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To Pick or Not To Pick - That is the ?

To Pick or Not to Pick

  • Yes - Always use a Pick

    Votes: 61 7.2%

  • No - Never Use a Pick

    Votes: 359 42.3%

  • Sometimes I use one and sometimes I don't

    Votes: 428 50.5%
  • Total voters
    848
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#21
well, I just did my first 4 hour practice last night with using just my pick. I was pretty uncomfortable all night, but it sounded good. I had a better feel of the tunes, just because my wrist did not hurt, my hand position was better, I could concentrate more on my left hand technique. I just did not have the feel in my right hand like I am used to. I did feel much more comfortable playing my 5'er with a pick though. I am pretty sure, if I play a 4 string again, I would use my fingers, but with a 5 or 6'er (FOR ME) it will be pick time!.....:eek: Now what pick do I use :confused:
 
#23
I started with pick-only - then when I dicided that it was time to start on fingers, I sort-of didn't let my self use a pick, just so I was forcing myself to learn it.

I started with two fingers. When I got that down pretty comfortably, I went back to pick for some songs where I wanted that sharp attack. At about the same time I started adding a third finger to my finger-playing - I'm very glad I did that. Now even if I'm using only two fingers, it's not-unlikely that I'll find myself using middle-ring - the advantage of this is that I can pluck with ring and stop the note with middle; then pluck with middle and stop that one with index. Ripping-out three-fingered triplets is pretty cool too. Now I've been practicing FOUR-notes in-a-stroke, by upstroking ring-middle-index, then BACKWARDS-index (my pinky is useless, as far as I can tell. On my left hand I probably use pinky more than ring, but for plucking?? Eeasch.)

Now as-concerning that sharp attack attained with a pick: Now that I'm learning popping (on more than just the G-string, with more than just the index finger), I'm pretty-much finding that THIS is the 'sharp tone' that I was looking for anyway. An additional reason for the move away from pick is that I switched bands - Classic Rock to Funk/Soul/R&B.

...So Pick doesn't get used much anymore. One song that I was still stuck with pick on (for some reason) was Thank You (fo'lettin me...) - the singer in the Funk band finally asked me to thump/pop the part - and he's right; that's the only-way to go on that tune!

If I were back with the Classic Rock band, there would for-sure still be some songs I'd use a pick on, I think, but as-of-now there are none anymore with the funk band. I must admit, though, that I sometimes 'cheat' for certain tricky-parts; I pinch my thumb against index, and sort-of 'pretend' I'm using a pick. I also still always keep a pick wedged into the edge of a pickup's hardware.

Joe
 
#24
iriegnome said:
well, I just did my first 4 hour practice last night with using just my pick. I was pretty uncomfortable all night, but it sounded good. I had a better feel of the tunes, just because my wrist did not hurt, my hand position was better, I could concentrate more on my left hand technique. I just did not have the feel in my right hand like I am used to. I did feel much more comfortable playing my 5'er with a pick though. I am pretty sure, if I play a 4 string again, I would use my fingers, but with a 5 or 6'er (FOR ME) it will be pick time!.....:eek: Now what pick do I use :confused:
Click to expand...

A couple things you mentioned in your post and that I should have mentioned in my previous post. About the time I switched to pick playing I was dealing with moderately severe tendonitis in my plucking wrist. Having to put the bass down for good was becoming a very realy possibility. I tried everything: lowering my bass to straighten out my wrist, stretching, drinking more water, supplements. None of it worked. It pretty much went away when I became a full time picker.

I also completely agree that it seemed like when I switched to picking I was also able to concentrate more on my fretting hand.

As for what pick to use I highly suggest trying the 3.0 mm Jim Dunlop jazz stubby. NOT the big stubby that has finger indentations. Jazz picks make so much more sense to me for bass. You don't need large picks because you're only playing one string at a time, just thick picks. Just my opinion of course.
 
