0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

I hate playing with a pick

Thanks for the tips, guys. I'm trying the three-finger technique, which for some reason I thought wasn't useful, but now I think it'll suit me well once I practice at it a bit. I'll also get some finger picks and see if I like those.
Keep your fingers relaxed. It'll help you gain speed and stamina. This is what finger picks can do…
purplez
Posts: 189
I don't use a pick, I find the lack of finger to string contact unnatural.

Marko 1960 what you are saying is like how I think of bits of Entwistles playing & I try to do it myself occasionally, its a power sound.

purplez
Posts: 189

Marko1960
Posts: 3143
Quote:
I don't use a pick, I find the lack of finger to string contact unnatural.Marko 1960 what you are saying is like how I think of bits of Entwistles playing & I try to do it myself occasionally, its a power sound.
It's a very percussive sound but you can control the amount of attack, and yes, now you mention it, I can see The Ox with his trademark style and if you think about the bass solo on My Generation then yes, he's using the same technique
IamMark
Posts: 1103
On the other side of the coin, I played a show last night for 3.5 hours straight. And by the third hour fatigue set in to my right hand. My fingers weren't cooperating at all. It's as if they were on their own timing, and started going on strike with me. I was begging the singer to call it as night, but he kept playing for another half hour.

Need better conditioning I guess.
mr zee
Posts: 577
I can't use a pick and have been trying for 40 years, but I can play with my thumb and forefinger together as if I was holding a pick, odd, yes but as soon as I put a piece of plastic between them its as if I have drank too much and all co-ordination goes (and I don't mean p—ing misen). I can also play with my fingers which seems natural to me.
Quote:
On the other side of the coin, I played a show last night for 3.5 hours straight. And by the third hour fatigue set in to my right hand. My fingers weren't cooperating at all. It's as if they were on their own timing, and started going on strike with me. I was begging the singer to call it as night, but he kept playing for another half hour.Need better conditioning I guess.
Three and a half hours is a lot! In that time a pick would have been destroyed, shredded to molecules.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meKxa_oedh0

Check this out. At about 5 minutes. This dude has a crazy flicking technique. He goes bananas on those strings. Take a look! He also explains how he gets that pick sound later in the video. Good luck man. I also just hate picking. I find using one to be absolutely miserable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9olieUDzjo

Check out this video by TJH3113 to see a nice trick for plucking multiple strings with one strike. Dude always gets great tones even on picked songs, or songs where Geddy Lee uses his fingernail plucking sound. Watch a few of this dudes videos to see how you can play some picked songs comfortably without.

I can't use a pick to save my life, and the more I use it, the less I like it. After watching these videos, aside from a few songs that really do benefit from the songs, I doubt I'll even use a pick on my bass again.

EDIT: one thing I thought of, every bassist has their own style. Entwhistlenever slapped from what I hear. Two fingers or a pick. Jamerson used one finger. ONE FINGER jesus christ, man. Flea uses everything from picks to slaps to two fingers. More and more bassists are using the three or apparently even four finger techniques. Many bassists just stick to one style, though. Do what feels right. Find out what makes your style and sound unique. If you can do that with just two finger plucking, congrats, man. Go make your mark on the bass world doing what suits you best. And, if you ever want to learn anything new on an instrument, PAIN IS A NO GO! If it hurts, stop. I can say for 100% certain, Repeated Stress Injuries will haunt you for a long time. Avoid them. if you can't find a comfortable way, use any resources you can to have someone help you find a comfortable way.
Watch the master at work…

Reply to this thread