Plectrum Or Fingers

[Andy S]

As a novice

Is it better to start and understand basics with fingers and then move to a pick the more proficient I get?

[NickD]

26 minutes ago, Andy S said:

As a novice

Is it better to start and understand basics with fingers and then move to a pick the more proficient I get?

There's no answer but the one that suits you best IMO. Do both, they're both fine and both worth learning. Look at your influences, who's sound appeals to you as a start? At the end of the day the only thing that matters is that the sound you want to hear comes out of your speakers... how you achieve that is entirely your business. 

[musicbassman]

32 minutes ago, Andy S said:

As a novice

Is it better to start and understand basics with fingers and then move to a pick the more proficient I get?

Hi Andy S,

An old thread revisited - but useful.

Ideally, I would think you should learn to play with both pick and fingers, but I would put the emphasis on finger playing to begin with.

This is mainly because it is easier to control the note length with fingers than with a pick - most finger players control note length with their right hand (but some with their left, just to confuse you, and some with a combination of both !)  But pick playing is also very useful technique to learn, to help reproduce certain bass styles and feels

This lesson from Scott Mills may help you re damping and note length:

 

[Andy S]

Thanks NickD and Musicbassman,

As I said I am a complete novice so some of my questions will be very fundemantal.

 

Regards to all

 

Andy

 

[NickD]

1 minute ago, Andy S said:

As I said I am a complete novice so some of my questions will be very fundamental.

 

Almost everyone asked those questions... And those who didn't probably wish they did!

[Cato]

I'd say fingerstyle requires a bit more work before it becomes second nature,  so it's worth prioritising as a technique early on.

It uses muscles in the forearm that probably aren't that developed in most people, for most beginners a certain amount of practice time is necessary just to get 'match fit', that was certainly my experience when I first switched to fingers.

Edited March 6, 2018 by Cato

[Andy S]

 

15 minutes ago, Cato said:

I'd say fingerstyle requires a bit more work before it becomes second nature,  so it's worth prioritising as a technique early on.

That's the logic I applied Cato, though wasn't certain if my logic was valid.

[SH73]

Fingers, but lately started writing trash metal songs and find the pick style playing cut through better without too much eq. 

[MrCrane]

1 hour ago, musicbassman said:

This lesson from Scott Mills may help you re damping and note length:

 

Scott Mills?

[musicbassman]

Ha ha - Not sure what I was thinking of -  it's Scott DeVine - or is it Scott Devine? 

[Dan Dare]

2 hours ago, musicbassman said:

Ha ha - Not sure what I was thinking of -  it's Scott DeVine - or is it Scott Devine? 

Perhaps it's because he's from oop North. Dark satanic mills and all that 

[Raslee]

I have to admit I’m really struggling with a pick after 20 years of finger playing. I’ve joined a rock covers band and more songs are needing a pick as I cannot keep up with the speed, plus they need ‘that sound’ - any tips on pick techniques greatly appreciated  

[gs_triumph]

Fingers is my preference however I am starting to use a pick where it just sounds better. 

[xgsjx]

It depends on what you’re wanting to play.  But learn both.

No point on focusing on finger style first, if most of the songs you want to play use a plectrum (& vice versa).

I started with mostly plectrum playing, but 34 years on & I’m mostly using my fingers, though there’s still a few songs I use a plectrum for. 

[pbasspecial]

Started with a pick (which was looked down upon by the 'proper' bass players at the time!), then learnt finger style and now use my thumb an awful lot to get a real deep muted bass tone.  

The answer is to learn all the styles and use whichever technique is most appropriate for the song. 

[NancyJohnson]

Damn, this is an old thread!

Started with a pick, had a brief dalliance with fingers, went back to a pick.  I can play with my fingers, and do so when I'm noodling, but prefer a pick.

For the music I play (primarily, it's Alkaline Trio-esque punky), a pick just gives me more attack, more accuracy and I can palm mute.  Yeah, I know there's arguments either way, but I prefer a pick.

[EBS_freak]

Whatever is appropriate!

[Paddy515]

Think I must be odd as I use thumb on 95% of set and pick just on 1or 2 songs. Any other mainly "thumbers" out there.

 

As for pick, using both up and down strokes gives me the speed of note neccessary for anything Ive ever played.

[NickD]

2 minutes ago, Paddy515 said:

Any other mainly "thumbers" out there.

Sort of!

I started with a pick in Metal bands, then went with fingers because I thought I should. Over the past few years I've gravitated to a weird hybrid. I play some 2 and 3 fingerstyle but spend an awful lot of time muting on the bridge while playing with my thumb, or with my thumb and first 2 fingers like a classical guitar style. Sometimes I use my thumb like a pick too, with my forefinger gripping it... It's all weird, but it works for me.

[Bigwan]

I learned to play initially with a pick and regretted it later. Couldn't play with my fingers at all.

It took an extended break from playing - and not being able to find a pick around the house - to get me playing with fingers. Now I play 99% of the time with fingers (usually because I still can't find a pick around the house!)

[radiophonic]

Fingers and thumb, but not a slappity way. I've never got on with picks for some reason - they make my thumb joint feel weird. It's not down to snobbery, I just can't get them to work for me. I've developed a sort of thumb and 2 finger-picked guitar style for playing chords, in addition to the ole floating thumb / 2 finger method, plus getting noisy with chords by striking using the nails on three fingers. Whatever I'm doing, it works for me doing the music I do.

[Andy S]

thumb and two fingers is feeling most comfortable to me at the moment.

Need to get my left hand working now

[Barking Spiders]

anything that goes, sometimes a mix of three fingers, plectrum, thumb only and a bit of slap n pop in the same song.  Some lines should only be played with a pick like the ones on all those early Stranglers toons otherwise they sound a bit limp

Edited March 7, 2018 by Barking Spiders

[thepurpleblob]

Strictly two fingers. I can't play with a plectrum.... and I've tried... a lot. It just feels completely wrong. And I always drop them.

It's going on that very big heap of things that I can get by without needing to learn... 

Edited March 7, 2018 by thepurpleblob

[Sandy 5]

13 hours ago, Raslee said:

I have to admit I’m really struggling with a pick after 20 years of finger playing. I’ve joined a rock covers band and more songs are needing a pick as I cannot keep up with the speed, plus they need ‘that sound’ - any tips on pick techniques greatly appreciated  

The pick itself is the starting point, you get really flimsy picks on a bass and you will have an awful sound! There's a plectrum page on one of the other threads where people talk about their preferred picks...mines a Dunlop jazz III, they're thick enough to get good purchase on the string, comfortable to grip. Also think about where your hand is positioned on the strings, and the angle of the pick when you strike. You're after economy of motion, if your hand's doing a lot of moving you might lose some precision. Hope that's some sort of help!