#26
I've been playing for 15 years and all this time, I've never used a pick on bass seriously. All fingers and thumb. But I've started to get into it recently and I'm havin' a ball.

And don't let anyone ever tell you that real bassists don't use picks. Anthony Jackson might have a word or two to say about that.
 
#27
ahh yes, the old pick vs fingers debate....

me:

fingers = 65%
pick = 35%

I just cant play some songs fast enough without a pick otherwise i would. Like Highway Star, for example.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of snobbery shown towards pick players. I say whatever blows your hair back...
 
#28
FaithNoMan said:
I only use picks with my Rick cause it rhymes: Pick/Rick
popcorn.gif
Click to expand...

A Rick played with a Pick is one of the greatest sounds out there :)
 
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#29
Ok, here's what we're gonna do. We've had this questions about a million times here....but I'm going to sticky this one to the top, and then nuke any others that come along.

By the way, I play with a pick if it's appropriate for the song, but prefer the sound of fingers.
 
#33
Well I used a pick for a full show for the first time in about 15 years. What a difference. I found for my style, it worked out well. I had used a Jim Dunlop 1.14mm Blue Nylon Pick. Planet Waves now has the pick. Anyway, I think if I go back to my 4 string I will use my fingers, but the stretch and reach of my 5 string for my right picking hand just seemed to work better for me with a pick.
 
#35
if i *try* to sing Seek and Destroy (Metallica!) and play it at the same time i find its easier with a pick for some reason. dunno why.maybe 2 fingers+singing is just too hard for me.

also I seem to be the only person in my band that thinks playing with a pick looks better than playing with fingers.


i usually play with fingers.
 
#36
Use your fingers... use your pick...use anything you have that sounds musical to the ears. Use drumsticks with surgical tubing....use your thumb....use the palm of your hand...use whatever it takes but DON'T ever limit yourself to two techniques,pick or fingers...use a pick downstrokes... use a pick alternating up and down strokes... use three fingers on your right hand... use some fingernail....get the picture.
Hope this helps
 
#37
thedonutman said:
I seem to be the only person in my band that thinks playing with a pick looks better than playing with fingers.
Click to expand...

It looks very "Rock".

I was inspired to play with a pick at my old band's first gig when I saw the next band's bassist(we opened for two bands) play with one...

He got such a great tone out of his J Bass, and he made it look really cool, with his hand positioned right behind the bridge pup, with his fingers in an upside-down "O.K." sign ....he had this energy emanating from him, like he was attacking his instrument(no pinkie hooked around the G string), and it made fingerstyle look like a three-legged spider trying to drag his broken third leg across the strings to me...:eyebrow:
 
#38
Nikk Axx said:
Use your fingers... use your pick...use anything you have that sounds musical to the ears. Use drumsticks with surgical tubing....use your thumb....use the palm of your hand...use whatever it takes but DON'T ever limit yourself to two techniques,pick or fingers...use a pick downstrokes... use a pick alternating up and down strokes... use three fingers on your right hand... use some fingernail....get the picture.
Hope this helps
Click to expand...
This is a great point. Most of the debates rule picking vs. fingering, but in years past, the thumb. You actually hit the basic root of all of this. "Mainstream" thinking Pick/Finger. Also, Basses have 4 strings. Most basses on the open market have either a P or J look. Mainstream is not always a good thing. But, I do think (IMO) a pick works better (FOR ME) on my 5's and 6's, but I do prefer fingers on my 4's.
 
#39
I dunno i have played fingers since the begining and now i have a strong urge to learn to play with a pick, but i really don't have a clue what i'm doing. but i can see where playing with the pick would be beneficial.
 
#40
LMotive said:
I dunno i have played fingers since the begining and now i have a strong urge to learn to play with a pick, but i really don't have a clue what i'm doing. but i can see where playing with the pick would be beneficial.
Click to expand...

I came from the same boat as you, and learned from watching good pick player's technique...
 
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