Fingers and or pick ( that old chestnut )

[Cuzzie 3,611]

23 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Used a pick when i was taking lessons for 18mths about 40+ yrs ago then changed to fingers since. Been asked on several occasions to use a pick for more attack (usually by guitarists). I can do fast parts with a pick when palying a lot of different notes across all 4 strings but struggle playing broken 8ths on same note for some reason. 

I've gone down the route of growing my nails long enough to catch strings and provide enough attack that everyone is happy. I enjoy using my index finger as a pick. I find that quite a comfortable playing style altho the finger gets a bit painful under the nail after a while.

I keep working with a pick at home as it could be a useful tool in future.

I also get sore fingers holding a pick after about 20-30 mins but i'm putting that down to lack of practice with it.

Dave

Gripping too tight - try Dava picks as they have a rubber grip area - joy to use and if you rotate them and hit strings with the rubber bit, it takes the click away and gives you more that Motown thud, granted being a bit more sticky on the strings

[dmccombe7 5,075]

33 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

Gripping too tight - try Dava picks as they have a rubber grip area - joy to use and if you rotate them and hit strings with the rubber bit, it takes the click away and gives you more that Motown thud, granted being a bit more sticky on the strings

where's the best place to buy them ?

Can only find guitar versions ?

 

Edited February 28 by dmccombe7

[Cuzzie 3,611]

https://www.davapick.com/picks/grip_tip

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plectrum-Dava-Grip-Tip-Pack/dp/B00154OJOI/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38746GK7BWDTQ&dchild=1&keywords=dava+picks&qid=1614506153&sprefix=Dava+%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-1

 

There you go buddy

[dmccombe7 5,075]

Cheers @Cuzzie

Ordered a set will be here tomorrow.

Can always depend on you sir. 👍

Dave

[Sparky Mark 265]

6 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Cheers @Cuzzie

Ordered a set will be here tomorrow.

Can always depend on you sir. 👍

Dave

I've just ordered some of the heavy duty ones to see how they compare with the Jim Dunlops.

[Cuzzie 3,611]

Be good to hear how y’all get on - I tried the rock control and they weren’t for me as it’s not a rubber grip, jazz tips also good but a lot smaller.

I like the fact that there is very little contact area of plastic/Delrin tip - it means you can get different expression with rubber and plastic hitting strings or even your fingers and pick if you grip down low

Edited February 28 by Cuzzie

[4000 1,811]

On 27/02/2021 at 15:42, TheLowDown said:

Fingers of fretting hand are for the higher strings.

So you don’t use the fingers of your fretting hand for the lower strings? Then how do you fret the notes on those? 😉

[Cato 2,857]

9 hours ago, Cuzzie said:

Gripping too tight - try Dava picks as they have a rubber grip area - joy to use and if you rotate them and hit strings with the rubber bit, it takes the click away and gives you more that Motown thud, granted being a bit more sticky on the strings

I bought some Dava picks to try with my skinny stringers a few years back, I haven't used anything else since.

On the rare occasion I use a pick on bass they've been great for that too.

[fingers211 48]

For me, it has to be pick...........I have no choice !!😁

[dmccombe7 5,075]

10 hours ago, fingers211 said:

For me, it has to be pick...........I have no choice !!😁

Even with you're name @fingers211 ? 😂

[TheLowDown 182]

16 hours ago, 4000 said:

So you don’t use the fingers of your fretting hand for the lower strings? Then how do you fret the notes on those? 😉

Telekinesis. I think "F# E string" to myself and it just happens.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE 245]

Years ago when mummy got me my first piece of firewood ( Hondo 2 ) , I just thought of using a pick . As I got older and started reading tuition books and after seeing stevie Harris, I thought I'd concentrate on fingers only .

Over the years , I've had mixed results which took time . What I found out , was If I play with one finger only I sound better than using any other technique . While trying to do 3 fingers I was making unnecessary noises which got picked up by the pickups and my guitar friend who was teaching me .

After joining a band where the guitarist wanted me to use a pick,I  couldn't do it and was baffled . It wasn't until gigging , I found that I could do both pick and fingers ,which came about by accident .  Now, I can do any of those , as I feel ..

