Would you have caved in & used a pick?

[Real Soon]

Ya did good.

I wouldn't mind playing with a pick on demand, as it'd be a fun musical challenge of a particular sort for me. Those who can already do it proficiently but dislike it will have a different experience.

Also, in some circumstances, I really like the sound of a pick. But NOT in all the circumstances of songs recorded with one! If it really sounds better without, to the best of my musical perception, I'm gonna try to play it without, and present my feelings on the matter the best I can...unless it's a musically slutty gig and I'm getting paid well to keep my piehole shut. And for the sake of equilibrium, I will even take the opposite approach: a band I'm in is covering a Back Street Boys song, but in a retro pop with westcoasty surfy tendencies kind of sound, and it sounds pretty much amazing with a spring reverb & pick on the bass. Shoot me, just not in the hands

But if the other musicians use language like "the songs sound like %&*@" as a result, instead of saying what it is they like about the picked sound in those songs, that's already not good. Then further poopie talk? Yeah I'd tell them they better specify exactly what picks they want used on every shaging song when they audition their NEXT bassist.

Prior paragraph weighed somewhat against the pay. If it's more pay than I've ever even heard of a supporting musician getting in a live show, maybe I'd just stab them both with my eyeballs and then get the pick out. Otherwise, it's a great night for a walk.

 

[pcake]

in 1994, i started getting acrylic overlays on my nails. that means with enough attack, my finger plucking sounds just like a pick. they are hard as some picks, harder than most. that wasn't the reason i started getting them - i used to wear my nails off playing - but since i am pretty crappy with a pick, it was a big side benefit.

btw, drunkardly trash talking & belittling of my abilities is an absolute no-go for me. i'd be out of there so fast, they wouldn't know what happened. the way i see it, a band can fire me if they don't like what i'm doing, but they don't get to talk over me, insult me or condescend to me.

good for you for walking, OP.

 

[MichelD]

I don't care.

I used a pick in my first two bands because I didn't have the confidence to play fast and clearly with my fingers, but as I got older and woodshedded and played upright my fingers found their confidence. Now I can do both.

I'd probably still want to play "Birthday" by the Beatles, "Saturday night's alright for fighting" by Elton John and "Already Gone" by the Eagles with a pick though. (leftovers from my 70's cover band days)

 

[bigcatJC]

To the OP:

Forget about playing with a pick or not, I wouldn't let anybody treat me like that! You did the right thing.

Now as far as the pick goes, I try to learn everything with fingers and a pick...Just to be versatile. I never got grief from bands I was in which I used, they left it up to me. I started learning pick playing seriously when a band I was in played Achilles' Last Stand. My right wrist nearly fell off! In the end, though, it's up to you. If I was in a band covering an early Beatles tune (for instance), I wouldn't run out and buy a violin bass if I didn't have one already...I would just mute whatever bass I was playing. And I wouldn't worry about playing with a pick. If it were a Beatles tribute band, that's a different story. I would expect to own a violin bass and a Ricky (plus a Jazz!) and I would expect to play with a pick...Even if I wasn't left-handed!

If you're not playing for money, I wouldn't sweat the pick/no pick issue, but I would recommend learning to play with a pick just for the learning experience. I would sweat the jerks trying to tear you down to make themselves feel big.

 

[comatosedragon]

Wow man, I read a ton of threads on here, and they all make me nervous/apprehensive about trying to be in a band.
Apparently; a band is like most jobs -- you may work your ass off finding a great job, but is putting up with co-workers worth it?

"Hell is Other People"

 

[Marc DLarosa]

Were teeth an option?

 

[JRA]

what are your opinions on using a pick or fingers in a situation like this?

Sounds to me like the pick wasn't really the issue

 

[rollie 55]

What friendship??

These guys are jerks and no one with an ounce of self-respect would stay in that band.

Very True

 

[SLO Surfer]

I don’t care.

