Hi, sorry I'm late ....... I don't think I've ever been in this bass forum before...

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

... but I have a Fender vintage reissue P bass and an old Kustom B200 head / 2-15 cab, and play bass enough to lay tracks for recording.

Just to get warmed up for this winter's recording season, I was figuring out the Beatles 'Savoy Truffle' bass lines off the White Album. What a great tune for bass. It's all over the place, but very melodic like most of McCartney's stuff. :)



Anyway, I have a question for all you experts. Is there any shame in using a pick for playing bass? :confused:

[frankencat]

For shame tweedy, for shame.









:)

[boogieplaya]

Using a pick to play bass is acceptable only if you use you're fingers when playing your 6 string,ala Buckingham..Sorry, dems da rules.

[SGNick]

I always use a pick when I play bass, purists be damned. Why should anyone else decide what's best for you?

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

It must have a different sound using the fingers, but sure it hard on the fingers. I am too used to playing 6 string, I'll probably never change.

[ghoti]

Lots of decent players play bass with pick. But the truly good ones can do all styles. Me, I play with my fingers. More organic that way IMO. Some "purists" (classical guitar) might say guitar should never be played with a pick...

[walterw]

as long as you play it like a bass, and not like a guitar, no shame at all. a p-bass with a pick into a big ol' crusty lo-fi amp is rock and roll!

[cmatthes]

I play both with fingers and pick. More rock stuff is pick based - better attack with the way I play.

[Kitsapbass]

It's personal preference...artists as diverse as Chris Squire (Yes), Anthony Jackson (session player - "For the Love of Money" and others), Joe Osborn (another session guy - lot of 60's/70's stuff), and the great Carol Kay (just a few of her sessions include the Beach Boys, Phil Spector, and Simon & Garfunkle) - just to name a few...use picks. Go with what feels right for you, don't worry about what others say.

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

Well, that's good to know. I may try using my fingers just to see the difference, and maybe if I get comfortable with it, it would be good to be able to do either.

[2 Loud 4 You]

Ok, I'll admit I'm a snobby purist and say picks belong on guitars. I guess if it's the only way you can play then go ahead but learn how to put it down and use those fingers.

[The Golden Boy]

Is there any shame in using a pick for playing bass? :confused:

I most always use a pick.
Well, that's good to know. I may try using my fingers just to see the difference, and maybe if I get comfortable with it, it would be good to be able to do either.
It is good to be able to do either- either for the sound or the application- or in case you drop your pick.

[SGNick]

With all the different ways and techniques to play guitar, I don't think it's fair for anyone to dictate what people should do.

SOme people play guitar with a pick, some play without. some play single coils, some humbuckers, some wrap their thump, some place it in the middle...

"correct" only goes so far.

[Zilmo]

Do what makes you happy Tweedy.

[bostonwal]

I was always a finger guy but listening to old recordings of my bass player who used a pick WITH MY OWN GEAR sound so rock and roll, I definitely pull out a pick at times. If you want a midrange punch to the face, use a growly Jazz bass with a pick!

[RockStarNick]

as long as you play it like a bass, and not like a guitar, no shame at all. a p-bass with a pick into a big ol' crusty lo-fi amp is rock and roll!

:agree

Amen to this! My thoughts exactly.

[Thor]

I use both. Sometimes a song/style seems to really call for the attack and tone that I can only get with a pick. Most of the time I am a fingers guy. Whatever works for you.

Cheers,

Edward

[Ricman]

I use fingers, but years ago starting out, used a pick. I think a pick sounds best when used on flat wounds. Used to have a felt pick. You can get different sounds by using picks that you can't get with your fingers.

[xk49w]

Berry Oakley - 'nother pick player. He did alright. Oteil Burbridge, current Allman bass player uses both pick and fingers and he's great with both. On the traditional Allman tunes, Whippin' Post, etc., he uses a pick on a jazz (alas not a Tractor). On the more current material he uses fingers on a 6-string something or other. (At least on the Beacon Theater DVD). Excellent player.

[GreaserMatt]

as long as you play it like a bass, and not like a guitar, no shame at all. A p-bass with a pick into a big ol' crusty lo-fi amp is rock and roll!

+1!

[doublee]

#6,984 !!!!!!

[HeyMrTeleMan]

I just saw Will Lee Saturday night, and he used picks. Lot's of them, as he tossed them into the audience after every song. He was pretty good...

:bow

[leigh]

i'll use a pick either A) when the song calls for it or B) when i need to cut a bit better. sometimes the mix doesn't allow for fingered bass and thats when the pick, and a proper fretting hand mute technique can go a long way.

often i'll tuck one of these... http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/pip&id=12&pmh=products/picks
in between my ring finger and my palm so i can maintain a finger style, until the attack of the pick is required, and do a switch back and fourth throughout the song.

... and sometimes a pick just sounds good. carol kay used a pick i believe, and look at the stuff she's done.

[mcknigs]

I'm comfortable playing guitar with either fingers or pick. When I was a bassist in a power pop band in the '80s I used a pick because that was the sound of rock bass at the time. More recently I'm playing rootsier stuff where the sound of flesh against strings often sounds better to me. I frequently use my thumb, which facilitates palm muting. My biggest problem with using my fingers is that I have fingernails for when I play guitar, and don't want the sound of fingernails for bass. That's another reason I tend to go with my thumb. Tweedy, you might consider experimenting with using your thumb -- if you're not accustomed to using your fingers it's easier to get used to using your thumb. The downside is that it's all downstrokes, so you can only go so fast.

-Scott