Sansamp instead of pick?

[robbd258]

I play with both as you can't get the same sound in either direction. My "trick" with a pick is to use the rounder sides as this way the pick won't get stuck between strings. (might not be your problem at all, but was for me) And a bass with closer string spacing is easier. (again, one of my problems)

 

[fishdreams]

Pedals would not work, IME. In fact, with certain projects, as a die-hard finger player I have been practicing with a pick recently just to make up for definition I lost with all my pedals.

I have been having good fun with it. Look up Bobby Vega and Steve Swallow on YT for example, for monster tone/playing outside the Rock/Punk realm. Cody Wright has cool lil workshop too.

 

[XLunacy]

As said before, hammering the strings hard, towards the neck gives you a nice gritty pick-style tone I'd say (à la Webster, Entwistle used that technique too). Combine it with a pedal like a darkglass b3k/b7k for extra bite.

 

[awilkie84]

Actually Wooten developed double thumbing to emulate a pick sound. I've used it that way and you can get really close to the rock/punk rock pick vibe. Not exact of course but sometimes if a pick isn't handy you make music happen Amy way you can.

With how fast my pick is moving, I wouldn't have a thumb left after a month of using Wooten's technique. There really is no substitute. >.<

 

[Dogbertday]

With how fast my pick is moving, I wouldn't have a thumb left after a month of using Wooten's technique. There really is no substitute. >.<

That's fair, not saying it's a true substitute, but it's the closest I've found without holding a pick (not that I'm against picks.. I used them for a long time.)

 

[Jools4001]

I started out using both pick and fingers a long, long time ago, but I found that for some reason picks were like biros and were never around when I needed them - I'd buy dozens, put them in an old tobacco tin, put them in my gig bag, get to the gig and they would have mysteriously disappeared...well not exactly, but I'd lose them pretty quickly.

So, I started playing fingerstyle because I figured that barring an unfortunate incident with a circular saw I was unlikely to forget to pack my fingers. I quickly became an exclusive finger style player and that remains to this day, some forty years later. I've worked out ways of making my fingers sound almost pick like, including hitting strings hard enough to clang the frets or holding an imaginary pick between my thumb and forefinger and using my fingernail as a faux pick. It sort of works, but not 100%, and here's the thing...although I'm exclusively a finger style player, I find that most of my favourite bass tones come from pick players, so I am forcing myself back into pick playing.

It feels very alien, as if I'm hitting the strings with a plank - with very little feel or sensitivity. It either hurts because I'm gripping the pick too tight and my thumb goes for the burn, or the pick is flying across the room because I'm not holding it tight enough. If I didn't know any different I'd have given up by now and stayed with my fingerstyle, but I'm not too old to remember the times when I played with a pick and I know it is possible to play aggressively when required, but also with finesse and caress the strings when needed as well. So it's on with the pick practise, without forgetting my fingerstyle chops.

 

[El Raro]

The Sansamp is great for emulating a tube-like growl but it won't add any attack that your amp shouldn't already be able to do with its own EQ section. Just boost the mids and/or treble until you get a desired attack. In saying that, you'll probably find it ultimately boils down to having the right technique.

FOr what its worth, I used to be in the same position as you OP. Loved the sound of picks but could never find it comfortable playing with one. It only took about 2 weeks of solid practice with a pick to get used to it. Now I can comfortably switch between either style without too much trouble (although I still prefer to play with fingers).

 

[Gasman]

There is no pedal that will make soft fingers or thumbs sound like a plastic pick. A Sansamp is a tube emulator, good for adding grit and overdrive, but that's not what a pick sounds like. Listen to Sir Paul or Carol Kaye- both pick players, sound like pick players, but no gritty sound.

If you want a pick sound, then practice with a pick. I went through this myself years ago, and basically made myself play exclusively with a pick for almost a year. Now I'm proficient at it and even prefer it to finger style.

Time, not technology, is the answer.

