Slap with a pick...

[UnboundBassist]

Hello folks,
One of my favorite bass players is Mike Gordon, and I was watching him talk about his bass rig and his technique in a youtube video he did on his tone. Here it is:



In this, he shows his style of slapping where he actually puts the pic in the palm of his hand and holds it with his first and second finger of his right hand and plucks with the pick instead of wiht his fingers. Anyone heard of this or do this? It is impossible for me to do - my hands wont allow me

 

[Nasty Nate]

Wow, what a rig. Idk about that technique, I can't really tell what he's up to...

In related news:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f21/hidden-pick-technique-jauqo-iii-x-632904/

 

[UnboundBassist]

I don't know of anyone else that does this. I've been playing around with this style and its difficult for me to get my hand positioned correctly for it to work. The pick sits at a more upward slanting angle which doesn't give me the pluck I need. Maybe I need smaller picks?

 

[Sav'nBass]

It looks like he was plucking with his finger and just holding the pick in his palm so he could quickly switch. I don't think he was upstroking with the pick.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

It looks like he was plucking with his finger and just holding the pick in his palm so he could quickly switch

That's exactly what he was doing.

 

[JAUQO III-X]

To the OP.

 

[Lowactnsatsfctn]

Explanation of the technique starts @2:29

 

[carldogs]

In Dan Dean's Bass method book 2 he uses a technique he calls a pick pop, where he uses his pick to produce the slap tone and pops with the middle finger. The book was Hal Leonard HL00695070, I don't know how much information is available from this book that you can look up, there is not that much in the book on this technique.

 

[maturanesa]

To the OP.

Don't you lose grip´s strength by holding the pick with index and ring instead thumb and index?

 

[zfunkman]

It looks like he was plucking with his finger and just holding the pick in his palm so he could quickly switch. I don't think he was upstroking with the pick.

Agreed.

 

[Rev J]

A lot like Andy West used to do with The Dixie Dregs. The first time I heard "Free Fall" I could hear where they influenced Phish.

C/S,
Rev J

 

[JAUQO III-X]

Don't you lose grip´s strength by holding the pick with index and ring instead thumb and index?

No not at all, I've been doing it so long that I'm use to it.

I use Dunlop .38 nylons.

 

[JimmyM]

.38? Sheet of paper?

 

[JAUQO III-X]

.38? Sheet of paper?

 

[JAUQO III-X]

Check this pick out.

 

[dandean]

The idea for the "pick/pop" is to play with the flat pick as usual but use the ring or little finger to pop the string.

DD