mikhay77 Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 In an age of modern amps,cabs and bass electronics,why do some players just play with a plectrum,surely tonal variety is much wider finger stylie,or are we stuck in a rut.I cant seem to justify using one,except sometimes playing guitar,............discuss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeefChief Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 In an age of modern amps,cabs and bass electronics,why do some players just play with fingers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 I rarely use a pick but I love the tone a pick can produce. And believe me, one can produce just as much subtlety with a pick as with fingers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 (edited) [quote name='mikhay77' post='506890' date='Jun 6 2009, 11:52 AM']In an age of modern amps,cabs and bass electronics,why do some players just play with a plectrum,surely tonal variety is much wider finger stylie,or are we stuck in a rut.I cant seem to justify using one,except sometimes playing guitar,............discuss[/quote] Its nothing to do with modern technology or electronics. It's a case of simply technique or what suits the song. As a plectrum player of 23 years who has moved over to finger style for the last two year, I can fully appreciate both techniques. My current band really suits finger style. Lots of space, freedom tonally and something to groove to. My old band was fast punk pop. No way I can play this with fingers. You just can't get the attack, drive, tone and energy with fingers that you can with a plectrum. For me personally the bass also dictates. My current band really suits a Jazz or Musicman with fingers. My old band really suits a Precision and a plectrum. I guess why a spanish/flamenco guitarist plays with fingers and a metal guitarist plays with a pick. Just different styles. One last thing, some of my style was to play a melody on one string and the root on the string above. I found playing this style with a plectrum more effective. It was too clumbsy with fingers. So again, technique. Below I have posted an example. You can see in the verse I am playing a melody on the G string whilst hitting the open D every other time. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTuOXm4jkCU"]Inter - Radio FInland[/url] Edited June 6, 2009 by Linus27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Oh no, not again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZMech Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 I like cake (this seems like the most productive response I can think of). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Ooh look, there's a squirrel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 [quote name='mikhay77' post='506890' date='Jun 6 2009, 11:52 AM']In an age of modern amps,cabs and bass electronics,why do some players just play with a plectrum,surely tonal variety is much wider finger stylie,or are we stuck in a rut.I cant seem to justify using one,except sometimes playing guitar,............discuss[/quote] In an age of DAW and sequencers, why do you bother playing bass at all? The more I think about it, the weirder I find the nature of your question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linus27 Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 [quote name='Rich' post='506922' date='Jun 6 2009, 12:45 PM']Ooh look, there's a squirrel.[/quote] Thats not a squirrel, its a badger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 A badger in a tree? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Must be a magpie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 It is a bit of an old chestnut, this. The answer is simple. "Bassists" who use plectrums are not true bassists - they are failed guitarist scum and it is the duty of every right-thinking real bassist to seek them out and smash their hands with a hammer, so they do not cheapen & degrade the purity & skill of proper bass playing with this abominable perversion of theirs. Praise The Lord. Easy, really. Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MythSte Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 [quote name='Bassassin' post='506941' date='Jun 6 2009, 01:15 PM']It is a bit of an old chestnut, this. The answer is simple. "Bassists" who use plectrums are not true bassists - they are failed guitarist scum and it is the duty of every right-thinking real bassist to seek them out and smash their hands with a hammer, so they do not cheapen & degrade the purity & skill of proper bass playing with this abominable perversion of theirs. Praise The Lord. Easy, really. Jon.[/quote] <3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 I play with a plectrum because I am sh*te at playing with my fingers .... fact Discuss that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 [quote name='Clarky' post='506948' date='Jun 6 2009, 01:31 PM']I play with a plectrum because I am sh*te at playing with my fingers .... fact Discuss that[/quote] J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 There's only one way to sort this out [attachment=26618:ed_imgsn...5_37735a.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeefChief Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 [quote name='Clarky' post='506948' date='Jun 6 2009, 01:31 PM']I play with a plectrum because I am sh*te at playing with my fingers .... fact Discuss that[/quote] I play with my fingers because I am sh*te palying with a plectrum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clauster Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 The question shoud be why are you using fingers and/or plectra when you should be playing a proper bass with a bow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Real bassists play with their ears, everyone knows that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZMech Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 it could be worse, they could be playing rhythm guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 [quote name='BigBeefChief' post='506893' date='Jun 6 2009, 11:56 AM']In an age of modern amps,cabs and bass electronics,why do some players just play with fingers?[/quote] because they can. [quote name='silddx' post='506926' date='Jun 6 2009, 12:51 PM']In an age of DAW and sequencers, why do you bother playing bass at all?[/quote] hasn't harmed Def Leppard. [quote name='Bassassin' post='506941' date='Jun 6 2009, 01:15 PM']It is a bit of an old chestnut, this. The answer is simple. "Bassists" who use plectrums are not true bassists - they are failed guitarist scum and it is the duty of every right-thinking real bassist to seek them out and smash their hands with a hammer, so they do not cheapen & degrade the purity & skill of proper bass playing with this abominable perversion of theirs. Praise The Lord. Easy, really. Jon.[/quote] what he said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 ... because hands that use plectrums are as soft as your face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinman Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 [quote name='EssentialTension' post='506915' date='Jun 6 2009, 12:29 PM']Oh no, not again.[/quote] Ummm yeah, + an awful lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 (edited) [quote name='mikhay77' post='506890' date='Jun 6 2009, 11:52 AM']In an age of modern amps,cabs and bass electronics,why do some players just play with a plectrum,surely tonal variety is much wider finger stylie,or are we stuck in a rut.I cant seem to justify using one,except sometimes playing guitar,............discuss[/quote] Oh God, not again...... Do you ask guitar players this question? "Mr McLaughlin, Mr Malmsteen, Mr Vai, Mr Metheny, why do you use plectrums when you could get much broader sounds using your fingers?". Good bloody grief. Edited June 6, 2009 by 4000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Just finished watching Rainbow live in 1977 from Munich. In the interview section they speak to Bob Daisley, one of the greatest, imo, rock bass guitarist in the last 30 years. In said interview he said that one of the main reasons that he got the gig with Blackmore was because he played with a pick and old chuckles Ritchie reckoned that it made you play with greater precision. So there. Me, I cannot play with a pick to save meself. Only thing they are good for is sticking in the gap between the pickup and the body rout on a Jazz bass to rest your thumb on. Two bits of totally usless info! Bargain!! Jez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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