Plectrums

[HalfManHalfBass]

I never ever used a pick on bass but when I play guitar, I always use a small, heavy gauged one. Then I joined a tribute rock band where the bass lines were often overdriven and played with a pick -which gives a very particular, heavy yet attacking sound. I resisted for as long as I could before conceding that I needed to use a pick too.

It took me a lot of experimenting to find the right pick for bass -nothing I used on guitar was transferable. I thought it would need to be a larger shaped pick and very heavy gauged -as the string are so much thicker, but in the end I had to find a balance where the pick was thick enough to move and resist the strings but not so solid that it would fly out of my grasp because it was so rigid.

I recommend trying many different picks before deciding if it's for you or not stylistically. Now I no longer play in that band and have no need for that sound I have returned to never using a pick!

 

[sethlow3]

Both.
It’s something you have to work at with practice.

There plenty of pros and cons to both.
I love pick playing the most now in my life than ever.
I spent quite a few more recent years on economy picking.
This is a huge advantage over fingerstyle because you can go BOTH directions with a pick. You cannot do this with fingerstyle unless you somehow manhandle part of your hand for adjacent down strokes. Traditional fingerstyle does not allow for this. “Economy picking” with fingerstyle is basically rakes on descending strings.

It’s way easier to get aggressive, bright tones with a pick.
It’s way easier to get warm, smooth tones with fingers.

However, if you’re a skilled fingerstyle player, you can find ways to get aggressive with fingers right?
Same goes for pick in the opposite tonal directions.

 

[pyrat56host]

I have always been a bass player and I started out playing w/ a plectrum. It forever felt like an impedimet but I figured I was just learning and learning takes time. One day at the local music hang, one of the "old dudes" said, "everybody knows REAL bass players play w/ their fingers" and I felt the sting of inadequacy...so I hopped into a different shed. Playing w/ fingers was hard but it seemed very freeing and I stuck it out. I CAN play w/ a plectrum but I always find myself searching for a way to get the sound w/ my hands. Either way, I'm playing the bass and that's the best~

 

[cemunk]

Started as a metal player when I was pretty young, so it was pick all the way. In my twenties we started playing music that didn't lend itself to a pick, so I told the band I was going to suck for a little while. Just had to force it no matter how crazy it was making me at the time.

Fast forward to now and I'm better with my fingers than a pick, so maybe I should swing the pendulum between the two back the other way for a bit. Definitely a plus to be able to do both.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

I’m more or less in the same boat with you as far as how much I play finger style, except I’m probably at 98% finger and 2% pick. I’ve been working to improve my pick playing over the past several years, but I don’t feel like I’ve made much headway.

As for the appeal, it is without a doubt a way to get a different sound / tone, play 16th notes easier / longer, etc.
I equate it to adjusting your EQ or playing in another style with your fingers; just another tool to achieve a sound or play a specific lick.

Not saying you are dismissing pick playing, but anyone dismissing pick playing as not the “real” or “correct” way to play bass, seems kinda’ silly to me. There’s been a lot of different styles to play bass that have come along (slap / thump & pop, tapping, harmonics, etc) that are ways to play licks in specific timing and / or get a specific sound. There are multitudes of effects used to get specific sounds. Seems using a pick to achieve a sound or make it easier to play a certain lick is less “unusual” or less “non-traditional” than a lot of other “things” also used to get a certain sound or play a certain lick.

It’s a method of playing I wish I was better at doing, but it’s not too likely I’ll become proficient at it. I can practice, but I can’t do it much live, or I’ll be screwing up others in the bands I play with….

 

[_Some Dude]

To my plectrum-loving fellow bassists, what made you choose to use a pick as your primary form of attacking the strings? I know that you can get "cleaner" sounding attack with a pick, but beyond that, I don't really understand the appeal.

I started as a guitarist, however, when I switched to bass I went 100% fingers. Part of that was me having that attitude that "real" bassists used their fingers, and I wanted to be a "real bassist" and not some guitarist playing bass.

In hindsight, I think it made me a better bassist because it forced me out of my comfort zone. I think fingers naturally lead me to develop a a thumpier/more percussive style, with more separation between notes.

