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Why do you pick? (aka, pick thread)

#21
i dont play with a pick anymore on bass, but i use one on gaytar most of the time. i dont use it on bass because i cant play as fast with a pick as i can with my fingers, im told thats strange. and i can get more tones out of my bass with my fingers, also, if im playing a bass line that uses two types of playing, like fingerstyle and slap, its a pain to have to throw teh pick somewhere where it is easily accesible once the slap bit is finished, there are other reasons, but they are teh main ones, also, fingers are cheaper than picks
 
#22
wait wait... when did Pick playing become faster than fingerstyle? This is all new to me. I started playing with a pick, then later switched to fingerstyle . My speed increased exponentialy... I dont understand how a pick can reach the speeds of 3 or even 4 fingers style...

As for the question of the day, I use my fingers 90% of the time, mostly because I'm a lot better with my fingers. I use a pick somtimes, usually if I feel like playing somthing heavy. I used to enjoy the sound of a pick over the sound of my fingers, but lately I find that my preferance has gone the other way.
 
#23
originally posted by SyntaxError
wait wait... when did Pick playing become faster than fingerstyle? This is all new to me. I started playing with a pick, then later switched to fingerstyle . My speed increased exponentialy... I dont understand how a pick can reach the speeds of 3 or even 4 fingers style...
Click to expand...

Actually, my fingerstyle is faster when I'm jumping around from string to string, but if I'm playing a song on one string and/or repeating a note at high speed, then I can get more speed and cleaner sound with a pick.
 
#24
Myself, I'd have to agree with Syntax Error on the whole faster picking with your fingers, I've never been able to pluck very fast with a pick unless I use a really thin pick and that just takes away every reason I even use a pick. And for those of you that use one to get a more aggressive tone, try tipping your fingers to a steeper angle so that your finger nails strike the string, this gives it about the same tone. And to finger the string faster, I recommend learning to use three or four fingers on the string. And if you're doing chords, slap close to the bridge if you want the same tone as fingering quickly.
 
#25
For some of us though, (cough me cough) can't use 3 or 4 fingers on one string, just because I hacked up my one finger and it hasn't let me use my ring & pinkey on my right hand now. That's when I started using a pick more and more. Just some more food for thought :D.
_RaY_
 
#26
after posting in this thread I was reminded of somthing funny that happend to me... When I started playing Bass, My friend-a guitar player-was basicly giving me lessons in music theory. Of course he was one of those guys who thought "yeah, guitar players can play bass, it's easy" Like I said in my last post, I started playing with a pick, then later switched to finger style... first two fingers, then when I was able to hammer down a constant rhythm with two, I switched to three... 5 months into My bass training my friend came to me with a dissapointed look and said "your now better than me on the Bass" :( thats when I knew I wouldn't use a pick very often ... :spit: then I thought Of somthing else.... is there some kind of technique to using a pick on the Bass? I know picking closer to the bridge is one, since the strings move less, any others?
 
#29
Well, where you pick, as mentioned (over a certain pickup, at the bridge, over the neck [don't ask]), then how hard you pick in whatever spot you choose. I've also noticed that it seems different weight picks give you altered tones, that one's hard to explain though. Then, you can pick only with downstrokes (for whatever reason?) OR if you're like me, you can put the pick in your bridge (between the saddle and string) and use it as one heck of a pinky rest (since I can't fingerpick with that finger anyway)! Just make sure if ya do this, to check your intonation and check it often, cos after doing it several times it throws it out a few cents...
_RaY_
 
#30
I'm using PLECTRUMS almost exclusively now.

Why, you ask?

I like the tone.

I look at it this way. The more techniques one has in one's bag of tricks, the better off one is.

I had to endure the usual disrespectful and witless remarks from bassists who equate plectrums with poor technique*, but I'm much better off now for having done so.


*None of you fall into this category (sp?) so no flaming!


:bassist:
 
#31
Originally posted by Bad_Habit_Bassist
Well, where you pick, as mentioned (over a certain pickup, at the bridge, over the neck [don't ask]), then how hard you pick in whatever spot you choose. I've also noticed that it seems different weight picks give you altered tones, that one's hard to explain though. Then, you can pick only with downstrokes (for whatever reason?) OR if you're like me, you can put the pick in your bridge (between the saddle and string) and use it as one heck of a pinky rest (since I can't fingerpick with that finger anyway)! Just make sure if ya do this, to check your intonation and check it often, cos after doing it several times it throws it out a few cents...
_RaY_
Click to expand...


Have you tried Metal Picks? if so, what do you think of them?
 
#32
anyone else find that they come up with different riffs if they're practising with a pick than fingerstyle?

I find the usual downstrokes of a pick vs. upstrokes of fingerstyle lead to different shapes on the fretboard- ascending vs. descending accross the strings.

it's interesting to transfer a pick riff to fingerstyle and vice versa (and also slap).

I find playing with a pick forces me to rely less on right hand muting of the unplayed strings- although there are fingerstyle riffs of mine I can't play with a pick cleanly because they rely so much on right hand thumb + free fingers muting to free up my left hand.
 
#34
I'd haveto agree with miccheck, I do got a lot more tone and speed when I play fingerstyle (that's not to say my pick tone is terrible, but fingerstyle is phatter).
I use Dunlop Stubbys 3mm, the large curve makes it just float off and on the strings, smooth :bassist:
I use a pick because sometimes you need to get that extra edge to cut through a heavy mix, and, as has been said, some tunes just don't sound the same without.
 
#35
I seldom use a pick, but not for any of the right reasons. It pretty much comes down to I can play more quickly and accurately with my fingers. I started doing it that way, and just have never really taken the effort to add use of a pick to my tool box. I do occasionally practice with one to try to get to where I can sounds decent, because some pieces do sound better with a pick I find. My pick pick when I use one would be those purple dunlops, although I did pick up a big plectrum with some felty stuff on it that sounds pretty cool.
 
#36
I use a pick in my hardcore/punk/metal band..

Very rarely do I use one while playing on my own though.. sometimes I do while practicing the hardcore stuff..

Dunlop 44R Nylon Standards - I preferr black 1mm and once in a while I will use the dark grey .88mm for a bit more of a dirty tone.

Dunlop 443R Nylon Midi - I sometimes use the green .94mm also...

I find the 44R's and 443R's to be pretty much the same... both are textured, nylon, etc..
 
#38
Originally posted by si_mon13
i usually use a 1.5mm pointyedge triangle pick when doing alice in chains covers, or other covers that simply needs a pick, otherwise i try to avoid it, simply because i limits me. for instance if you go to gig and you forget a pick you cant get that same sound.
Click to expand...

That's when you start asking around for quarters and 1/2 dollars from people ;)
_RaY_
 
#39
I pick part of the time when we play out. We play a lot of punkish rock with 1/16 notes on basically 4 notes. I haven't developed good technique to stay nice and even with 2 fingers. I guess I need to find some good drills. I get loud and get thumpy after a while. Its just cleaner and easier to use a pick, and it gives that same pick tone that everyone talks about. On some of our other stuff, I like using fingers because I can move from string to string faster with fingers. I want to get to where I can use fingers only, but pick is smoother as of today. The band likes the pick too.
 
#40
I normally use a pick. Main reasons behind it are that I play VERY aggressively, and it KILLS my fingers sometimes to play that way. Also, I normally play punk/thrash metal. With music where the beat is rather fast, and sometimes jumps around the strings/fretboard, I find it MUCH easier to keep up with it using a pick. But I still use fingers/slap style on certain songs. (Slap sounds awesome on Alice in Chains' "Man in the Box.")
 

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