Why Hate Pick Players?

[Pet Sounds]

This definitely goes back to at least the '70s. With some justification, people would say it's harder to groove with a pick, that it's clacky and slows you down. It sort of branded you as a neophyte if you played with a pick.
I think that's a dated and inaccurate philosophy, but it seems to have stuck through the years, at least to some extent.

 

[NightTripper]

This definitely goes back to at least the '70s. With some justification, people would say it's harder to groove with a pick, that it's clacky and slows you down. It sort of branded you as a neophyte if you played with a pick.
I think that's a dated and inaccurate philosophy, but it seems to have stuck through the years, at least to some extent.

Huh. That's odd, as I find that I am much faster with a pick. But I have played mandolin long before I played bass so I guess it is just more natural to me.

 

[Vince Klortho]

Or even better, Led Zeppelin, and how "awesome" John Paul Jones is, because he's such a fingerstyle "purist"

That's funny. I guess they haven't watched "The Song Remains The Same."

 

[remainthesame]

When I first started playing, I used both pick and fingers. But over time I used it less and less until one day I realized that I wasn't using the pick at all, and I haven't picked it back up since. (yes the pun was intended) I don't hate on pick players, but I do think the overwhelming amount of sub-par bassists who use a pick are giving the good pick players a bad reputation.
Me personally, I prefer finger-style. It's what works for me. I do quite a bit of slapping, and I can play faster with three fingers than I can using a pick.
Plus, honestly the last think I want is to depend on something that is easy to lose/forget. I can't tell you how many times my guitarist showed up to a gig and goes "uuuhhhhh, I forgot picks"
Again, I do not hate pick players by any means. I love bassists like Timmy C, Justin Chancellor, Chris Squire etc....

 

[Rockin Mike]

Keep a few picks in your wallet, your gig bag, the door of your car, etc.
The best way to not get caught without one is to bathe your life in them.

 

[Dr Improbable]

I prefer picks for the drive and attack, but I can play both ways. Every song or scale I practice I learn both pick and fingerstyle. I've never been in a band where any of the other players cared, so, do what you like!

 

[remainthesame]

Keep a few picks in your wallet, your gig bag, the door of your car, etc.
The best way to not get caught without one is to bathe your life in them.

Or i can just not use them and never have to worry about it ever again

 

[fraublugher]

It's all Steve Swallow's fault , when he switched from upright to electric with a pick.

It's like hoping the grand canyon on a pogo stick.

Shocking.

 

[IncX]

maybe its because if there were 3 guys who played guitar, the worst one is usually sent to play bass, and of course, he will play with a pick .... cause he's not a bass player - just a demoted guitarist?

 

[Jeff Bonny]

maybe its because if there were 3 guys who played guitar, the worst one is usually sent to play bass, and of course, he will play with a pick .... cause he's not a bass player - just a [DEL]demoted[/DEL] promoted guitarist?

fixed

 

[InternetAlias]

maybe its because if there were 3 guys who played guitar, the worst one is usually sent to play bass, and of course, he will play with a pick .... cause he's not a bass player - just a demoted guitarist?

I have a funny situation in my band. I am originally a bass guitar player that also plays a 6 string. I am actually a better guitarist than one of the guitarists in my band - but I prefer playing bass more and the guy that's worse at guitar than me can't really play bass, so there it goes.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Current band: 90% pick, 7% fingers, 3% slap.

Previous band (covers): 50% fingers, 50% pick.

Band before that: 90% fingers, 10% pick.

Should I go on?
Play the song. Whatever the song needs is what I play.

 

[Dweezilmeister]

Should I go on?
Play the song. Whatever the song needs is what I play.

I agree, some song sound better with a pick, other are better played with fingers.

As my teacher always says, what is more important is the music, you should be able to play it easily make it sound the best it could, and having fun doing it.

 

[captainattplaysbass]

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. 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?

I am in all respects an absolute noob to bass. But I agree that playing with a pick is a valid technique, and sometimes (especially in punk) you can get a certain sound when playing with a pick that you cant get when you pluck with your fingers. I don't know whats wrong with me (maybe I just need more practice) but I can not co-odinate my fingers well enough to pluck. Im good with a pick and ok at slap but I just can't seem to be able to pluck.

 

[captainattplaysbass]

Honestly, I was trained to pluck--- I have been plucking away for years and years.

Now i find myself in a pretty successful rock band, looking for more aggressive tones from time to time. That's just one instance where playing with a pick will come in handy (pun intended).

The long-short of it is this:

For me at least, learning to develop my picking technique has been much more difficult than it was for me to learn finger style bass playing. I'm still not comfortable playing live with a pick, after months and months of practicing.

Has anyone had similar experiences?

Also, what kind of picks do you guys prefer? I'm really digging 2mm picks my guitarist had lying around. I feel like I have a lot more control than when I use floppy fender picks... although they are really good for lighting on fire.

My dad doesn't play bass, but when I told him I was interested in starting to play he dug out a wooden dugain pick that he bought in the 80s for £12 and its the one I used ever since. If your into loud, discordant, dirty bass with punch then a wooden pick is invaluable. They're really thick and have grooves for your fingers to rest in, and I much prefer a solid wooden pick to a thinner plastic pick.

 

[HereIGoAgain]

Do people hate on cello players who use a bow? Do people yell "NOOB!" to a string bass player who has a bow? The picks are our "bows" in that sense. Some sounds you just can't get unless you use a pick. I find that my tone with a pick is much clearer than my tone with fingers. I do use fingers mostly now because I often play two or more strings at once, but I do like using a pick on a bass.

 

[Tom Howland]

There is no right answer. Pick, Fingers, Slap, Pop.
Whatever the song calls for.
There is no right way. Only what you prefer.

 

[Jay Mastro]

I play fingerstyle but always keep a pick in my pocket, learned with a pick, played guitar first then switched to bass so I have quite a few years of pick use, have played fingerstlye longer than pickstyle at this point but still feel like Im better with a pick overall, but I prefer fingerstyle ha

 

[ZenG]

So this thread returns from the dead..........oh well...anyway......

Hard to groove with a pick back in the seventies?....tell that to Carol Kaye (who has been a lifelong bass pick user...so all those great records that she was on......all played with a pick).

These days I'm 50/50 pick,fingers..........and I could care less if anybody doesn't like the fact that I use a pick.

I'm going to use a pick and that's that.

End of story.

No contest.

Case dismissed.

Game over.

Like it or lump it.

So there.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Why don't we invent some kind of word/name for the "50/50 pick,fingers" players.
Bi-fig-pick, or Bi-pick-fig, or Fig-Pick-Bi, or Pick-Fig-Bi, BFP, or BPF, etc...?

P.S. Just a question.
If one day I learn how to play the bass with my big nose, are we going to have a new thread called,
"Why hate "nose" players?
Just kidding.
Happy Holidays, to all "hard work, low pay" bass players!