When I eventually started using a pick again I had to spend time learning how to maintain that thump and separation when using a pick.

So tell me, do you use fingers, a pick, or both for your primary mode of play, or a mix of both?

Both. As mentioned above, I was 100% fingers for years, then gradually gave in and added a touch of pick on songs where it made sense. These days it's reversed and I'm probably 90% pick.

A few years back I joined a band and the finger thing just wasn't cutting it. The guitars were heavier and I just didn't like how I was sitting in the mix. I started adding pick as an experiment, then went 100% pick. It just seemed to fit that band.

Conversely, I started a side project a a couple months ago and with that band I'm transitioning to fingers again. The guitarist runs a relatively thin tone, and the pick is too pointed. In that band fingers seem to be filling in the missing frequencies.

What would you say the upsides to playing with a pick are, compared to playing fingerstyle?

Cut and clarity. Aggression. It saves my fingers. My strings last longer. You need to use a pick to get that sound of the string digging into and chewing up the pick.

There's also the "big rhythm guitar" effect I get from picked bass. It can make a band sound like they have an extra guitar player.

As an aside, I find that with fingers I play more naturally behind the beat, whereas a pick I seem to land more on top of the beat. I find trying to pull my pick back behind the beat doesn't work as well because of the hard attack, it just sounds mis-timed. I think the softer attack of fingers means I can start the note on the beat, drag my finger across the string, then release behind the beat.

Conversely, playing fingerstyle and driving the strings into the fret to get harder attack is just way less efficient than using a pick, and it never does that sound quite as well.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

I also struggle with a pick, the picking forearm gets tired, my technique sucks. I do not practice it enough... But I'm trying when I remember to.

 

[Picton]

To my plectrum-loving fellow bassists, what made you choose to use a pick as your primary form of attacking the strings? I know that you can get "cleaner" sounding attack with a pick, but beyond that, I don't really understand the appeal.

Because I started on guitar.

CAN I play with my fingers? Yes. Does it feel natural to me? It's not uncomfortable, but I vastly prefer a pick. Do I like how I sound playing with my fingers? No. Not even a little bit.

So I keep playing with my pick, where I like the sound I get. Disclaimer: I don't hold my pick like anyone else I know. So there's that.

 

[groovaholic]

Back when I played more punk & metal, I used a pick maybe 50% of the time.
I play those genres much less now, so pick is 50% of a much smaller number of songs.

As a result, my hands just don't tolerate it anymore:
Holding a pick makes the muscles in my right hand lock up - particularly at the base of my thumb.
So I'm almost 100% fingerstyle now.

That was problematic when I subbed with a The Cure tribute band a couple years ago.
A few of the Cure's songs (Fascination Street, for example) just didn't sound right fingerstyle, IMO.

So I got larger, triangular picks with grip on them, and practiced a lot to get some of that grip strength back - but it was a struggle.

Bottom line: as long as it suits the song, play in the way that's most comfortable for you.

 

[Norm Nelson]

So I keep playing with my pick

Thus your username.

I play almost exclusively fingerstyle, but one of my bass teachers said to be well rounded as a bass player you should learn all the modes of playing (finger, slap, pick) - so I practice with a pick (and occasionally a slap) but it's not my style. I do think knowing the different techniques helps me improve as a player. Kind of a "step outside your comfort zone" sort of thing.

 

[Stewie]

I’ve tried a couple times, but I wear my bass almost as low as DeeDee Ramone.

It just don’t work that way (I know, DeeDee played with a pick, but he was waaaay cooler than me)

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I played almost exclusively fingerstyle until about 5 years ago, when I developed thumb joint arthritis. For some reason, holding a pick is far less painful than fingerstyle, so that's what I do now. Any arguments as the superiority of one style over the other are a steaming pile of.... effluvia. Great players in both camps, whatever works. As to "why a pick": Try getting this tone with your fingers, simply not possible.


or this one

 

[BigJohnAZ]

I played a guitar for 10 years before picking up the bass, so, I'm 95% pick and when I play finger style, it's Jamerson/early Geddy claw style, index finger. I'm not good at typical fingerstyle because, I simply don't practice it, and really don't care. Slap? Fugettaboutit! I may do the odd pop, that's it.