[Ricky Rioli 433]

When playing with fingers, my two spare fingers and the thumb, quite without my asking them to, started working out how to mute things very nicely. Presumably they're using the bit of my brain that works the sustain pedal on the piano. Whenever I try to take a peek at what they're doing, they tell me to sod off and mind my own business.

When I play with a pick, though, they can't do this, so I have to diligently think about how the edge of my right hand does the mopping up. I can't wait for my subconscious to work out what's going on and take that over. Until then, my playing with a pick is all rather plodding

[redbandit599 275]

I'm a fingers player, but would like to get to grips with a pick  as I do think it can be a useful addition to the armory.

I can knock out a few bits with a pick but I almost immediately miss that tactile connection between string and finger, the pick feels a bit like a barrier and I feel like I've been 'unplugged' from my bass.

I've never got anywhere near as fast with a pick as I can play with fingers either.

[musicbassman 945]

31 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

Whenever I try to take a peek at what they're doing, they tell me to sod off and mind my own business.

So true, that's exactly how it is !

A bit like some odd fingerings for certain bass parts - if you think about it too much, it stops happening......

[BassAdder27 126]

Some interesting comments about pick or fingers ... 

I think although I can do both, I do find that it comes down to two things for me in choice 

1: Feel .. far more connected feeling using fingers and feels more natural and I can concentrate on the fretting hand more than the plucking hand 

2: Some songs for me  need a pick more so for the tone / sound and attack / speed but mostly the tone !

 

 

[dmccombe7 5,075]

1 hour ago, Ricky Rioli said:

When playing with fingers, my two spare fingers and the thumb, quite without my asking them to, started working out how to mute things very nicely. Presumably they're using the bit of my brain that works the sustain pedal on the piano. Whenever I try to take a peek at what they're doing, they tell me to sod off and mind my own business.

When I play with a pick, though, they can't do this, so I have to diligently think about how the edge of my right hand does the mopping up. I can't wait for my subconscious to work out what's going on and take that over. Until then, my playing with a pick is all rather plodding

My brain is constantly muting my thoughts. Sometimes i'm a complete blank. 😂

Dave

[Ricky Rioli 433]

26 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

My brain is constantly muting my thoughts

It was a turning point for me in my life when I realised that my conscious thoughts were just pointless fluff getting in the way of my brain doing the other 99% of its responsibilities. I know where I'm not wanted.

I can't decide first two minutes of this picking is inspiring or dismaying:

 

[DaytonaRik 458]

On 27/02/2021 at 15:04, TheLowDown said:

No, how could I effectively mute the lower strings when using a pick? Fingers do a much better job.

Palm and left hand muting is such an important part of playing guitar with any kind of high gain that when I swapped from guitar to bass it just because a natural part of my pick-oriented bass playing style.  I wouldn't say that either fingers or palm are better at muting than the other...both are tools/techniques to achieve the same end result.

Edited March 1 by DaytonaRik

[dmccombe7 5,075]

12 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

It was a turning point for me in my life when I realised that my conscious thoughts were just pointless fluff getting in the way of my brain doing the other 99% of its responsibilities. I know where I'm not wanted.

I can't decide first two minutes of this picking is inspiring or dismaying:

 

that's quite impressive pick style. I'm amazed at that. 

Nice.

Dave

[daz70 20]

For me it all depends on the song/genre I'm playing.

I used to be finger-style exclusively ( with a bit of slap ) but with my current band I use a pick for some and fingers for others.

[Cato 2,857]

It's been posted before but this clip of Bobby Vega is one of my favourite bits of picking.

The way he puts in the ghost notes, it almost has a 'slap' feel to it.

[Supernaut 140]

Started with a pick, ended up with fingers! 

[dmccombe7 5,075]

New DAVA picks arrived few mins ago, will give them a wee shot later on today.😎

Dave

[dmccombe7 5,075]

Gave them a quick try and they definitely feel a lot more comfortable in the fingers and no sliding between my fingers with the rubber type material. 

Just got to master the technique now. I just dont have a natural rhythmic feel with the pick but if i use my index finger like a pick it feels more natural but i'll certainly give the DAVA  a chance.

Who knows this might be the turning point where i master the pick 😀

Dave