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Why do you pick/pluck, etc the way you do?

Why do you pluck, pick, etc the way you do? Multiple choices allowed.

  • That’s how I learned

  • That’s how bassist x does it

  • It feels right for the music I play

  • I tried other ways and hated them

  • I tried it and liked it

  • I am adaptable

  • It’s all about the song

  • Another musician told me I had to

  • I’m a rebel

  • Previous instrument playing informed my choice

  • Other (let us know in the thread. Thanks)

Results are only viewable after voting.
zontar

zontar

Feb 19, 2014
14,193
46,075
J-5
#1
I know we have players here who play exclusively, or almost exclusively with fingers, or same for a pick.
We have players who are everywhere in between, and even some thumb players.
And allsorts of hybrids.

So, no matter how you would describe how you play, WHY do you play that way?
I am including a poll to see it visually, but feel free to share and clarify your reasons, especially if none of the choices feel like they fit for you.
I will add my own thoughts as well.

There are some overlaps in the choices, but you can choose both, or more, if that fits better.

Please note, MULTIPLE choices are allowed in the poll.
 
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#2
I started just using my thumb in 1965. By 1966 I was using a pick because it sounded better and I could double-pick on parts with it, which my thumb wouldn't do. Then in 1968 another musician...our drummer... kept asking me to give it a try. So I finally did and I prefer playing fingerstyle. I'll still pull out a pick if the song calls for it but finger-style is my go-to.

I've always wondered if I should have just fired the drummer instead of appeasing him??? ;)
 
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#4
When I took up bass in high school, I learned the basics from a couple of books (Improvising Rock Bass by David Gross and Teach Yourself Advanced Bass by Clive Harrison) and then just playing along with Fleetwood Mac albums. :) That was all pretty traditional fingerstyle, though I didn't pick up floating thumb until much later.

I had some pretty serious RSI problems and took some time off bass. When I came back, I decided to learn to play with a pick, which was easier on my right hand at the time. I didn't have any instruction on that (and this is way before YT videos), so I just kinda made it up. I still don't know if I'm doing it right. :D
 
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#5
zontar said:
I know we have players here who play exclusively, or almost exclusively with fingers, or same for a pick.
We have players who are everywhere in between, and even some thumb players.
And allsorts of hybrids.

So, no matter how you would describe how you play, WHY do you play that way?
I am including a poll to see it visually, but feel free to share and clarify your reasons, especially if none of the choices feel like they fit for you.
I will add my own thoughts as well.

There are some overlaps in the choices, but you can choose both, or more, if that fits better.

Please note, MULTIPLE choices are allowed in the poll.
Click to expand...
I was born that way.
 
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#6
I started playing bass because at the time I only knew bassists who were guitarists and thought that all fretted instruments were the same and played the same role in an ensemble. I was a guitarist but knew that this attitude was wrong. So I bought a bass. I then got lessons from a proper bass player. He showed me the Gary Willis 3 finger style. Also how to play entwhistle and Jack Bruce and flea stuff.

I weep with some despair when my students get into the band program at school and the band leaders don’t understand what they’re doing and get them to change their plucking style. Willis for me nailed how to play the electric bass. I play more fluidly, a bit quicker and more accurately.

Others play in other ways. What works for you is best. If it sounds good it is good. I use a pick occasionally too.
 
Last edited:
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#8
I am the outlier here I'm sure.

I didn't start out this way, but in the last several years I have turned into a 90 to 95% "invisible pick" player. The very tip of my forefinger is used as the "pick" with my thumb held against it just as if I was holding a pick. I know some guitar players that play somewhat that way but I personally don't know of any other bass players that play as I do. It feels right and sounds right and gives me the accuracy I need for just about everything. I do grow out my nails slightly on my forefinger and middle finger although the nails don't make more contact than the meat of my finger. The other 5% of the time I'm a standard finger player and on a very rare part I will use a pick for brightness or on a melodic part. Yeah, it's weird but the sound and feel I get is a personal, refined and good thing. 👍
 
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#10
BeyondFiredUp said:
I am the outlier here I'm sure.

