Starting off with a pick

[Wolverinebass]

After trying lots of different techniques over the years, I've began to think that I'm missing out on having any pick technique. I found one at a rehearsal about 3 years ago and at the weekend, I was fiddling about on my 8 string and my fingers were getting a bit chewed so I thought I'd give it a go. Whilst the tone wasn't really that different, I figure it'd be a good alternative to turning my plucking fingers into cheese when I'm playing in a hot room.

It was quite a thick pick (2mm Dunlop) and whilst it was great for an 8 string, I tried it on a 4 and it just felt too stiff to get any sort of motion going, so I assume that more flexibility or a lighter guage is needed? Doing 8ths was just impossible. I appreciate that there are many different types and materials and whatnot, but what would seasoned pick players recommend to get the best from both worlds in terms of flexibility/tone and ease of playing?

Grateful for any suggestions.

[tommorichards]

I normally use a 1.2mm .

[Evil Undead]

I don't use a pick that often but it's handy to have, definitely.

When I do pick, I use a 1.5mm Dunlop, and I grip it quite loosely, but tight enough for it not to be flying off all the time

I find it easier to play 16ths or faster with a pick rather than fingers - unless it's triplets, oddly.

Probably doesn't help that much but hope so!

[Wil]

I'm a fan of softer picks, .88 generally. Much stiffer than that and I find my wrists aching, but my band do play fairly fast.

[bassbloke]

1mm Dunlop nylon (the black one) or Dunlop Jazz III XL (the red one)

The dunlop jazz is slightly thicker, at around 1.2mm, with a much sharper tip, which is great for cross string picking. However, I find the 1mm nylon is a good balance between stuffness, for good, strong notes and flexibility. The nylon lessen the harsh scraping.

Playing properly with a pick is difficult. The lazy, sloppy, alternate picking with the hand up by the top of the neck is what gives pick playing a bad name. Nice precise picking, ensuring the pick is parallel to the strings when it hits and that notes are properly muted sounds very different to fingerstyle and should inspire you to write very different bass parts.

I switched to pick in my last band and re-wrote a chunk of my parts to incorporate the differences between pick and fingers.

[Marvin]

I'm using a .73mm at the moment.

I find playing with a pick isn't as easy as it's assumed to be, so tend to use my fingers if at all possible. I shall dip into this thread to pick up advice (pun very much intended).

[charic]

1.14's for me. Brain picks if I can find them. Always used a pick on bass, I find it more natural, which probably means I'm odd

[SteveK]

2mm? Yeah, that's pretty thick!
When I started playing bass, I only used a pick, but over the years, slowly crossed over to [i]mainly[/i] finger style.
Since I can remember, I've used .73 JDs.

It will take some time getting to grips with using a pick. Practice alternate up and down strokes, aiming for smoothness and consistency. As always, start slow, gradually increasing tempo.

[Fat Rich]

I started a thread a while ago and got some really useful advice:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=114453"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=114453[/url]

[BigRedX]

I use Herco Flex 75s. They're heavy, but being made of nylon have a bit of give to them.

Different picks will give you different sounds so you really need to experiment to find what works for you. Also be aware that what sounds good on it's own my not work so well in a band context. I love the sound of hard plastic picks when playing solo, but as soon as you add a guitar into the mix the the sharp attack I get with them disappears.

Go to your local music store and buy 10 or so different picks in different weights and materials and see which ones you get on best with and them refine your choice when you next purchase. It took me many years and much experimentation to settle on the Hercos

[Blademan_98]

I have never tried!

I probably will now as I get a little RSI in my fingers on a long session

[Wally]

I use a .88 sharkfin style pick and oddly use the finer point (so its back to front) to strike the string with as it feels to me the least bit of pick you can use to hit with the less the force against and into your wrist.

[mcnach]

2mm or 3mm Dunlop Stubbies work for me, when I do use a pick.

They're thick, but the edge is hard and roundish and seems very comfortable for me, 8ths, 16ths, triplets whatever... not a problem and have a good grip. Of course, years of pick usage on guitar must have helped, but generally I find thick picks better for bass. The thin ones I just destroy too quickly and have too sharp an attack.

