dee" or Steve Howe's "Roundabout" or Tony Iomi's "Children of the Sea".

The tough thing is playing something really well, with as much feel as you can, or at tempo. In my case I found playing with a pick easier to play expressively, mute or dig-in, and keep up with fast songs.