I didn't start out this way, but in the last several years I have turned into a 90 to 95% "invisible pick" player. The very tip of my forefinger is used as the "pick" with my thumb held against it just as if I was holding a pick. I know some guitar players that play somewhat that way but I personally don't know of any other bass players that play as I do. It feels right and sounds right and gives me the accuracy I need for just about everything. I do grow out my nails slightly on my forefinger and middle finger although the nails don't make more contact than the meat of my finger. The other 5% of the time I'm a standard finger player and on a very rare part I will use a pick for brightness or on a melodic part. Yeah, it's weird but the sound and feel I get is a personal, refined and good thing. 👍
Click to expand...
I’m in this camp and I like it. Never could handle a pick that great so elected to destroy my cuticles. I think it gets the job done and I don’t have to fuss with accessories.
 
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#11
When I started (1992) *everyone* played finger style. I couldn't get the hang of fingers, so I played with a pick until I finally came across a method book that did a good job of properly explaining how to pluck the strings and play with fingers. Once I got it down, I never looked back.

Oddly enough, I can't for the life of me play with a pick these days. I tried playing with a pick a few times last year and I felt like a monkey trying to play bass with a screwdriver 🤓

Finger style just feels right. I'm sticking with it. :thumbsup:
 
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#14
BeyondFiredUp said:
I am the outlier here I'm sure.

I didn't start out this way, but in the last several years I have turned into a 90 to 95% "invisible pick" player. The very tip of my forefinger is used as the "pick" with my thumb held against it just as if I was holding a pick. I know some guitar players that play somewhat that way but I personally don't know of any other bass players that play as I do. It feels right and sounds right and gives me the accuracy I need for just about everything. I do grow out my nails slightly on my forefinger and middle finger although the nails don't make more contact than the meat of my finger. The other 5% of the time I'm a standard finger player and on a very rare part I will use a pick for brightness or on a melodic part. Yeah, it's weird but the sound and feel I get is a personal, refined and good thing. 👍
Click to expand...
I have played guitar that way when I haven’t had a pick, and wanted one (I also play guitar with fingers sometimes
 
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#17
Well I said I’d add my own thoughts, so here they are:
-That’s how I learned: As I have shared before, I was a reluctant bass student, but it was part of the band option where I took guitar lessons. They taught playing bass with your fingers. So that’s how that started, which leads to other options I included.
-It feels right for the music I play: While I do use a pick here and there, I just connect with the music more playing with my fingers.
-I tried it an liked it: This follows from how I was taught/how I learned. While I was reluctant to learn bass, I discovered I liked it, and I liked not using a pick more.
-I am adaptable: so if the sing really needs a pick to get the feel, timing and/or groove, I’ll do that.
-It’s all about the song: As with the last one, if the song is better when I use a pick, I’ll do that, better with fingers? Cool. Fine either way? Probably use fingers, but it could be a pick.
-I’m a rebel: Early on I kept hearing I needed to use a pick to play hard rock and heavy metal, etc. so I stuck with my fingers, with some exceptions. But these days maybe I will rebel and use a pick!
-Previous instrument playing: I started learning guitar on classical, so finger picking/plucking was part of my experience. It helped on bass, plus I could already read bass clef, so could use standard notation with bass. I learned that from previous piano lessons.

Thanks to all who shared and will still share.
Interesting to hear your stuff.
Many ways to skin a…, er play bass.
 
#19
When I first got my bass (I was a drummer) I could only play thumbstyle. The bassist (also rhythm guitarist) of my band told me how to play fingerstyle. Later I learned picking and slapping as part of the standard technique, and typewriting and palm muting after John Entwistle. (I tend to call palm muting "pizzicato" after the classical guitar technique)
Now I'm trying to learn double thumbing of Victor Wooten, and 3-finger plucking of John Entwistle. I'd also like to learn the funk fingers of Tony Levin, and the reverse (outward) finger (nail) plucking of pipa players.
 
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