Bass Players

[alkemyst]

The lack of musicians here is incredible.

There are times for both guitar and bass where a pick over fingers is better and vice versa. Other times that it doesn't matter, you are better off worrying about accuracy and feeling to the playing.

Some dudes can bang off song after song but none have any heart to them.

 

[PepePeru]

let your fingers do the walking.

 

[MetalMat]

Picks are for losers. Actually if you can do both that would be ideal.

 

[Ns1]

quite frankly it doesn't matter what the fuck you play unless the beats coming out of your head are golden

 

[paulxcook]

For the most part I think using your fingers is best if you have the chops for it. The last band I played in (metal band) I used a pick because my technique wasn't good enough to be able to play what I had to be able to play. However, regardless of genre I think if the bass player can handle it, fingers and slapping is usually the best. Even in heavier rock and metal bands a good bass player that you can actually discern over the rest of the band really adds something. There was a band my friends and I used to enjoy watching from Michigan called Bloodlined Calligraphy. Dumb name I guess, but the bass player was really good at slap, it was really cool to both watch and listen to.

 

[KeithTalent]

I used to go both ways (haven't played in years) depending on the type of music I was playing. I probably used a pick more than not though because I was generally playing faster stuff, plus I was not very good.

KT

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
I used to go both ways


KT

Your asshole still goes both ways


on a somewhat related note, my bass is currently on eBay

pic

 

[Mr Pickles]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
I used to go both ways...

KT

Sig worthy right there.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: Mr Pickles

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
I used to go both ways...

KT

Sig worthy right there.

It's probably how he became a mod.

 

[ITJunkie]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
I've never played with a bass player that used a pick, and none of the best bass players use one, so I'm going to say NO PICK

Oh I don't know, Chris Squire of Yes uses a pick and I'd say he's one of the best.

Me, personally, I don't care if they use a pick or not. As many others have already stated both sides have their purpose.

 

[Canai]

Bottom line is: any bassist who only picks, or only plucks, or only slaps are limiting themselves artistically and expressively. While they may not be bad muscians or whatever, they're not the best they can be.

 

[Oyeve]

I pick and pluck. Depends on the song or riff. Each has its purpose and sound variations.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: Canai
Bottom line is: any bassist who only picks, or only plucks, or only slaps are limiting themselves artistically and expressively. While they may not be bad muscians or whatever, they're not the best they can be.

:thumbsup:

 

[hiromizu]

Simple. If you want a picked sound, use a pick. If not, don't.

Technically speaking, a player who's very good at using all picking fingers can do far more complex things than someone good with a pick. It's common sense.

 

[StinkyMojo]

I'm a picker.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: Ns1

Originally posted by: Mr Pickles

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
I used to go both ways...

KT

Sig worthy right there.

It's probably how he became a mod.

Heh, as soon as posted that I knew I was going to regret it.

Well played friends, well played. :beer:

KT

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: upsciLLion
Using a plectrum produces an entirely different sound. I don't believe it has much, if anything, to do with skill level.

true dat. my bro plays bass, has for years both in bands and just for fun. one thing i learned a long time ago (i used to set up his bands equipment) was that good bassists know when to pick and when not to. the sound is the difference, the skill is already there. ive heard him say many times that slapping was hard, mainly due to trying to hit the right areas, but that picking was hard to make it sound clean enough to be good.

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: Mr Pickles

Originally posted by: Journer
i hate 'bassists' who always pick. why? because they aren't bassists. they are faggy guitarist who think they can play bass. it isn't possible to do the same thing with a pick that you can with your fingers.

/thread

Thats not true at all. Some music calls for a pick, some music is intended to sound sharper. No, its not possible to do the same thing, but there are times when a pick is required. If all you are interested in is, say punk for instance (get off me I know there are bass players that play punk without a pick), then odds are you don't need to even learn how to use your fingers. That's not to say over time you won't pick up on a few things, but there's no need to learn if you are good at what you interested in most.

This debate can go in the same direction with a guitar. "they are just faggy guitarists that only know chords, easy riffs, and barely interesting scales and solos. it isn't possible to do the same thing with a pick that you can with your fingers." The fullest sound from a guitar can only be achieved with a thumb and three fingers. Using a pick with guitars is just more widely accepted.

Don't make a big deal out of people that play bass with a pick. Its not their style so its not their style, stfu.

that boggles my mind, most punk bands i worked with back in the 80s didnt use picks. my bro (in a few local punk bands over the years) only used a pick for specific songs. most of the time he plucked.

 

[thomsbrain]

It is harder to play without one, IMO, but I prefer the tone of picked bass for rock music.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: StinkyMojo
I'm a picker.

I'm a grinner.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: StinkyMojo
I'm a picker.

I'm a grinner.

I'm a stinkfister

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog

Originally posted by: Journer
i hate 'bassists' who always pick. why? because they aren't bassists. they are faggy guitarist who think they can play bass. it isn't possible to do the same thing with a pick that you can with your fingers.

/thread

Hey, fuck you, buddy
I only use a pick on bass most of the time.

