Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

[kleinenenten]

FBI? CIA? NSA?

TSA. He'll finally get to fondle people in public without all the negative stigma!

Well, at least without police intervention.

 

[kleinenenten]

Hardwire series seem like sleepers to me. I hear them pop in conversations all the time, and they're supposed to be pretty darn good all around. Build, sounds, etc. are better than the average "big name" pedals it would seem. Just never got huge for whatever reason. Guitarist (the good one) had their metal one, and it was quite good. Very versatile, and could cover a wide range unlike many metal pedals which have only variations of a single, terrible, sound.

 

[Pelham Bleu]

Hmm, one maybe two more MDT "AcousticA" shows booked for this fall. The one last winter was pretty fun. Doing that show was what finally got me to make the switch from fingers to picks. Haven't gone back since.

 

[kleinenenten]

Hmm, one maybe two more MDT "AcousticA" shows booked for this fall. The one last winter was pretty fun. Doing that show was what finally got me to make the switch from fingers to picks. Haven't gone back since.

Eww. Picks. Gross.

I rarely use the things, but hey, whatever works for you! I try to use picks every so often, but I'm just plain better, faster, and more accurate with fingers. I do wish I could play with a pick better, but it doesn't seem to be my fate. Always good to have another sound in the arsenal. I'll keep trying...

 

[Pelham Bleu]

Hardwire series seem like sleepers to me. I hear them pop in conversations all the time, and they're supposed to be pretty darn good all around. Build, sounds, etc. are better than the average "big name" pedals it would seem. Just never got huge for whatever reason. Guitarist (the good one) had their metal one, and it was quite good. Very versatile, and could cover a wide range unlike many metal pedals which have only variations of a single, terrible, sound.

We added a band of younger guys to our MDT bill last weekend and they played a great set. At one point I thought "man, that guitar toan sounds good." Checked to see what dude was stomping on: MZ-2. Granted, we had great PA and a solid sound guy, but you just never know.

 

[Pelham Bleu]

Eww. Picks. Gross.

I rarely use the things, but hey, whatever works for you! I try to use picks every so often, but I'm just plain better, faster, and more accurate with fingers. I do wish I could play with a pick better, but it doesn't seem to be my fate. Always good to have another sound in the arsenal. I'll keep trying...

I was militarily fingers-only for about a decade before switching. I can't see myself going back any time soon. I just dig that extra focused attack.

Edit: Prior to switching to picking, I was just too sloppy to want to gig with it. For some reason, we booked an acoustic show and I thought "here's a chance to really drill down on it" and it worked.

 

[kleinenenten]

We added a band of younger guys to our MDT bill last weekend and they played a great set. At one point I thought "man, that guitar toan sounds good." Checked to see what dude was stomping on: MZ-2. Granted, we had great PA and a solid sound guy, but you just never know.

Yeah, like I said, sleeper hits. The whole line seems pretty good, just that you don't hear about them.

 

[kleinenenten]

I was militarily fingers-only for about a decade before switching. I can't see myself going back any time soon. I just dig that extra focused attack.

Edit: Prior to switching to picking, I was just too sloppy to want to gig with it. For some reason, we booked an acoustic show and I thought "here's a chance to really drill down on it" and it worked.

Yeah, I'm not militant about it. Plenty of good tones for both. I just can't do picks as well, so I focus on what I can do. The bright attack can definitely help in certain situations!

 

[Squanch72]

I was militarily fingers-only for about a decade before switching. I can't see myself going back any time soon. I just dig that extra focused attack.

Edit: Prior to switching to picking, I was just too sloppy to want to gig with it. For some reason, we booked an acoustic show and I thought "here's a chance to really drill down on it" and it worked.

I haven't switch to a pick but more and more I use my thumb and index finger like a pick for that attack then I do typical finger-style.

 

[Pelham Bleu]

I haven't switch to a pick but more and more I use my thumb and index finger like a pick for that attack then I do typical finger-style.

Playing finger style feels weird to me right now. Not bad, just less definition. It's interesting how tastes/preferences morph over time.

 

[Squanch72]

Yeah, like I said, sleeper hits. The whole line seems pretty good, just that you don't hear about them.

I had the delay, reverb, chorus, and phaser pass through my stall. All sounded great and were very versatile. I think it is just analog snobbery that I moved them on. Plus I usually just use a pedal one way and stick to that and didn't really need all the versatility. They are becoming dirt cheap too.

 

[kleinenenten]

I had the delay, reverb, chorus, and phaser pass through my stall. All sounded great and were very versatile. I think it is just analog snobbery that I moved them on. Plus I usually just use a pedal one way and stick to that and didn't really need all the versatility. They are becoming dirt cheap too.

I feel you. I've been paring down my board lately (Blasphemy, I know!) in favor of simpler stuff. I spent hours tweaking and noodling, and in the mix, there was no difference. So I'm going for the most basic setup to get my necessary tones. It means I've been swapping stuff on/off the board like crazy the last few days, but it also means I'll have more "fun" pedals like delay, flange and filter available since my dirt section is more, shall we say, reasonable?

 

[Pelham Bleu]

I feel you. I've been paring down my board lately (Blasphemy, I know!) in favor of simpler stuff. I spent hours tweaking and noodling, and in the mix, there was no difference. So I'm going for the most basic setup to get my necessary tones. It means I've been swapping stuff on/off the board like crazy the last few days, but it also means I'll have more "fun" pedals like delay, flange and filter available since my dirt section is more, shall we say, reasonable?

