Author Topic: Pick or Fingers (Read 477 times)

lembic76450 · « **on:** November 01, 2003, 04:23:11 PM »

Something Paul said in reference to the 02 SC Deluxe got me to wondering. I don't think that
I have ever seen the subject of pick and/or fingers taken up. Slapping aside, who uses which approach? I've always been a pick player with occasional use of the thumb. Anyone have any thoughts on the subject?

811952 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 01, 2003, 05:05:15 PM »

I use my fingers 95% of the time. Sometimes I like to hammer the strings around the 24th fret a la Entwistle, and of course the Series I nails his tone. If I get really tired, or the fingers start bleeding or some such, I use a pick. I *love* the sound of a pick, especially for recording, but I'm not nearly as accurate or comfortable with it as I am with my fingers. I seldom slap or pop.

jazzyvee · « **Reply #2 on:** November 01, 2003, 05:15:38 PM »

As a guitarist, I use a combination of pick and fingers, but for bass i've never even considered using a plectrum at all.

I've always been a fingers and thumbs player myself. I'm not keen on the plectrum sound. There is something I find more personal in the sound of fingers on strings. More meatier and more flexible tone I think.

stoney · « **Reply #3 on:** November 01, 2003, 05:30:32 PM »

I'm a fingers guy as well and I agree with Jazzyvee about the personal touch of the fingers be it agreeive ripping or just an ever so light tap.

However, I will use a pic but only if particular song demands it.

lembic76450 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 01, 2003, 06:57:41 PM »

Personal touch, I hadn't thought of it that way. I don't seem to have the, for lack of a better term, the grace, or the subtlety in my fingers, but, the dynamics of the pick, in my case seem to make up for it. To me the series 1 electronics seem designed for the quick response of the pick.

smokin_dave · « **Reply #5 on:** November 01, 2003, 08:27:06 PM »

I use a pick as well as fingers.It just depends on the song or how I'm feeling at the time.I worked out a technique to hold my pick (when I'm finger picking) with my ring and pinky fingers holding it against my palm.That way I can switch mid song if need be.I tried for a while just using my index fingernail but it kept wearing out faster than it would grow.I can't find a finger nail polish hard enough to make it through a night.Super Glue perhaps?I love the sound of a pick though and sometimes it just feels cool to play with a pick.

dnburgess · « **Reply #6 on:** November 01, 2003, 10:13:41 PM »

I hate to admit in this learned forum that my first musical instrument was a banjo mandolin. I think my parents signed me up for a package of lessons being sold by a door to door salesman. If you attended all the lessons - you got a brand new banjo mandolin FREE!

Imagine 40 kids in a class plucking out Never on a Sunday or On top of old smokey in unison (more or less) and you get the picture.

Who would have thought that this would have given me a pretty good fast pick action on bass all these years later. Comes in handy on some heavy stuff and also some funk (as I'm a hopeless slapper).

I do prefer finger style - but as with everything else technical one must be guided by the music.

bigredbass · « **Reply #7 on:** November 01, 2003, 10:44:07 PM »

seven sixty-four fifty:

I use both and NEVER slap.

It's two different sounds. I really into getting a lot of different tones just by moving where I'm picking from just against the bridge up to the end of the fingerboard. I really believe it's a rebellion against basses with three-band EQ on board and PODs . . . believe me, you can do a LOT with attack, where you pick, the pickup blend, and a tone control. I'm old school . . . if the sound isn't in your hands to begin with, a fortune in effects and digital tricks won't completely 'sell it'. Plus, where are you without them?

Certain things sound better with a pick, certain things sound better fingerstyle. I agree with Anthony Jackson, I refuse to 'slap'. It reminds me of the hair-band guitarists of the 80s, pick only every fourth or fifth note, hammer-on and pull-off the rest, and YOU TOO will sound like you're really fast!

Incidentally, using a pick to record gives a VERY defined, firm bottom to any project. My weapon f choice is a Fender heavy triangle (355 style).

J o e y

senmen · « **Reply #8 on:** November 02, 2003, 03:26:28 AM »

Hi Guys,
80% fingers - 20% pick.
As my long-period study of John?s playing style I had no alternative to do it like he did.
That means very light touch (even if this is hard some times to realize), different position playing, typewriter playing, crab claws and NO normal slapping! Slapping only in combination with typewriting and slapping with my pinky.

Oliver

palembic · « **Reply #9 on:** November 02, 2003, 03:53:53 AM »

Pick only if needed in the tune we play and we don't play any of them.
BTW I play some guitar too and even there I can't use a pick. I developed a style that is merely grabbing the strings with claw-formed right hand.

Paul the bad one

Oliver: you said your Spider 8 has the strings reversed to standard. Is it for finger-playing use then?? Or for Pick?

elzie · « **Reply #10 on:** November 02, 2003, 04:46:28 AM »

I use my fingers almost all of the time. However, there are some songs that need that pick sound, and yes, I do use a pick on one. I really prefer the versatility of sound that playing with fingers allows.

I also like the fact that I can stand my thumb on the edge of the pickups and let my fingers roam over the width of the strings. When I use a pick, I inevitably place the side of my palm on the bridge, an old habit from playing guitar....

Paul II

senmen · « **Reply #11 on:** November 02, 2003, 06:02:03 AM »

Hi Paul TBW,
I have the strings on the 8 the classic, old-style way: e/E, a/A, d/D, g/G.
So is is the setup for playing with a pick.
Normally the Spyders are delivered with the alternative setup for playing with fingers.
But this doesn?t make sense to me personally as I also play chords with an 8string and this is only works well with the standard setup and playing with a pick.

Oliver (Spyderman? :-) )

locutusofborg10 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 02, 2003, 07:11:27 AM »

i use a pick about 80% of the time. i hold it sideways to get that really biting, treble sound much like JE. i only us my fingers to get a deep, soft sound mostly for slower songs. also, some techniques that JE used cannot be done with fingers. listen to live at leeds.

alembic76407 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 02, 2003, 08:06:35 PM »

I love to wiz my bass strings with my pick like guitar player do, there's nothing like a bass wiz, it makes a guitar wiz sound lame

David T
(it drives guitar players crazy)

wideload · « **Reply #14 on:** November 02, 2003, 09:00:38 PM »

Nothing like beating a dead horse...
I use fingers about 80%, pick the rest, and am unwilling to slap. I think the fingers allow more expression and nuance, but you can't beat a pick for redneck roll'n'roll. I used to have to use an amp with two channels to balance the sound difference. The treble switch on my Rogue solved that problem (I just roll off a click and let er rip). Now I'm using a Peavey Bam210 (with an extra 18 if we're outside) since its mainly a stage monitor for my own pleasure.