Actually, he's partially correct. Bass lines usually have an alternating "low high" line. To alternate smoothly, your curled thumb would "tap" the top two strings, while your other fingers would get the other two. It can be done with a pick, but it won't sound as clean, in much the same way a finger picked piece on a guitar will not sound clean or as fast if a pick is used.

Picks are used in heavier stuff where the bass is distorted a lot and power cords are used instead of bass lines, but that will limit you to a very narrow and specialized style of playing. If you learn to use your fingers you'll be a lot more versatile.

 

[Mr Pickles]

Originally posted by: hanoverphist

Originally posted by: Mr Pickles

Originally posted by: Journer
i hate 'bassists' who always pick. why? because they aren't bassists. they are faggy guitarist who think they can play bass. it isn't possible to do the same thing with a pick that you can with your fingers.

/thread

Thats not true at all. Some music calls for a pick, some music is intended to sound sharper. No, its not possible to do the same thing, but there are times when a pick is required. If all you are interested in is, say punk for instance (get off me I know there are bass players that play punk without a pick), then odds are you don't need to even learn how to use your fingers. That's not to say over time you won't pick up on a few things, but there's no need to learn if you are good at what you interested in most.

This debate can go in the same direction with a guitar. "they are just faggy guitarists that only know chords, easy riffs, and barely interesting scales and solos. it isn't possible to do the same thing with a pick that you can with your fingers." The fullest sound from a guitar can only be achieved with a thumb and three fingers. Using a pick with guitars is just more widely accepted.

Don't make a big deal out of people that play bass with a pick. Its not their style so its not their style, stfu.

that boggles my mind, most punk bands i worked with back in the 80s didnt use picks. my bro (in a few local punk bands over the years) only used a pick for specific songs. most of the time he plucked.

The 80s were a different time I guess. I played bass for a few punk bands around 98-99 and they actually chose me because I used a pick so well. That was the sound they were looking for, and the bands that we played with had a similar sound all used picks as well.

 

[TechBoyJK]

I'm going to chime in as a self professed authority on the subject. I'm 27, have been playing bass seriously since I was 13, have been mentioned in Guitar World, play in my church band, high school jazz band, high school orchestra (upright acoustic, finger style and bowing), various other bands, jam bands, etc.

Picking has its perks, but I prefer to play finger style. The tonal advantages of using a pick also have to take the actual strings used into consideration. Try picking on flat wounds and tell me what you think......

As it was stated earlier in the thread, picks can be used to gain certain textures and tonal characteristics that can't be had with fingers. It's up to the musician to decide what is appropriate, and the better musician will make a better decision.

Case in point, John Myung of Dream Theater. He plays finger style 99% of the time. But for a song on their latest cd, which was a little more hardcore and called for a more rigid sound, he elected to use a pick. Simply because the song demanded it.

Then you have Justin Chancellor from Tool, who's songs are more like that one particular dream theater song that demanded picking. He uses a pick usually, and it gives the songs an edgy sound. In this case, I think he does right by using a pick. However, I don't think most people would even tell if he just used finger style, and upped the midrange and treble on his eq.

However, I can't respect someone who solely uses a pick and can't play finger style. To me, bass is a predomantly finger style instrument and using a pick is kind of an after effect of guitarists using picks and then trying to play bass. Maybe im wrong though. Most times, bass sounds better finger style. You get direct touch on the strings, you have more control, can grab and pluck multiple strings without having to sweep across. When I play with a pick, i feel limited and stuck with it. When I drop the pick, I can play any "finger style" that I want.

To me, finger style is the more "intimate choice" for the instrument.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
I'm going to chime in as a self professed authority on the subject. I'm 27, have been playing bass seriously since I was 13, have been mentioned in Guitar World, play in my church band, high school jazz band, high school orchestra (upright acoustic, finger style and bowing), various other bands, jam bands, etc.

Picking has its perks, but I prefer to play finger style. The tonal advantages of using a pick also have to take the actual strings used into consideration. Try picking on flat wounds and tell me what you think......

As it was stated earlier in the thread, picks can be used to gain certain textures and tonal characteristics that can't be had with fingers. It's up to the musician to decide what is appropriate, and the better musician will make a better decision.

Case in point, John Myung of Dream Theater. He plays finger style 99% of the time. But for a song on their latest cd, which was a little more hardcore and called for a more rigid sound, he elected to use a pick. Simply because the song demanded it.

Then you have Justin Chancellor from Tool, who's songs are more like that one particular dream theater song that demanded picking. He uses a pick usually, and it gives the songs an edgy sound. In this case, I think he does right by using a pick. However, I don't think most people would even tell if he just used finger style, and upped the midrange and treble on his eq.

However, I can't respect someone who solely uses a pick and can't play finger style. To me, bass is a predomantly finger style instrument and using a pick is kind of an after effect of guitarists using picks and then trying to play bass. Maybe im wrong though. Most times, bass sounds better finger style. You get direct touch on the strings, you have more control, can grab and pluck multiple strings without having to sweep across. When I play with a pick, i feel limited and stuck with it. When I drop the pick, I can play any "finger style" that I want.

To me, finger style is the more "intimate choice" for the instrument.

win for mentioning john myung and justin c in the same post

but your points are quite valid too