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Who uses a pick

It is a good technique. as bassteban indicated it just adds to your repetoir. I use a pick. I also use my fingers. I even use one finger as if it were a pick for strumming rock chords on the A and G string when the need arises. any way you can get a sound out of it is valid.
 
I use a pick, although the last two years I have been using my fingers more and more. So that makes 20 years with only a pick and 2 years at about 50/50. And I can say that it is NOT an easy way out. It doesnt do the playing for you, its just a different technique. Much like slapping is a different technique.
 
IMO it is what it is. It sounds different, & might serve the song in some situations better than fingers. Do what you like. Learn as much as you can; you'll have more colors on your pallette.

ha ha, i feel like the new kid a school where you are secretly trying to find out what is cool to do and what is seen as sad or whatever
 
As long as you keep time and hit the proper notes the technique used is the flavoring to fit the song or genre.

Fingers, pick, fingernails, thumb, or whatever. Learn them all because some things need one or the other.

John Entwistle was voted bassist of the millennium and used a pick on occasion.

Jim
 
ha ha, i feel like the new kid a school where you are secretly trying to find out what is cool to do and what is seen as sad or whatever

Don't sweat it- it doesn't matter what others say/think, especially on an internet forum.
Now to answer your original question(who uses a pick), I actually very rarely use one- though I need to dig up a few for recording/composing; I like the tone on higher-register chordal, pretend guitar stuff on my 6. Lots of pros go back & forth, as the need arises.
 
When I started out with my band, I used my fingers 100% of the time. Now, I find I'm using a pick on 30-40% of our songs! Just a different tone, approach, etc.

PS I learned to use a pick by just putting on Ramones records and chugging along!
 
I used a pick last night to record a 160bpm double kick metal mayhem song. Otherwise I use only fingers regardless of genre. But I have fingernails - carryover from my classical guitar days. I find it harder to play fingerstyle on bass or guitar without fingernails. Without 'em I "wiff" a lot, and they add to expressiveness - you can choose to play brighter or muted with either the nail or flesh. Works for me.
 

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