 

[iqi616]

I play with a pick about 20% of the time. I remember it taking a while to get the hang of it so that I didn't grip the pick too tightly nor drop it!

I use the grey soft plastic Jim Dunlop .73 mm picks.

I started out with what I call the "guitarist grip" with the pick between thumb and the knuckle of my index finger with just the tip peeking out. I rarely use that grip now unless I want that pingy kind of sound e.g. 1960s movie theme.

Nowadays I generally hold it pretty loosely between thumb and index pads. The way I think about it, the power comes from my thumb and the index finger keeps the pick in place except on up strokes. My usual hold is so I'm picking with a grip corner rather than the tip so that I get more thump in the attack.

 

[pbass2]

....I don't really understand the appeal.....

It's one of the classic bass guitar sounds since the introduction of the instrument, heard on at least as many recordings (possibly more...) than fingerstyle. A very useful technique and a sound that you simply can't make with just your fingers(no, fingernails or smacking the fretboard like a gorilla don't count--try that in a pro session when they ask for pickstyle). To be a truly versatile player sonically (for sessions in particular) you need to be able to play well with a pick as you do with fingers (slap is secondary to both of those in that context by a looong shot).

 

[N4860]

I started on bass but have learned a decent amount of guitar along the way so I'm pretty familiar with pick playing but still play mostly fingerstyle for bass.

You mentioned that you like playing funky stuff right? Look up some stuff like Bobby Vega. You can do a lot with just simple pick playing by adding in left and right hand muting. Or you can go look at some motown stuff and do a lot of learning with simple palm muting. Not sure if that might appeal to you and inspire you to try it again. Playing with a pick can be very versatile in my opinion.

 

[pbass2]

I started on bass but have learned a decent amount of guitar along the way so I'm pretty familiar with pick playing but still play mostly fingerstyle for bass.

You mentioned that you like playing funky stuff right? Look up some stuff like Bobby Vega. You can do a lot with just simple pick playing by adding in left and right hand muting. Or you can go look at some motown stuff and do a lot of learning with simple palm muting. Not sure if that might appeal to you and inspire you to try it again. Playing with a pick can be very versatile in my opinion.

Vega, Anthony Jackson, Average White Band, Sly Stone, Carol Kaye, Rick Danko, Tony Levin, Mike Gordon, the list goes on--pick playing is great for funky music. Snappier, clearer attack than fingerstyle, very consistent attack and tone on all notes(and not as in your face as slap which can be exhausting to listen to). You can almost achieve synth bass consistency and even-ness with it. Makes perfect sense if you consider the physics of it. Add some palm muting and it is funky with a capital F!

 

[devnulljp]

Practice

 

[Tedthulhu]

Both.

This is a huge advantage over fingerstyle because you can go BOTH directions with a pick. You cannot do this with fingerstyle unless you somehow manhandle part of your hand for adjacent down strokes. Traditional fingerstyle does not allow for this. “Economy picking” with fingerstyle is basically rakes on descending strings.

That is absolute nonsense. The technique is called "double thumb", and it attacks both up and down with your thumb. It's pretty common, though I'd credit Victor Wooten as being the absolute master of that technique. Check out Classical Thump by Wooten and tell me again how you "cannot do this" without a pick.

 

[sethlow3]

That is absolute nonsense. The technique is called "double thumb", and it attacks both up and down with your thumb. It's pretty common, though I'd credit Victor Wooten as being the absolute master of that technique. Check out Classical Thump by Wooten and tell me again how you "cannot do this" without a pick.

Man… I’ve known about Vic and double thumping since way back when this video came out in music store on VHS.

This isn’t what I am talking about. That’s way more along the lines of slap. Especially tonally.

I’m talking about fingerstyle and the super mellow sound everyone expects from it.

Plus, that still isn’t economy picking. I don’t see Vic sweep through down through all of the strings the way I’m talking about. Check Frank Gambale. It’s a different thing.