Pick? Fingers? Both?

[BassMunkee]

9 strings. lol.

[Bullet-Rule]

'Whatever fits the song' is my motto. Although I do agree with the thought that most of the sound comes from your fingers. It can be smooth, funky, staccato, growly and have a sharp attack. Use what you're comfortable with too.

[tombboy]

Nice avatar Bullet-Rule. Another trotter here.... any more on here and we'll exceed matchday attendances!!

[bassjumper]

[quote name='Col' post='422014' date='Feb 28 2009, 11:02 PM']......the silly **** obviously hasn't heard Hellmutt Hattler for one, awesome with a pick.....
[url="http://blip.tv/file/1765542"]http://blip.tv/file/1765542[/url][/quote]

Yeah, great video with Kraan! There´s a brandnew one, only Hellmut on bass and a superb singer. Very different and simply beautiful!
Hellmut Hattler feat. Siyou: jam session [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGP9csyo-VQ&fmt=22"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGP9csyo-VQ&fmt=22[/url]

My other favorites are:

Hellmut Hattler: Intro Mine [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_VF35Wa2iA&fmt=18"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_VF35Wa2iA&fmt=18[/url]
HATTLER: Lilo & Max / Dinner for Three [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JE1Qo5RugU&fmt=18"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JE1Qo5RugU&fmt=18[/url]

[dlloyd]

[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='423042' date='Mar 2 2009, 12:49 PM']EUR15 each!!!!! You'd be gutted if you lost one. Do you use those Gypsy ones for bass then?[/quote]

I've never lost one. I've given one away while drunk though.

I use them on guitar and uke. They are absolutely amazing and, if I lost one, I'd replace it.

I tend not to use picks of any sort when playing bass. Not because I don't like the idea, but somewhere along the line I just got more used to using fingers.

[OutToPlayJazz]

I find I just don't like the pick sound. I can articulate and shape the sound much better with fingers.

[xilddx]

Having played guitar for so many years, I find a pick really useful sometimes, but I never use one live. The main advantage for me is for damping and extra punch in the studio.

[BassMunkee]

I use both, but - with my active Ibanez I tend to use fingers more, and with my passive Aria I tend to use pick more...

[BigBeefChief]

Respect to anyone who can play with a pick. I'm awful.

[johnnylager]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='462013' date='Apr 14 2009, 12:25 PM']Respect to anyone who can play with a pick. I'm awful.[/quote]
Glad to see the beret back mate.

[steantval]

I find just using your fingers is messy.

[size=6]I tend to usually use a knife and fork.[/size]

[XB26354]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='461809' date='Apr 14 2009, 09:55 AM']I find I just don't like the pick sound. I can articulate and shape the sound much better with fingers.[/quote]

I was exactly the same for 20 years. Then I discovered Anthony Jackson with Chaka Khan. Those lines are not only fantastic, but they just don't sound right with fingers. For the Love of [s]God[/s] Money! The thing about a pick is that you need a bass with a bit of punch or growl or else it doesn't quite work. Interestingly I never played a bass with a carbon fibre neck that sounded good with a pick - Zon, Steinberger, Status or Modulus. A woody P-bass... perfect! A thick pick tends to give a more solid sound too imho.

Edited April 14, 2009 by XB26354

[BassMunkee]

I occasionally use a stainless steel pick. Now THAT'S attack...

[4000]

[quote name='thepurpleblob' post='422925' date='Mar 2 2009, 10:48 AM']I'd love to be able to play with a pick but it's a complete mystery to me how to do it. How the hell do you keep a slippery bit of plastic from falling out of your fingers??[/quote]

How often do you drop a pencil or pen when you're writing?

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='4000' post='463241' date='Apr 15 2009, 06:07 PM']How often do you drop a pencil or pen when you're writing?[/quote]


Most sentences.

[4000]

[quote name='XB26354' post='462593' date='Apr 14 2009, 11:06 PM']Interestingly I never played a bass with a carbon fibre neck that sounded good with a pick - Zon, Steinberger, Status or Modulus. A woody P-bass... perfect! A thick pick tends to give a more solid sound too imho.[/quote]

I agree wholeheartedly; I've never got a pick sound I was happy with out of a carbon-fibre-necked bass. That's one of the reasons I got rid of the 4 Statii I've owned. I'd say I play with a pick 75% of the time, and I'm much faster and more accurate with a pick.

For those who wish to experiment, go out and buy 10 different picks and try alternating them. If you don't get 10 completely different sounds then you're doing something wrong.

[4000]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='463245' date='Apr 15 2009, 06:09 PM']Most sentences.[/quote]

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

I used to be a finger man all of the time.I wasn't in bands for long periods really
altho' I've been in quite a few.
When this present band materialised,I was albeit a little rusty and casual.
However,despite being a bit of a knob the original guitarist made me raise my game
and now I use a pick MOST of the time !
I now believe that people should learn both,so that whatever style of music you play
you'll be able to do the job .

[Paul S]

I came into bass via guitar so using a pick has always been the most natural for me. I am trying to practice using fingers - especially for those slower or quieter tunes that seem to need a more muted sound. But no way can I play 16ths finger style accurately and I struggle to get the same control over what I am playing when compared to the subtleties of using a pick. Yet, anyway.

Finger players always talk about how versatile a sound you can get - using the tips of your fingers, playing near the bridge or neck - whatever. I believe pick playing is just as versatile - just different. I remember when I first took up bass reading an interview with Roger Glover (pick playing bassist with Deep Purple) and was amazed to read him talking about different techniques. One example stuck - when playing 'Black Night' he paddles the low E using the fat end of the pick and with a good degree of palm muting (something much easier with pick playing, I think) to obtain a particular type of backgound noise. It works!

[Shonks]

personally I hate the pick - i recon you can do exactly the same thing with the double thumbin' technique.
Having said that, check out Antony Jackson. He's the man when it come to the plectrum!!!!

[Twigman]

I used to play with a pick on some of our songs.
I find I can play much more quickly with a pick and when playing 32nd (4/4) or 24th (6/8) notes is a lot lot easier with a pick.

However recently I have suffered an injury to my neck which has caused a nerve problem which has made the ring finger and little finger on my right hand completely numb. This means I no longer have any grip strength in my right hand and can't actually hold a pick with a firm enough grip to pluck the strings! - This means I've been forced to translate the picked songs to fingers which I'm finding tough when fast playing is called for....