JayPH Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I was at a couple of festivals over the weekend and a lot of the bass players were using plectrums in an up and down style. In fact, most of them were. It was mainly indi sounding bands and a mixture of basses mainly Fender and Rics. But some jazz type players were using the plec too. It made me wonder because I've never seen so many bassists using plecs. Is this a current trend? Also, Is it ok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Bajo Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 On speaking to a few bassist I think nowadays many have learned both finger and pleck depending on the situation. I think its seen as being a more versatile player. I need to work on my plec picking for future recordings with da metul band but I'd never play one live, just haven't the confidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I think people are finally getting over the "You're not a proper Bass player if you play with a pick!" thing, mainly because it's a moronic point of view and demonstrably wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayPH Posted August 8, 2012 Author Share Posted August 8, 2012 [quote name='El Bajo' timestamp='1344443460' post='1764637'] On speaking to a few bassist I think nowadays many have learned both finger and pleck depending on the situation. I think its seen as being a more versatile player. I need to work on my plec picking for future recordings with da metul band but I'd never play one live, just haven't the confidence. [/quote] I agree that it can only make you a better more versatile player the more techniques you can use. [quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1344444654' post='1764664'] I think people are finally getting over the "You're not a proper Bass player if you play with a pick!" thing, mainly because it's a moronic point of view and demonstrably wrong. [/quote] The scars are deep Your Majesty I used to play bass only with a plec in a heavy type band but it was mainly because I switched from guitar to bass and couldn't get the speed I needed with my fingers. I found the only people who used to bitch about the not playing with fingers were people who didn't even play anything themselves or just someone who wanted to hate on you anyway. Never got any complaints at gigs because it worked. That's what occured to me watching these other bass players. They were getting the speed with less effort and the bass sound wasn't compromised in any way at all. In fact sometimes I wondered if they had some kind of echo pedal because they seemed to be getting double the notes out of each stroke. But my eyes arent what they used to be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 [quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1344444654' post='1764664'] I think people are finally getting over the "You're not a proper Bass player if you play with a pick!" thing, mainly because it's a moronic point of view and demonstrably wrong. [/quote] I hope so. I play both styles & never understood why a certain style would be deemed more credible than another. Hadn't noticed an increase or decrease though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JellyKnees Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I think it entirely depends on the style of music. There are definitely things that you can't do with a plec that you can with fingers, but the reverse is also true to some extent. If it sounds good and works with the music, ultimately, who cares what people think. I haven't played bass with a plec for at least 25 years btw, but thats just personal preference. I grew up listening to JJ Burnel and still love his playing on those early stranglers albums... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wishface Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 anyone that thinks plectrum playing is not cool needs to watch Does Humour Belong in Music? by Frank Zappa. Blacky from Voivod plays some interesting stuff. not to mention the mighty Chris Squire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayPH Posted August 22, 2012 Author Share Posted August 22, 2012 [quote name='wishface' timestamp='1344496623' post='1765310'] anyone that thinks plectrum playing is not cool needs to watch Does Humour Belong in Music? by Frank Zappa. Blacky from Voivod plays some interesting stuff. not to mention the mighty Chris Squire [/quote] I love Frank Zappa I'll take a look thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2lza1Rb0U"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2lza1Rb0U[/url] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT6awGkbSfM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT6awGkbSfM[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayPH Posted August 25, 2012 Author Share Posted August 25, 2012 [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1345659932' post='1780215'] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2lza1Rb0U[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT6awGkbSfM[/media] [/quote] Beautiful. Thanks for posting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stefBclef Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1345659932' post='1780215'] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2lza1Rb0U[/media] [/quote] Where does that pick come from?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1345659932' post='1780215'] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2lza1Rb0U[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT6awGkbSfM[/media] [/quote] i take my hat off to you mr. bilbo...excellent post. can we set up the forum somehow whereby if any argument about plectrum vs fingerstyle breaks out, those two vids pop up ? Edited September 11, 2012 by ahpook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 (edited) When punk came in it started many players using a pick again, with some big name bass players encouraging others to do so, such as JJ burnell, Bruce Foxton, Dee Dee Ramone, Paul Simenon and Hooky, then it gradually tailed back off. When I picked up my bass I never even considered not using a pick. Nearly all my favorite bass players had used one. (However when I play something reggafied or by Jah Wobble I try with fingers (thumb actually) to better emulate the required sound.) These days picks is coming back in to vogue again. Edited September 11, 2012 by daz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 What about guitar players who play without a plectrum? Or doesn't it matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 plectrums are the new black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 [quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1347401890' post='1800472'] What about guitar players who play without a plectrum? Or doesn't it matter? [/quote] Well Jeff beck plays without a pick and he sounds better than most who do! But it doesn't matter. One of the first things i learned being a musician was " If it sounds right, it is right!" http://youtu.be/3uwvBizKAwc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggo Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ_M-ZF0fPk&feature=youtube_gdata_player I think this is a good example of excellent plectrum playing but also using fingerstyle when needed. Seen this pretty quirky band a few times and he has plays with plec 90% of the time and you certainly cant knock his playing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggo Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ_M-ZF0fPk&feature=youtube_gdata_player I think this is a good example of excellent plectrum playing but also using fingerstyle when needed. Seen this pretty quirky band a few times and he has plays with plec 90% of the time and you certainly cant knock his playing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMM Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 I originally just used to play purely fingerstyle but now I play more and more with a plec, originally because I tended to dig in quite hard at gigs and blister my fingers (no matter how often I was playing) but now more and more for the tone it produces. I've now got certain songs within my setlist that I play with each, which not only gives my fingers a rest, but makes the songs more varied as well. My main worry when playing live with a plec was dropping it, and although that did happen a few times initially, I soon found gripper plectrums that I now use (and always have spares to hand). Plectrum's do seem a lot more common in the bands I've seen, but also in my experience, the bassists I've seen play fingerstyle have played at a much higher level than those who have played with plec's. I've never thought much about this until I saw the above post about switching from guitar, but there's probably quite a few guitarists that have ended up on bass if the band couldn't find someone to play. In fact, our lead guitarist did just that in a previous band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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