 

[rollie 55]

I was Told to use a pick at an Audition many years ago not asked Told. my reply was No. thats not my style of playing. the pick was not the issue it was the stinking attitude he even had a go at my rig. saying he hate'd Peavey's. well it was a Laney Rig any ways i just packed my gear up and went i didn't play a note. there's no excuse for people with bad attitude's

 

[Bass Man Dan]

You might point out to these musically educated geniuses that Killing in the Name was not played with a pick.

 

[mcnach]

I would have done it with a pick IF your bandmates weren't being so-and-sos about it, but they clearly were.
If you can't literally win, do it figuratively by voting with your feet!

I wouldn't even be in a room with folks who treated me like that, let alone be in a band with them, if I'm being completely honest.

In truth I have ended relationships over this sort of thing, including a TB member who came to my humble abode, fiddled with the knobs on my rig while I played it (w/o asking first) & then promptly came on here to trash my rig!
Before you comment it's not the same, it's stemming from a deep lack of respect in both cases.

+1

It looks like two issues in one: pick vs fingers AND relationship with the other bandmates. The relationship sucks, so I think the OP has done the right thing by walking. As for the pick issue... I prefer fingers too, but if a song sounds better with a pick, then I'd use a pick. Who decides what sounds better? To me it's a band decision, we all work for the band and shouldn't put our own preferences above what works best for the band... but how can one have a dialogue in a band like the OP describes?

 

[Lagado]

Why do consider using a pick "caving in"?

Sounds a bit purist to me...

 

[Robscott]

I probably would have used a pick if they asked nicely, but it doesn't sound like that's what happened. I don't think I would even be playing fingerstyle with people like that

 

[Grufolo]

If the gigs pay and they book the gigs, just use a pick.

I'd say things strongly depend on whether you're financially dependent on gig money.

If you're not, then f..k them at the count of three.

If you're dependent on gig money, find another band before dropping these guys

 

[IamGroot]

Reality check:

Bands are not democracies.

There is a pecking order in amateur bands. Guess who is at the top and who is at the bottom.

If you want to thrive in that type of environment, learn to sing and/or write songs to equalize the ranking. Or own the PA system

 

[IamGroot]

When Dicki Betts was leading the Allman Brothers, he insisted the bassist use a pick.

 

[wmhill]

There are songs that call for a pick, or fingers or slapping- but as the bassist, I'm the one that makes the choice.

 

[cnltb]

When playing covers( luckily not very often) , I always go as closely to the original as my equipment will allow.
If the piece was originally played with and attended to be played with a plectrum, I'll use one.
Unless I am completely re arranging and re doing the piece, in which case everything goes.

 

[Hand slap]

I'd like to hear some opinions from fellow bassists on whether it matters to you that a bassist uses a pick in a cover band when the original bassist recorded with a pick.

To start at the end, I've washed my hands of the mainly 90's cover band I played bass in. The reason stemmed from me not wanting to use a pick because I found the tone that I, like all of us, have sought after.

Okay, so I was in a cover, not tribute band. I feel that gives me more liberties to not have the exact tone as the original bands.

The guitarist & singer argued that we don't play songs that we used to like In Bloom, Killing in the Name, or Song 2 because me picking with my fingers makes the songs "sound like s#&t" even though they take liberties of their own in the music. When I tell them that they & the 2 purist musicians in the audience are the only people that will care that the tone isn't exactly like the original recording.

Ultimately, I decided to leave the band after hanging out the other night for the first time since the lockdown started because of things like being told that my knowledge is inferior to the guitarist because of his master's degree in music. Also that I'm ignorant to what the music needs to be & sound like. There's plenty more drunkardly trash talking & belittling of my abilities that I won't get into. I will however say that for over an hour of this argument, I was literally not able to finish a single point I was trying to make before getting interrupted.

I know this was long winded, but with all the BS aside, what are your opinions on using a pick or fingers in a situation like this?

IMO, the issue of using a pick is MOOT, I would be more concerned, with your band mates behavior, and not want to be a part of it, AT All?