[Michaelg]

i use dunlop tortex .6mm. bright orange ones. perfect pick for me

[stingrayPete1977]

Another 1mm black Dunlop user here, I used to play in one band mostly pick indie covers and another funky blues band mostly fingers which was great to keep on top of both techniques (to my standard anyway) 8ths all down strokes FTW in say with a pick

[Low End Bee]

1mm Dunlop big blue triangles. I've tried shed loads of different picks. I'm a full time picker.

[el borracho]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1171493' date='Mar 21 2011, 11:02 PM']I use Herco Flex 75s. They're heavy, but being made of nylon have a bit of give to them.

Different picks will give you different sounds so you really need to experiment to find what works for you. Also be aware that what sounds good on it's own my not work so well in a band context. I love the sound of hard plastic picks when playing solo, but as soon as you add a guitar into the mix the the sharp attack I get with them disappears.

Go to your local music store and buy 10 or so different picks in different weights and materials and see which ones you get on best with and them refine your choice when you next purchase. It took me many years and much experimentation to settle on the Hercos[/quote]

+1

Using Dunlop nylons at the minute as can't seem to find Hercos around here - they're not the same though. You get a bit of bite to the sound off them as well with the textured sides - assuming you play with the side of the pick like I do! There's another thought - am I alone in this? Does everyone else use the point of the pick??

I sometimes use the gold Flex 50s as well depending on song. I'm just getting back into using a pick after 20 years of fingers and quite enjoying it.

[CyberBass]

[quote name='mcnach' post='1171509' date='Mar 21 2011, 11:09 PM']2mm or 3mm Dunlop Stubbies work for me, when I do use a pick.

They're thick, but the edge is hard and roundish and seems very comfortable for me, 8ths, 16ths, triplets whatever... not a problem and have a good grip. Of course, years of pick usage on guitar must have helped, but generally I find thick picks better for bass. The thin ones I just destroy too quickly and have too sharp an attack.[/quote]
Same for me, 2mm or 3pm Dunlop Stubbies, feel right when playing, been using them for years and don't see myself changing :-)

[Bassassin]

1mm Dunlop black nylons again - just flexible enough for a bit of feel but stiff enough to dig in hard when necessary. Which is most of the time for me.

Jon.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='el borracho' post='1171533' date='Mar 21 2011, 11:21 PM']+1

Using Dunlop nylons at the minute as can't seem to find Hercos around here - they're not the same though. You get a bit of bite to the sound off them as well with the textured sides - assuming you play with the side of the pick like I do! There's another thought - am I alone in this? Does everyone else use the point of the pick??

I sometimes use the gold Flex 50s as well depending on song. I'm just getting back into using a pick after 20 years of fingers and quite enjoying it.[/quote]
Yeah I like the side too or at least using the tip but spun round alot. I like the grip just from the Dunlop logo too as others have mentioned

[robocorpse]

[quote name='el borracho' post='1171533' date='Mar 21 2011, 11:21 PM']Using Dunlop nylons at the minute as can't seem to find Hercos around here - they're not the same though. You get a bit of bite to the sound off them as well with the textured sides - assuming you play with the side of the pick like I do! There's another thought - am I alone in this? Does everyone else use the point of the pick??
I sometimes use the gold Flex 50s as well depending on song. I'm just getting back into using a pick after 20 years of fingers and quite enjoying it.[/quote]

Im exactly the same, I knacker the edges way before the tips get any abuse, thats my style, and I get exactly the sound I want. Herco Flex75 at about 45 degrees on both planes, LOADS of scrape and zing, and you can dig in as hard as you need to without worrying. I swap to Flex50s occasionally if I want a change of scenery.

[Doddy]

When I use a pick,I go for either Dunlop 1.14 or a little heavier(the purple ones),or I use the Ibanez Steve Vai model. I don't like using picks that flex,I find that I lose speed and control.

[dlloyd]

I use Wegen 3.5 mm picks.

Picks should have a certain amount of resistance to them and it's worth forcing yourself to play with a thicker pick for a while to encourage correct technique.

[xgsjx]

I rarely use a pic on bass bar about 2-3 songs but I usually use anything that is between .60 - 1mm, normally a yellow Dunlop .73mm (I think).
This way I have a decent pick to use on the guitar too

[Gust0o]

Jim Dunlop nylons, 0.73mm.

The trick to anything with a pick is practice, practice and practice... I was toffee about 2 months ago, but forced myself to play, play and play. When I began the exercise even the 0.73mm picks were too much for me, but you do adapt and find a balance.