Would I be betraying Dusty Hill?

[BlueTalon]

Im finding I really like the tight articulated tone I’m getting. It’s making me feel blasphemous.

He will haunt you from the grave.

By the way, you can get a lot faster playing with fingers once you learn how to pluck up as well as down. (By "pluck up" I mean using the motion of straightening your finger to hit the string, as well as the motion of curling your finger to hit the string.)

Honestly, off the top of my head I couldn't have told you whether Dusty Hill used a pick or played fingerstyle.

Dusty is one of those guys who showed me just how fast and regular finger playing can be. And I'm a fan of both Geddy Lee and Mars Cowling.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I love playing w/ a pick, and IMHO Dusty is a little too dead to be upset about it.

 

[MCF]

I’ve been a mediocre guitar player (at best) and previously a little better than mediocre bass player. I could get away with this because I can sing lead vocals.

I’ve played (strummed) guitar in my Springsteen tribute for 14 years.

Now along with that band I’m working with two others to do a ZZ Top tribute. I switched back to bass and I’m really loving it. It’s taken me 4 months to get my bass playing working again, learning and memorizing songs.

I spent that time playing finger style. The 16 note slamming is tiring and my hand wears out.

So to keep going on the material I started playing every song with a pick. I’ve NEVER used a pick playing bass before.

Im finding I really like the tight articulated tone I’m getting. It’s making me feel blasphemous. In a tribute would you play with a pick when copying Dusty or is that just WRONG.

For now I’m practicing both styles but playing with a pick is really cool. I feel kinda dirty betraying the finger style. Lol

There will be only a handful of people, all bass players and ZZ fanatics, who’ll even notice. Get the beard right and you’ll be fine.

 

[Dlew919]

If it sounds good, it is good. Dusty will be grooving with approval, I have no doubt.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

If my butchering his songs while playing left-handed doesn't 'betray' him, how could your best efforts to get it to sound right on-stage do so?

What's he gonna do; haunt your bass?
Like that'd even be bad?
I'd pay fat coin indeed for a certified Dusty-haunted bass!

I don't think it's possible to betray someone by making sure people hear their music, regardless of how it's played.

 

[pbassnut]

I’ve been a mediocre guitar player (at best) and previously a little better than mediocre bass player. I could get away with this because I can sing lead vocals.

I’ve played (strummed) guitar in my Springsteen tribute for 14 years.

Now along with that band I’m working with two others to do a ZZ Top tribute. I switched back to bass and I’m really loving it. It’s taken me 4 months to get my bass playing working again, learning and memorizing songs.

I spent that time playing finger style. The 16 note slamming is tiring and my hand wears out.

So to keep going on the material I started playing every song with a pick. I’ve NEVER used a pick playing bass before.

Im finding I really like the tight articulated tone I’m getting. It’s making me feel blasphemous. In a tribute would you play with a pick when copying Dusty or is that just WRONG.

For now I’m practicing both styles but playing with a pick is really cool. I feel kinda dirty betraying the finger style. Lol

Play it whatever way you can play it best.

 

[FlabbyDaddy]

Playing with a pick didn't keep their new bass player from getting the gig.

 

[Johnny Fingers]

Sounds like a good time, however you do it.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

GET YOUR PICK ON!!!

 

[2112]

For a ZZTop trib, all that matters is your ability to appear and vanish like a gas and make cool and, at times synchronized, pointing gestures.

 

[2tonic]

.......It’s making me feel blasphemous.

........ I feel kinda dirty betraying the finger style. Lol

Oh, you dirty, dirty boy.......

Whichever way you can best wang out Dusty's parts, have at it. It's all good.

Dusty was a very enigmatic player. At first blush his bass lines sounded like simple boogie trio stuff, but once you start breaking them down, they're stunning.
Seemingly simplistic, yet exquisite.
IMO, the most intriguing thing about him is the variety and quality of sounds he got. (I guess you can't hang around the Rev. Willie G that long, and not have it rub off on you) Always spot on, fat, and full of groove.
One example; on the Deguello, and Recycler albums he made use of a dBx subharmonic synthesizer, an effect originally aimed at helping DJ's make their portable systems sound like they had much greater bass extension than they did. It generated a specific pattern of upper harmonics that tricked you into believing you were hearing deep bass, without overstressing the amps or speakers.
Dusty made good use of one, and if you review those records, you'll hear what I mean.
Lots of other tricks up his sleeve, too.
Best of luck to you with your project, but don't sweat the pick.

 

[KellyC]

I’ve been a mediocre guitar player (at best) and previously a little better than mediocre bass player. I could get away with this because I can sing lead vocals.

I’ve played (strummed) guitar in my Springsteen tribute for 14 years.

Now along with that band I’m working with two others to do a ZZ Top tribute. I switched back to bass and I’m really loving it. It’s taken me 4 months to get my bass playing working again, learning and memorizing songs.

I spent that time playing finger style. The 16 note slamming is tiring and my hand wears out.

So to keep going on the material I started playing every song with a pick. I’ve NEVER used a pick playing bass before.

Im finding I really like the tight articulated tone I’m getting. It’s making me feel blasphemous. In a tribute would you play with a pick when copying Dusty or is that just WRONG.

For now I’m practicing both styles but playing with a pick is really cool. I feel kinda dirty betraying the finger style. Lol

Playing with a pick gives the bass some extra punch, thud and umph for a hard hitting blues riff trio.

 

[Barticus]

More importantly, make sure you do your homework and get the tone right. There are some good rig rundowns on Premier Guitar that detail out what ZZ Top uses.

 

[CryingBass]

Tony Levin on Sledge Hammer. Chris Squire on a lot. Picks are fine.

 

[BAG]

A pick with flatwound strings is one of my favourite tones.
I started off as a pick-only player as I just couldn't play well fingerstyle. These days i'm probably 98% fingerstyle but when the song needs fast notes played with good timing I still grab my pick.

 

[amoodymule]

A pick with flatwound strings is one of my favourite tones.
I started off as a pick-only player as I just couldn't play well fingerstyle. These days i'm probably 98% fingerstyle but when the song needs fast notes played with good timing I still grab my pick.

That's exactly how I approach this issue, our band covers a handful of ZZ Top songs.
There's only 1 song I struggle with, so I grab a felt pick "Have You Heard, THUNDERBIRD!!!"

When these old fingers can't hang, (no clickety click)

 

[Kubicki Fan]

Dusty is well past his exp. date, he's indifferent.

 

[fdeck]

Just so long as the pick doesn't accidentally touch a note that isn't a root.

"I solemnly swear to play the root, the whole root, and nothing but the root, so help me Dusty Hill."

 

[Altitude]

I love this tune “Mescalero” from the 2003 album of the same name. The bass is crazy deep in effects, but it sounds like Dusty was using a pick here.

 

[MingusBass]

Whatever sounds the best. I’m sure he would be more offended if you butchered their songs because you couldn’t hack it playing with your fingers. Or more likely he wouldn’t care.