For safety reasons, I'm not allowed to use a pick. It's not the first time an unknown flying projectile has undone someone's eyesight,while I was looking for the pick that I was holding a second ago.
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The Combo Club
- Thread starter ChefKen
- Start date
That's where it all starts and before you realize it you've developed a launch pad for triangular projectiles.I thought a pick was just something you jammed between the pick guard and body.
Regarding pick use, I can say I had no proficiency with it on bass until after I spent a few years playing acoustic guitar. Now it seems like I have a hard time deciding what right hand technique I'll use.
Here's my ongoing fingerstyle problem: I like a fingernail-less tone when finger picking. But my fingernails have uneven amounts of protrusion from the pads of my fingers. Thus, unless I have all three of my primary nails cut down to nearly bleeding, I always get some string clack from the nails. That makes the hits uneven as I use a 3 finger pattern. It can be very annoying.
I'm guessing I'm not alone in this. What do others do?
Here's my ongoing fingerstyle problem: I like a fingernail-less tone when finger picking. But my fingernails have uneven amounts of protrusion from the pads of my fingers. Thus, unless I have all three of my primary nails cut down to nearly bleeding, I always get some string clack from the nails. That makes the hits uneven as I use a 3 finger pattern. It can be very annoying.
I'm guessing I'm not alone in this. What do others do?
Why, beni! You should never doubt the "pedigree" of my recommendations. That is, how you say, le good news. Did you ask for the extra 0.38" le height? It certainly seems to reach le deep into that groovy shag rug! Et tu gentille le pocket¡ Chez magnifique¡¡ C'est la vie.
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- Oct 22, 2015
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- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
My fingernails can't take the beating. I spend a lot of time on my right hand technique, especially with right and left hand finger independence.
Yessir - same here - more pronounced with round wounds imho. Got rounds on my Mustang currently and notice the "clack" you speak of. EB cobalts on the Jazz and Labellas on the P - don't really have that issue.
No special order - the standard Rumble 40 cover works fine. Thinking the measurement I saw on SW site bogus. I went un-padded as mostly need as dust cover - I guess the unpadded canvas is just a bit looser than the padded covers. Viva Le Cover!
I tried using a thumb pick for awhile. There if ya want it, outta the way when using fingers. Damn thing was too tight on my thumb.(it was a large)[the pick, that is]. When using it I kinda kept it in place with my index finger.
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I used a pick when I first Started bass in ‘70 or so. In college, -73-77, my bandmates shamed me in to learning to play with my fingers. Tried a felt zither pick, but they weren’t having it. When I got back to bass in 40 years later in ‘18, I used only fingers but my nails are now so paper thin I have to file them down to nothing or they snag and rip and make an unexpected louder pluck on the string. (No that was not a scream...). But certain songs sound to me like they need a pick so I am trying to reincorporate it. Day Tripper sounds better/more correct on my Jazz or Michael Kelly ABG with a pick. Working to improve my 6-string playing is also improving my bass playing, I think.
The others buy a ticket to act as an audience
It's this or mouth harp, the choice is yours.
If I regularly harvest my nail clippings, then I have no problems with the clack thing... so I don't think I can help you in this quest.
There is a sweet spot I like when my nails are just long enough to emulate a pick a little, but it is difficult to achieve that spot. If the nails are too long I start getting pain in my forearm. Too short and I get duller tone. My preference is for the duller tone over the pain, so I keep the nails trimmed usually.
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So what do you do about it to help your poor fingers?
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,155
- 256,567
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
Technique or nails?
For my RH technique I practice left hand sequences up and down the neck as I mind Index-Middle. Then I reverse Index-Middle and start with the other. It can get pretty hairy with string crossings.
Nails, I'm SOL.
Woof, my newer 4003 no likey the Double Four. Which is fine, my last T-40 didn't like certain amps. The 4003W sounds great through my Acoustic B100C and especially through my Mesa. I might put the Nobels Pre-1 I just got in front of it to "beef" it up
Wait a minute, were you talking about pubs, or is that Great Britain's latest Covid-19 update? I get so confused over the holidays.
Augh! Thought I am havink you here in first minute, with your giant self playink stand-up bass sitting down, until am realizink is face paint instead of easily identified facial scar! R-r-r-rats!
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Aha! Butinski, my dear Soul Man, you are postink no pr-r-roof of seeink Fearless Leader at 4:03! Pix or is not happenink, right? Of course right! Heheheheh. It is I am havink pr-r-roof of Fearless Leader playing at 4:03 and therefore am winnink coverted red, white & blue schmackeroon! BWAHAHAHA!! Very clever, Your Excellency, using makeup to hide facial scar!
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Very funny, Your Excellency, but i happen to know that is NOT your red dress, which is havink frilly collar. And laboratory analysis reveals NO tuba, nor any other bass instrument there. Silly Fearless Leader is makink joke! Ha ha! EVERYBODY LAUGH NOW!! HA HA HA!
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Wait! NO! He is havink no pr-r-roof! I am havink pr-r-roof, no? ... NO?!? Wha...?? . . . . Vell, yes, but... ... ... but, Sir, he could have just guessink right correct time of 4:03! ... . . . ... yes! It could happenink!! ... ... Anyway, 4:03 is not "within first minute of piece" like you said to be! I am only won submittink entry "in first minute of piece" as you requirink, so I should... But, he said "tuba", sir... . . . yes, you are sayink "tuba", too... I get it, yes, is very funny, see, I laughink.... but... . . . . but... ... ... (sigh) yes, Your Excellency. Ok. I vill send him prize. But, is not fair... No, NO! ISS FAIR! ISS VERY FAIR!! ... Yes, sir, is most fair.
Aw, hell, Most Just Fearless Leader! ... hmmm? ... no, of course, I would never... no, sir . . . . I am sayink, "All Hail" to you, sir. ... Yes, of course. .... Sorry if I did not pronounciate clearly, sir. ... Yes, sir. ... No, sir. . . .
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Yes, yes. You vill be gettink package in the mail, Souly. Never mind if maybe it is tickink. That is ... uh, ... just trackink device so is don't gettink lost. Yes, that's it, trackink device. Think nothink of it. Go ahead! Rippink into it, you cannot be hurtink it! Heheheh . . . .
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I continue to be completely amazed at how much effort typing out what for many fourth-graders would be a simple answer, but then you never claimed you would do anything easily! So let me get this straight...you complimented me on my scar-covering makeup, yet thought that wasn't me at 4:03? Hmm, interesting.
Then you congratulated SR on winning, yet retorted it wasn't fair, and then proceeded to send him one of our NOS Illudium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulators? Fascinating. What goes on in that brain of yours is like watching a car crash; I don't want to look but I can't help not wanting to know what's going on! But as long as Soul Reflection gets what's coming to him, I'm fine with it.
One of my teaching partners captured the image of me, circled me with orange marker, and then posted it on Facebook. Unfortunately, I was all out of Schmackeroons at the time.
Thanks, Seargent-at-Arms 007 'Dog for helping out!
I'm all fingers as well. Enjoyed the tone of the video with the dude playing with a pick. I've attempted, but alas the pick is not for me. I have tried to emulate Geddy's flamenco technique for when I need 16th notes - I'm getting there!
+1. I don't think I've ever spent two minutes with a plectrum on a bass. It just feels wrong to me. Like you, I also tend to use the one-finger flailing but have worked more on the two-finger approach of late.
Speaking of someone getting what's coming to them, my saved eBay search for short scale basses popped up 3 lefties from the same seller (beholdthelion). If someone was interested in something like that.
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