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Why Hate Pick Players?

#121
I'm in a Tom Petty tribute band, and I know that Petty's bass player Ron Blair was primarily a pick player, and I'm not sure about Howie Epstein although he probably played with a pick the majority of the time. With me it depends on the song. Some songs, like Listen To Her Heart, sound better with a pick, and some, like Breakdown, sound better with fingers. It's all about serving the song, and I don't give a schitt what others think. I'm just too damn old for these childish games!
 
#124
SactoBass said:
I had no idea pick players were hated until seeing the title of this thread.

I would sincerely hope that humans have more important things to focus on in life.
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They don't. Most people are miserable and can't wait to drag you down with them. And bass players...everyone thinks they're so mellow, but they're the most passive-aggressive jerks in the room.

And sometimes even the audience gets into the act. About 3 years ago, I had a guy come up to me and say, "I thought you were a really great bass player until I saw you use a pick on one song."

I said, "Oh, well feel free to leave then."

Got no time for idiots.
 
#128
AngelCrusher said:
I believe you should be proficient at every right hand technique if you want to be a pro player.
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This ^^^^^^^^^

In my originals band I use a pick when it fits the song I hear in my head. I'm given free range to decide this.

In my cover band I use a pick if it is apparent that the original recording was played with one.
I try to emulate the song as it was recorded.
I try to "cover" it. :eek:
Hence the name "Cover Band" IMO.

A pick is just another tool in the toolbox that you pull out as needed.
 
#130
JimmyM said:
They don't. Most people are miserable and can't wait to drag you down with them. And bass players...everyone thinks they're so mellow, but they're the most passive-aggressive jerks in the room.

And sometimes even the audience gets into the act. About 3 years ago, I had a guy come up to me and say, "I thought you were a really great bass player until I saw you use a pick on one song."

I said, "Oh, well feel free to leave then."

Got no time for idiots.
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I agree, but also some guitarists like to say that because they hear it from bass players.

I don't dislike fingerstyle and can play it, but I do a good job of knocking everything about it and just being as unpleasant as possible to these folks when they come around.
"What bands do you like?" - I can't tell you how many times "Tool" or "Guns 'N Roses" comes up within the first few responses.

Or even better, Led Zeppelin, and how "awesome" John Paul Jones is, because he's such a fingerstyle "purist":cool:
 
#131
I never hated on pick players. I envy some of the things they can do. For the longest time I wanted to be Mel Schacher. LOL!!!!!!!!
 
#132
sohamorrohit said:
I know this has been done like a million times. No. Like a gazillion times but I still can't figure out why these two styles can't be accepted as a package for a bass player rather than a this vs that debate. When I first started playing bass I was totally into funk and funk-fusion. So I never used a pick. And even if I ever wanted to, the fact that I love slapping a lot made it difficult to switch mid-song. But recently I joined a punk band (I'm surprised that punk has actually strengthened my technique - speed and finger strength to be precise) and on many songs I find that it's easier/better to play with a pick. And just the other day, another bassist here, saw me playing with a pick and said "You play with a pick? Oh cool. So do you play anything beside root notes?"
Now, I don't take comments like those personally but that made me angry. :mad: After 2 years of covering Sly and The Family Stone, Funkadelic and Jaco I dont need anybody telling me that.
So, why EXACTLY is a pick-using-bassist synonymous with a noob? I mean most guitarists use picks but the ones that use fingers (most old country-blues players, Knopfler, Albert King, Derek Trucks, Chet Atkins and EVEN John Mayer, to an extent) don't get **** for finger-picking. So why us? :rollno: :confused:
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It's in my blood man.
 
#133
Any good bassist should be able to play with a pick as well as with the fingers. Being versatile is a plus. I decided I was going to do it both ways. I had a machinist make me some round picks from Teflon and Delrin: glorified washers. The hole in the middle makes dropping much less likely, and being round means not having to worry about rotation. Sometimes I feel like picking and other times I just can't get into it. No reason whatever to hate pickers; they're not all guitarists.
 
#137
Funny thing about these stupid debates is there really is no one specific "pick sound" to like or dislike. There's a lot of stuff out there that just listening to (not hearing with your eyes) you probably wouldn't even think about one way or the other like this. Not everyone who plays with a pick sounds like Chris Squire.
 
#139
Picking was just never for me. I started out playing guitar, but I could not use a pick for the life of me! I gave up on guitar, picked up a bass and been playing ever since! It's just easier for me.
 
#140
The use of a pick adds a dimension to one's tone. Developing technique that can be applied to several genres of music is essential to all bass players that want their careers to progress.

Slap, hammer-on/pull-off, muting, picking and finger techniques makes one versatile; great execution of these and musical sensibility in application will undoubtedly lead to greater opportunities.
 

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