Switching From Fingerstyle To Pick

[greghagger]

If you exclusively play your bass with fingerstyle, you might not know where to start when it comes to pick playing. This is a common issue for bass players, and students often come to me with this problem.

 

They say that when they've tried using a pick, some of the following challenges arise:
❌ Unable to play consistently
❌ Unable to play fast
❌ Not knowing how to hold the pick

 

This is not surprising really if you think back to how difficult it was to play a bass line when you first started bass. It's fine if you started on pick, but if you didn't, you have to develop your picking technique.

 

✅ Playing pick bass is not as hard as you think though. You just have to add in some pick playing to your practice sessions.

 

I've put together a video tutorial to show you how to get started and to give you some tips and exercises that will help you to become a great pick player. These do work, as this is how I started playing with a pick when I was in the same boat as you, years ago! Now I often use both fingerstyle, and the pick.

 

You’ll find a free download link in the video description. The PDF contains all the lesson exercises in notation and Tab.

 

 

[Sean]

I get asked occasionally, do you play with a pick or your fingers?

 

Yes. 

 

I can't really imagine not doing both based on what the song requirements are. There are a few songs in the current cover band set that I switch between pick and fingers from gig to gig. 

Crazy Train, Panama, Summer of 69, it depends on how I feel in the moment. 

 

Picks are so versatile, available in all kinds of materials and thicknesses and can give different tones, feels based on how you use them 

I'm learning 4 songs for an audition, they are:

Saturday Night's Alright - Fingers. No brainer.

I Bet You Good on the Dancefoor - Pick held straight/flat

Mr Blue Sky - either but pick held flat (Carol Kaye style) makes sense to get the feel of the original. 

Moving to New York - 100% pick held at an angle so it slides on the wraps and gets that scraping sound. The EMGs + Haz and a DCX Bass make so much sense of using the pick in that way. 

Edited 14 hours ago by Sean

[Stub Mandrel]

I started playing some songs using a pick for an originals band as it better suited some of the material. Lots of fast string swaps including some octave skips.

 

In the past I've only used one for a occasional songs and never felt really comfortable. Hit the notes but not getting any character in the way I can with fingers.

 

Sitting at home is one thing, took three rehearsals to be comfortable doing it in anger, and now feel like I'm getting my own style.

 

Always more to learn.

[FretsOnFire]

I’ve been playing both pick and finger style since I started and like to think I do so very comfortably but I did play electric guitar before switching to bass due to the fact my hands are too big to play a guitar comfortably so that’s more than likely helped