Tell Your "I Played With a Pick Stories!"

Similar story here. Early in the week, I was repairing a keyboard with a metal housing, and the edge of the housing was sharp, so it sliced the tip of my right hand finger. I spent the next four days learning how to pluck using my middle and third finger and built up a lot of speed. At the gig, I started to get blisters on my third finger (I don't use it too often), and near the end of the set, it was so painful. There was no way I could cover the rest of the songs with just my middle finger, so I used a pick. I think I did okay, cause a few years back I played in an Allman Bros. Band cover band and used a pick to do my Berry Oakley impressions.

 

it's not that unusual to play with a pick - carol kaye did ok on it.

 

Why so ashamed about playing with a pick? Some people really like them. I dont, but seriously it aint that much different.
Jim

 

heck, I played with a pick for about 10 years. then I started playing at chuch a couple years ago and the pick sound wasn't really what the songs called for, or whatever. so I started playing with my fingers, basicly without any prior experience. well, a few months back we pulled out this crazy tribal percussion, crazy, mad song. I thought, hey, a pick would sound sweet on this tune. guess what, I couldn't do it. I just didn't have it anymore. I couldn't grip the pick, it was turning in my fingers, I lost all speed, I just plain sucked.

anyway, I don't think there's anything wrong with playing with a pick. the bass is an instrument used to create art (defined differently by everybody), who cares if you pluck it, pick it, or beat it with a hammer.

 

Well said. A few nights ago I saw a punk band that was actually really good and the bassist was very good, and he played with a pick. I dont know what guage pick he was using or what his set up was, but for some reason it sounded great. He had a really unique style and tone that I havnt heard done before, a kind of cold, sharp, industreal techy tone with some kind of watery effect, the tone couldnt have been made using fingers, they sound too warm, and I realised that thats what made the band stand out from the rest. So using a pick is really just another technique. Use whatever you can to sound good!
-J

 

I only started Bassing half a year ago and for some songs my fingering is just 2 slow, so I use a Pick and can play 2ice the speed.

Rock on!



___________________________________________
"Bass isn't a sound, it's a feeling"
- Alexander Scott

 

Here's a story - I've used a pick for over ten years. I think playing with fingers sounds like crap, but not as bad as slapping.

 

Yeah, sorry if I made it sound like I was embarrassed to use a pick. I've been in these kinds of discussions before. The bottom line for me is that using a pick is at least equally legit as any other way of playing the bass. A lot of people have created great music using picks, and a lot without, and it really doesn't matter in the end, as long as you're happy with what you're doing and feel that it is a genuine representation of your muse.

 

why in the world would you be ashamed to play with a pick? I use them all the time. Even Flea uses picks. Come on you guys, dont be bass nazis.

 

John Paul Jones, John Entwistle, Paul McCartney. All have procured a plectrum at some point in their careers. No shame.

I say, if using the jawbone of an ass is getting you the sound you are looking for, then find yourself a jawbone.

Chas

 

I use both plucking and picking about the same. Each is good for it's own style. I like the rolled off highs and fat "thubbiness" of fingerstyle and the sharp attack of a pick. I just depends on the sound you need at the time, IMHO.

 

I really dig fingerstyle players, and they do good work with their stuff, but I'm a pick player to the core. The notes are just so much more defined, and you get the 'bark' instead of the 'hum' if you know what I mean. It is certainly a lot quicker to use a pick for faster tunes, you can get the same speed with your fingers, but it takes a lot of specialist practice. I mean, with me, my tone doesn't differ at all between pick and fingers, I just get higher attack. There's still a big facism against pick players, and I don't know why. Most of the bassists I know are surprised when I pull out a pick and burn away. It makes me look a lot more advanced anyway. I'd like to learn how to play relatively good fingerstyle, but the problem is that my middle finger is 3/4" longer than my index, so the technique isn't easily applicable to me. My slapping sucks for sure.

 

I use a pick on rare occasions where something REALLY calls for it, or I just can't play that fast with my fingers (like 16th notes at 200bmp for 5 minutes). The pick I use, yes I only own 1, was made by a friend of mine out of a piece of a broken cymbal. You want aggressive attack? Try using a metal pick baby. Chris Squire would be insanely jealous of the sound..

 

i have a lot of respect for good pick players, because i sure as heck can't do it. which is odd, because i play guitar a lot. if you can, be proud of it!

i'm workin' at it...

 

I play with a pick all the time, but in the band im in, it calls for more of the finger style. so ill play that, if it fits the band better.

 

I am embarrassed on the rare occasions that I use a pick, but it's not out of prejudice, it's because I suck with a pick. Taught myself to play bass 20+ years ago and all of the local guys in church bands I was trying to emulate used their fingers, so that's what I did too.

 

I play with both pick and fingers.
It looks like your more skilled if your doing like a solo or something and you use both pick and fingers, I dont think I could live without a pick but I also could'nt live without my fingersytle either... so yea .

 

they're both good, but in all those years I played with a pick nothin beats the feeling you get playing with your fingers. I love getttin the calouses, diggin in and gettin some percussive attack. and when the night is through and your fingers hurt, it feels good.

 

Oh man, this story if funny....


... I started playing w/a pick & now 10 years later......


......I still do.