Poll: finger style vs pick style

[winstonthecat]

I'm in a cover band, so I play what best mimics the original sound for that song. Some of the songs that have a grindier, rocking sound I use a pick. Other wise, I use fingers.

I started playing bass with a pick when I switched from guitar. I then learned fingerstyle. When I started with this band, I began using the pick on some of the songs that required it, and I found I had to get used to pick playing again.

It's good to know how to do both.

Now it is time to learn slap, since I've never got the hand of it.

 

[rockstarbassist]

You should be able to do both with equal proficiency. They each have pros and cons and if you play more than one style, you more than likely will be asked to use either/or/both.

With my current band it's mostly pick just b/c of the style. I get too funky/groovy with my fingers!

 

[McG]

All fingers now. Used to be fingers or pick as the song required but arthritis in my right thumb makes it so I can't hold a pick anymore. I can still rock like I did 30 years ago but I can't hold a freakin' pick! Oh well, if that's the ONLY part of me that got old I'll live with it

 

[rockstarbassist]

All fingers now. Used to be fingers or pick as the song required but arthritis in my right thumb makes it so I can't hold a pick anymore. I can still rock like I did 30 years ago but I can't hold a freakin' pick! Oh well, if that's the ONLY part of me that got old I'll live with it

Ian has faith that you can still rock the pick.

 

[NickInMesa]

Almost 3 out of 4 bass players are either mostly or 100% fingerstyle.

This is a pretty nice sample, I suppose the margin of error is +/- 2%.

 

[McG]

Ian has faith that you can still rock the pick.

LOL! Yep Ian, fortunately for all concerned Grant's fingers AND pick still rock.

(GO LAKERS!)

 

[totallyfrozen]

100% fingerstyle, though I started out playing 100% pick, but dropped it after about 7 months. I love the tonal variety of fingers, hate the noise of a pick...(I) Play...Surf...

Surf without a pick, huh? Who'd a thunk it.

 

[pie_man_25]

I personally tend to float between the two, even in the same songs actually, although I've been incorporating some classical guitar fingerstyle into my plying too, weird eh?
I play a lot of things, but mostly rock/metal/punk, and ska, on my '94 fender jazz, and I TRIED guitar before, but hated it, and then started playing bass, mandolin, ukulele, drums, and have just started on harmonica.

 

[BullHorn]

Mostly fingerstyle.

This forum is biased, you can't believe anything we say because we're all the same.

It's like talking to myself!

 

[jelpo]

Just a simple poll, sorry if I only have two options, slappers will have to stay out of this one.

When you don't slap, or use any exotic technique, are you a fingerstyle player, or pick player?

Exclusively, mostly, sort of half and half?

If you want to comment, I would like to know what type of music you play, your favorite bass and, very import: did you start on bass or on guitar? Any other string instrument? (If you started on the recorder as I did, the question has no relevance).

Thanks for participating!

I play mostly soul, r&b, funk, motown, stax stuff, and I always (100%) use fingers for that. I will sometimes use a pick when I sub for a classic rock band. For instance, there's some ac/dc or judas priest songs they do. The pick sounds and works better in my estimation esp. if I add a little dirt with my big muff pi.

My favorite bass is my Pedulla Thunderbass ET5, but I also use my Yamaha TRB1005 with the classic rock band.

I started on guitar, moved to drums, then bass. The first time I ever picked up a bass I thought you were supposed to play it with your fingers, so that's what I did.

 

[fourfinger]

I said "mostly" fingerstyle but it's almost 100%. I play classic rock now but have played a lot of Blues, as well as some Country and Jazz. My #1 bass is a Musicman Cutlass II that I have owned for more than 15 years.

I started out picking out Yes and Who bass lines on my sister's acoustic guitar, and in my first band I played 70% guitar and 35% bass (includes encores heh heh). So in those days IIRC I played more pick -- about 50%-50%.

 

[Drewbacca]

I play almost 100% fingerstyle, but lately I've been trying to get better with a pick; the sounds works well for some of what I play and since I've been starting to *try* singing while playing bass, I've noticed that for some reason I can sing better while using a pick... for some reason my brain seems to be unable to coordinate alternating fingers and singing . Anybody else notice this?

* For the record, a lot of what I'm referring to as pickstyle playing is "chucking"... basically forming my hand as if I was using a pick but using my index fingernail to hit the strings.