IMHO you should learn arco even if you don't use it on gigs. It will help strengthen your fretting hand and will certainly point out weak spots in your intonation. I'm not saying to spend most of your practice time bowing, but I believe it is very helpful when you are starting.
Ray Brown is certainly known for his pizz and is pretty much the standard for pizz bassists but even he worked out with the bow often and would take lessons from classical players in the cities he played in when on tour. Most of the time he was playing pizz but he still realized that the bow was a useful color in his palette.
I remember an oral interview with Milt Hinton (I believe it's on his album Father Time) and he talked about when he first got into the studios which at the time were inhabited by classical musicians in the main. He points out that the ability to bow got him a lot more work than the other bassists. He still spent 95% of his time slapping and pizzing but it was yet another tool in his toolbox. Why sell yourself short.
Ray Brown is certainly known for his pizz and is pretty much the standard for pizz bassists but even he worked out with the bow often and would take lessons from classical players in the cities he played in when on tour. Most of the time he was playing pizz but he still realized that the bow was a useful color in his palette.
I remember an oral interview with Milt Hinton (I believe it's on his album Father Time) and he talked about when he first got into the studios which at the time were inhabited by classical musicians in the main. He points out that the ability to bow got him a lot more work than the other bassists. He still spent 95% of his time slapping and pizzing but it was yet another tool in his toolbox. Why sell yourself short.
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