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Why I keep hammering the Carol Kaye pick method

#102
Man, he was so good with Crimson. I've got this BBC recording of them doing "21st Century Schizoid Man," and Wetton does this incredible extended solo in the 6/8 section in the middle. I actually saw him play with Uriah Heep in 76 opening for KISS. He was awesome with them, too, but they had this real creepy singer to replace Dave Byron, so I was bummed.
 
#103
bassrique said:
I feel the need to join the pile-on.

***?

The best electric bassists in the world strap it up in a manner that you may think of as "high" and/or "dorky", but this is the logical and practical norm for those that serve the music.

When I see a person with the bass down by the knees, I usually think, "fool". I know it's a bit snobbish, but it's just idiotic to me. Sorry.
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i agree with you. i honestly do not like people who try to be rock n roll. as an artist, i think its the most tasteless thing somebody can do (wear their instrument low low), so since it is more comfortable i do wear my bass pretty high to be as non rock as i can IRL. i was joking around earlier hence the ":o" in my OP.

:smug:
 
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#105
I can see how playing bass with a pick could possibly cause a wrist problem ... But wouldn't slap bass be more harmful? And also what about the 99% of guitarists who play with a pick. And don't forget drummers. And even keyboard players could be at risk.

About the only guy in the band who doesn't seem at risk for wrist injuries would be the lead singer.
 
#106
Ric5 said:
I can see how playing bass with a pick could possibly cause a wrist problem ... But wouldn't slap bass be more harmful? And also what about the 99% of guitarists who play with a pick. And don't forget drummers. And even keyboard players could be at risk.

About the only guy in the band who doesn't seem at risk for wrist injuries would be the lead singer.
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Slap bass isn't generally harmful since the hand position for it isn't very stressful. I've yet to experience any pain playing slap and I don't know of anyone who has.
 
#107
biff malibu said:
i agree with you. i honestly do not like people who try to be rock n roll. as an artist, i think its the most tasteless thing somebody can do (wear their instrument low low), so since it is more comfortable i do wear my bass pretty high to be as non rock as i can IRL. i was joking around earlier hence the ":o" in my OP.

:smug:
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it's a bass guitar, not a necklace.

How you look in private or in the studio is obviously unimportant.
Whatever works for you.
but LIVE? I choose to not look like the aforementioned "dork."


The "best electric bass players in the world" don't look like dorks doing it.
(and of course that would mean Entwistle and McCartney. Clearly! :D)
 
#110
Just a warning against any "one-size fits all" approach, based on my own experience....

I'm sure Carol's technique for picking has helped many people, BUT - it pays to be in tune with your body and what is working or not.

For example, I sustained a wrist injury years ago (skating).

As a result, ANY side-to-side motion in that wrist results in a "popping" inside the wrist.

I have used the "Les paul" picking technique (from the elbow, with wrist locked) for years, to avoid this.

Just something to consider - Les Paul has been playing for longer than Carol Kaye has been alive; still plays to this day.

His wrist can not move - he picks from the elbow....
 
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#113
Ok, I've gotten into the situation where I have to change from fingerpicking to just picking. For me this isn't really something I like playing-wise, because all the bass picking situations I've done have strained and wrecked my picking hand more or less. Tension, serious strain and outright pain. Using too much force and playing too rigidly, I suppose.

But so far, this topic has eased my anxiety about the matter somewhat. I tried the CK method, and it seemed to work. I'm not having any uncomfortable tension and everything feels "relaxed". Just one question:

I understand the principle of keeping the hand/wrist parallel to the strings (I play the guitar more or less the same way), but does the picking movement (up/down) come from the wrist or does it start from the elbow and the wrist stays locked?
 
#115
Fathand said:
Ok, I've gotten into the situation where I have to change from fingerpicking to just picking. For me this isn't really something I like playing-wise, because all the bass picking situations I've done have strained and wrecked my picking hand more or less. Tension, serious strain and outright pain. Using too much force and playing too rigidly, I suppose.

But so far, this topic has eased my anxiety about the matter somewhat. I tried the CK method, and it seemed to work. I'm not having any uncomfortable tension and everything feels "relaxed". Just one question:

I understand the principle of keeping the hand/wrist parallel to the strings (I play the guitar more or less the same way), but does the picking movement (up/down) come from the wrist or does it start from the elbow and the wrist stays locked?
Click to expand...

It's all wrist.
 
#117
Hmm, I've never really cared for picking near the neck, I always felt I had more control when playing near the bridge, I'll give it another try though. Also I like thin-ish picks due to their aggressive sound which is what I usually want when I pick. :/

By the way, oes anyone else cringe when he sees Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon play? She's got to have the worst technique I've ever seen and as far I know she can hardly play any more these days due to CTS, it was pretty obvious that this was going to happen.
 
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#118
I have another tip: Don't squeeze your pick to hard.
I was allways afraid that I would drop the pick, but after a few minutes my hand would just cramp down.
So I changed my technique and apparently that is carol kaye's.
But about the anchoring, I sometimes use the p'upcover or the bridgecover of my P-bas to rest my hand instead of the strings, but that's a bad thing?
 
#120
Fathand said:
Ok, I've gotten into the situation where I have to change from fingerpicking to just picking. For me this isn't really something I like playing-wise, because all the bass picking situations I've done have strained and wrecked my picking hand more or less. Tension, serious strain and outright pain. Using too much force and playing too rigidly, I suppose.

But so far, this topic has eased my anxiety about the matter somewhat. I tried the CK method, and it seemed to work. I'm not having any uncomfortable tension and everything feels "relaxed". Just one question:

I understand the principle of keeping the hand/wrist parallel to the strings (I play the guitar more or less the same way), but does the picking movement (up/down) come from the wrist or does it start from the elbow and the wrist stays locked?
Click to expand...
Wrist. Move the hand from the wrist in a side to side motion.

Wade, aside from his car accident, Les Paul is a guitarist, and it's a lot more forgiving of those types of techniques.

Dutch, the reason Carol says not to anchor is because you can't do the side to side wrist motion. It does make a difference in whether I get pain or not. You may be different, but it's something to think about.

Re: pics, sorry...my hands are wrecked from a chronic skin problem, so someone else will have to post pics.

BTW, Les Paul is still alive from that accident because he owned one of those Michaels-Hull bass amps that was a precursor to Ampeg, and it tore open the roof of his car, allowing him to get out. So playing bass could save your life!
 

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