Plectrum motion: fingers or wrist?

[Oleg BassPlayer]

Hello everybody. Recently I've been struggling to learn some pickstyle playing. I used to play a guitar a little, so when I started playing with a pick on the bass, I held it guitar-style like this:

that is, it rested on the last joint of the index finger. With this approach, I had too big an angle between the pick and the string and too much scratchy noise. Then I was taught to keep on the very tip of the index finger like that:


In this way, I managed to hold it more or less parallel to the strings and get rid of the noise, even on a low strap.

However, I run across another question: the way I move the pic.

I can get a very good attack and precise sound when I slightly move the pick rather with my fingers than the wrist:

but I can't play very fast this way. To play faster, I switch to wrist motion:


However, in this way I have some angle between the pick and the strings and get that bad scratchy noise.

So I have such questions:
1. Is my current pick grip (2nd image) correct?
2. Should I move the pick with fingers, with wrist or should it be a combination of both?

 

[Torrente Cro]

I usually move pick with wrist, but sometimes even with elbow if I want even and very heavy tones

 

[lfmn16]

I recommend checking out this thread - Why I keep hammering the Carol Kaye pick method

 

[MalcolmAmos]

My pick came over from rhythm guitar.
1. Second picture looks to be OK.
2. I use mostly my wrist.
3. I like the sound of my thumb, so the pick stays on the top of my amp, just in case I need it.

As long as there is no pain in what you do, and you like the sound, I think it's kinda left up to us. Thumb, pick, and or fingers are dictated by our skill level and the song. IMO.

 

[h00v3r]

I'll take this a step further and encourage you to learn how pivot from your elbow when picking. Obviously, you have to hang your bass up high enough to get it in the correct position to do so. Once you get the hang of it, there's a much more uniform sound between up and down strokes when alternate picking - the bigger, flatter arc is close to actually being straight up and down than wrist or finger pivots and you tend to play a very narrow section of the string. It also makes sweep picking much easier to execute (IMO). You can absolutely still palm mute from this position as well. Whether it forestalls/avoids injuries, I can't say. When you have your position figured out, though, it's very comfortable both sitting and standing.

 

[fearceol]

I recommend checking out this thread - Why I keep hammering the Carol Kaye pick method

Plus 1...and here is her method. Check out tips 26 and 27 :

The Official Carol Kaye Web Site

 

[electracoyote]

Combination of some finger/thumb motion, some wrist/forearm motion. Guitar players call it "circular picking." But generally when I play bass, a little more wrist/forearm than fingers.

Your Picture 2 looks good to me.

Carol Kaye's method is certainly valid and great advice, but there are many ways to skin that cat. You will find many great bass players with many different approaches, all working fabulously. Find what works for you, and avoid repetitive motion pain. Once that starts, rest until healed, and start over with an adjusted technique.

And don't confuse impatience for bad technique. Pick proficiency takes time. Slow things down at first, give your body a chance to learn a new skill.

 

[fearceol]

there are many ways to skin that cat.

Indeed there are. Whether they are safe is another thing.

 

[electracoyote]

Indeed there are. Whether they are safe is another thing.

Right, and in case you missed it, I'll repeat:

Find what works for you, and avoid repetitive motion pain. Once that starts, rest until healed, and start over with an adjusted technique.

 

[Skybone]

Picks... hold them with your finger & thumb, play with your wrist.

 

[Jensby design]

I do both, sometimes together, it depends on the rhythm and pick gauge.
Not saying I have the right answers but I think it makes your playing more dynamic to practice all styles good or bad.

 

[Solude]

From an ergo point of view you match your joint to the motion. I.e. elbow for large movements, read chords, wrist for smaller movements.

 

[RustyAxe]

1. Is my current pick grip (2nd image) correct?

At risk of offending those who do the same ... no, it is not correct, and is not the grip that would be taught by a qualified instructor.

2. Should I move the pick with fingers, with wrist or should it be a combination of both?

In general, it's the wrist, the pick stays pretty much in the same position.

 

[BlueP]

I posted this video, quality is I phone 6 so nothing fancy ...

I have moved back to a pick recently and after a lot of trial and error over many years

My grip is unorthodox

But it is really comfortable and works for me with both a low and high gauge pick

I was introduced years ago to the idea of find what works naturally

I fought against that for ages and struggled to adopt and develop an authodox grip

The outcome was that I kept reverting to fingerstyle, and whilst I ok with fingers, it just frustrated the hell out of me so I just kept persisting

Lots of good posts above , a couple I marked with a like

So on one hand we need and should look to well established techniques but in doing this there is sometimes a point where we just say, stuff this I am going to give it a go, my way

In my situation I have struggled through trial and error in strap height, angle of the bass etc etc

But through all this trial and error my grip and style is emerging

I love pick bass, and as far as fingers or wrist, both ... !! Learn both and try out combinations

Same with down and up strokes, rest stroke and free stroke and raking

Just to add, a good test is how your hands and arms feel , if you feel good stick with that, if you hit pain, stop and adjust your technique...

Say for me, I don’t feel comfortable with my fingers closed, so I just left my fingers sit where they want and wherever they end up usually feels good ...

So I figure that’s my body saying... do it this way

And for me at school I was always in trouble cos I held my pen ‘incorrectly’ ... but when I held it ‘correctly’ my writing was worse ... so I figure that’s flows over onto how I hold a pick ...

Good luck it’s a great journey

 

[Member8675309]

All movement should be incorporated into your playing. Elbow, wrist, fingers, grip...all can and will move pending your needs. Grip is the least likely of my technique to change. I’d do it though if need be.

 

[Picton]

I hold the pick between thumb and middle finger, resting my index finger along the edge. It’s the only way that’s ever felt comfortable for me, and I can use my index finger to adjust attack on the fly if I need to.

It’s rare that I use anything but my wrist.

I know “proper” technique has its place, but in picking I just do what feels right.

 

[stratovani]

I would also suggest holding the pick so that you're striking the string with one of the rounder top corners of a pick instead of the pointier side. This lets you dig in a lot less that with the pointy side, allowing your playing to be faster and smoother. I developed this technique for myself a couple of years ago and unbeknownst to me at the time this is how Bobby Vega also holds his pick.

 

[Lobster11]

I would also suggest holding the pick so that you're striking the string with one of the rounder top corners of a pick instead of the pointier side. This lets you dig in a lot less that with the pointy side, allowing your playing to be faster and smoother. I developed this technique for myself a couple of years ago and unbeknownst to me at the time this is how Bobby Vega also holds his pick.

I learned that trick from Julie Slick and it works great for me.

I'm also a big fan of the Carole Kaye picking technique: All motion is in the wrist.

 

[Oleg BassPlayer]

Pick strikes back.

I thought I almost got the hang of it when a few days ago I stumbled on another issue. In the most relaxed (as I think of it) condition, the pick is at a strange angle like this:

and wrist, methinks, too.
Is it a wrong position indeed?

 

[jeronimoski]

If I try to hold it like in picture one, I can't get a perfect up and down stroke. It always hits the strings at an angle. I don't understand how people can bend their wrists to much like that as to play perfectly up and down strokes. And I've tried using the Bobby Vega approach, but I just get tons of scratchy noise. So I am in the same boat as the original poster.

And I don't get the whole Carol Kaye thing. Everyone refers to her website. But when you actually read it, it doesn't give a clear picture. And she doesn't play anything difficult. She's just playing simple bee bop stuff.