Yep, constant expansion/contraction. I've got all the "extraneous" stuff booted off for now. Everything on my board has a specific, written-into-the-song use right now.

 

[Squanch72]

Playing finger style feels weird to me right now. Not bad, just less definition. It's interesting how tastes/preferences morph over time.

I used to militant about it too, pick on guitar and fingers on bass but now that I am trying to play slow and heavy a fingernail works great for that. I forced myself to learn floating thumb and 1 2 4 fingering up to the fifth fret too.

 

[Blank_0101]

TSA. He'll finally get to fondle people in public without all the negative stigma!

Well, at least without police intervention.

ooh take my friends to the bar after work then play sniff my fingers and tell me which one was used for a cavity search, bonus points if you identify the cavity!

I used to militant about it too, pick on guitar and fingers on bass but now that I am trying to play slow and heavy a fingernail works great for that. I forced myself to learn floating thumb and 1 2 4 fingering up to the fifth fret too.

I felt so proud last time you mentioned floating thumb technique and I looked it up and I'd always been playing like that.

 

[Squanch72]

ooh take my friends to the bar after work then play sniff my fingers and tell me which one was used for a cavity search, bonus points if you identify the cavity!



I felt so proud last time you mentioned floating thumb technique and I looked it up and I'd always been playing like that.

Sometimes I get tripped up on guitar and use 1 2 4 fingering on guitar in first position now LOL. Playing a power chord with my first and fourth fingers.

Speaking of scratch n sniff yesterday my boss said to me Joe do you notice the kava concentrate smells like a dirty cooch!

 

[Pelham Bleu]

I used to militant about it too, pick on guitar and fingers on bass but now that I am trying to play slow and heavy a fingernail works great for that. I forced myself to learn floating thumb and 1 2 4 fingering up to the fifth fret too.

I do a little bit more "chording" (either root/5th or root/5th/octave) than I used to and I've found using a pick helps bring out the clarity a bit better.

 

[Squanch72]

I do a little bit more "chording" (either root/5th or root/5th/octave) than I used to and I've found using a pick helps bring out the clarity a bit better.

A pick on guitar stops me from doing stupid poopie on guitar like fingerpicking and playing cowboy chords LOL.

 

[Muddslide]

Doing that show was what finally got me to make the switch from fingers to picks. Haven't gone back since.

Always good to have another sound in the arsenal. I'll keep trying...

I was militarily fingers-only for about a decade before switching. I can't see myself going back any time soon. I just dig that extra focused attack.

Playing finger style feels weird to me right now. Not bad, just less definition. It's interesting how tastes/preferences morph over time.

I also was pretty militant about using fingers only (not in Bryce's cavity search sense of the phrase.) When I was gigging and playing heaviest, I would use a pick if a band I was in was doing like a Motorhead or Ramones or Misfits song or on the occasional original that really called for the attack you get with a pick. But I probably only used a pick 10% of the time as a general rule. I'd practice with one now and then just to add variety or try to widen my skill set or whatever bullshizz...

Since I rededicated myself to playing in 2006, and RE-rededicated myself to playing more extensively a year or so ago, I find I'm going about 50/50 pick/fingers.

I just LIKE it. It's fun. It's a different approach and it really does add a lot of tonal options, although I feel like I can get a wide variety of tones just with my fingers, the pick is another arrow in the quiver.

One thing I've discovered, and maybe @Pelham Bleu will concur, is that using different picks, even on the same bass, same settings, same strings, same pressure, playing the same lines on the same place on the bass, I seem to get very significant differences in overall sound/tone. To my ears, anyway.

I was really surprised by this and had never really noticed it until several months ago when I sat down to practice with a little zippered change purse full of different picks I keep around. I really grabbed a bunch of different ones to see what felt best to me, but what I learned was that different ones altered things a lot...like second only to swapping out strings.

Maybe this is self-evident or commonly accepted and I sound like an idiot, but while I expected some differences, I was seriously struck by how significant the differences were, just going from one style/thickness of pick made from one material to another.

One other aspect of this that it sort of saddens/frightens me to say is that the pain level I have throughout my body in general, and my hands specifically as they relate to playing bass, seems to be getting worse.

I don't think I'm in danger of having to pack it in, but I notice that after a good bass workout, my right hand (I'm a lefty playing righty) isn't as sore when I've been playing with a pick as opposed to using my fingers.

Certainly, though, I will use both methods as long as I can.

Let this be a lesson you you young whippersnappers: don't grow up. Stay in Neverneverland as long as possible, and try to limit the amount of abuse you put yourself through because in a lot of cases, in a lot of ways, you truly pay for it later. Now get the fvck off my lawn.

 

[Blank_0101]

I do a little bit more "chording" (either root/5th or root/5th/octave) than I used to and I've found using a pick helps bring out the clarity a bit better.

Still no pick, but that kind of chording is exactly why I am totally a bass vi guy. I love being able to riff out chords, then being to play single notes and they have all the power of a bass line, but can be tonally shifted to leads.

I'd love a 6 string B-B or A-A without the traditional massive string spacing. If I could do a hardtail 32" scale sixer with a say .110-.120 B dang, I'd be set for life between that and a standard bass vi.