 

[obimark]

IME, you will not get a pick attack out of a pedal. You need to attack it with a pick. I didnt use a pick for years. A couple years ago I started picking one up more and more and got more comfortable with one. Im really glad I did. It never hurts to broaden your horizons and playing skills. A pick/finger player is a great value to any band. And yes, there is a pick tonal difference in using one or the other as you already know. But for me, I too wanted to get that pick attack sound/tone. I had a plethora of pedals to help me get there. But they didn't. I had to pick up the pick. And I dont regret it. And I continue to get better at it every day I use it. It will also cause you to write differently at times. which is great IMO. Breaks the monotony sometimes.

Amen- I use BOTH- and it is actually refreshing- some songs just sound better with a pick. If it is a pumping 8th note song like Fire Woman, or any Crue, why not use a pick?? I switch to fingers for songs in our set where fingers are more appropriate such as Working Man.

 

[Johnny Crab]

If you have good callouses and your tones(bass & amp) are set correctly, you can get very close.
At one show during our soundcheck a venue employee asked me if I was "playing that last song with a pick".
Said no, showed him the "rocks" that are my fingertips, the patch made in the Line 6 for those types of songs, and how playing harder & closer to the bridge with that patch works. In a live setting, it is close.

If you take the time to mess with sim-boxes(Line 6, Boss, SansAmp), you can get a lot of different things. One extremely-tweaked patch(a few hours & many shows of use and adjustment at shows) made here makes a "normal" bass sound very Ric-ish.

Used the fingerpicks in the 60's when first starting bass because rookie fingers tend to get raw, blister, and/or bleed if you play too much early on. They got used when fingertips got sore or close to blistering and the tone on my bass got adjusted for the very different sound.

IIRC, Geddy Lee and Steve Harris both get very aggressive sounds from fingers with Steve being more "clanky" and Geddy being more of the use low action, play hard/down, and the string bounce off of the fret/fretboard gets the clear attack. YMMV.

 

[Ric5]

Try the Entwistle typewriter method.

Also if you live in the Denver area then come by my house and I will teach you a few things about picking and plucking.

 

[gjohnson441496]

Hello there!

My problem is that I really like to play with my fingers but I need that punchy pick attack tone.
'Well go ahead and use a pick then!' - you would say.
I did, and I tried. I am practicing since then, but for me it is muuuuuch more harder to play this way. I feel totally uncomfortable and I don't like to play this way at all!

Lately I was wondering that could I replace the pick with well known Tech 21 Sansamp bass driver DI? With the presence and blend effects?

So my goal is to achieve the pick tone without an actual pick.

Thanks!

I have to agree with previous post saying to keep at it. I've been using a pick for about a month now and so far I've discovered that you'll want to use various picks in order to find the one that works for you. They come in different sizes and mm (thickness or gauge). I use a .86mm for my jazz bass and a 1mm for my p bass. The .86mm is flexible enough to allow me to strum the strings on the jazz whereas the 1mm for p bass. In other words I use the pick according to the string gauge of the instrument. It took me about a week to figure it out after buying a variety/sampler pack of picks. Picks come in various textures also - nylon, celluloid, tortex. You'll have to experiment until you find the one that works for you.

 

[NightCat]

Have you tried dipping your finger tips in super glue? Seriously, it makes your finger tips super hard. I've never played bass that way but it seems like it would work. Probably have to reapply often but seems worth a try.

 

[davegt666]

My girlfriend makes fun of me whenever I break a nail because I get really bummed out. As you can see yesterday was one of those days. I broke my middle finger nail.

That's where my tone comes from! I was a pick player for the longest tone and this is the only way to get the tone I like once I switched to fingerstyle.

Fingernails ftw!

 

[BazzTard]

I have the Sansamp Prog BDDI, and I have dialed in a distorted tone,where if I add some more 'presence" it sounds like a pick. Think of The Who's My Generation or Rush Red Barchetta type sound. I only have to not trim my nails to hear a pick-like sound,pretty weird for a habitual nail biter!

 

[sonic 7]

I would use a pick , unless you have very wide string spacing that the sans amp would actually fit between.

 

[dannster]

The VT DI will get even more attacky.
A good compression sustainer will add some pick like attack. I have a Boss CS-3 that I modded with a Monte Allum kit.
Of course nothing, like the real thing. I'm like you, I love playing finger style but I have all kinds of picks for different needs too.

 

[Winfred]

You need big, hard, callouses on your plucking fingers.

 

[callofcthulhu]

 

[Ric5]