Plectrum playing...with upstrokes

[ahpook]

I know that our favourite omni-bassist Carol Kaye advocates playing the E-string with upstrokes (I that's what she says) , but how about playing with upstrokes all the time ?

For your consideration, Steve Severin, of Siouxie and the Banshees

[url="https://www.youtube....h?v=amR6-neQBPE"]https://www.youtube....h?v=amR6-neQBPE[/url]

Lovely Stingray, and upstrokes all the way and I can't every recall seeing him doing anything else.

I suppose it's analogous to the way you strike your strings with your fingers - up towards yourself...

Anyone else do this (when playing covers of Banshees songs or otherwise ? )

Edited March 26, 2015 by ahpook

[Panamonte]

I've noticed that Graham Lewis of Wire plays like this too. Tried it myself, but it felt weird. On the rare occasions I play with a pick it's downstrokes for me or down, up, down, up etc.

[ahpook]

Didn't know Graham Lewis did it as well....but a couple of YouTube vids later and indeed he does ! Well spotted that man

I can do it, in fact playing some Banshees songs seems weird if I play any other way ('Israel' for example), but then the Banshees were one the bands cut my teeth on, bass-wise - spent quite some time with bass on my knee and a VHS of 'Nocturne' on the telly.

Edit: I've just found some film of Steve Severin playing downstrokes - shock ! (on the 1981 Rockpalast Concert), during the chord-based songs from Ju-Ju

Blimey, didn't realise I was that much of a Banshees anorak !

Edited March 26, 2015 by ahpook

[40hz]

This makes my brain hurt even thinking about it!

[doomed]

I play like that mostly, if you can call it playing ☺

[RhysP]

I've seen loads of people play like that over the years, just feels really strange to me though.

[PaulWarning]

am I missing something, what difference does it make? apart from being on the 'right' side of the string when changing to another string, like I start the riff to Babylons Burning with an upstroke, but all upstrokes, I don't get it

[Cosmo Valdemar]

And Nicky Wire from the Manics, he does it a lot!
When I first starting playing all those years ago I played with upstrokes quite a bit. It felt quite natural. Then along came a more experienced player who told me it was wrong and that was that! I still do it from time to time though - it can give certain phrases a more urgent, jerkier feel. I find I do it naturally on off beats - the main riff to The Boys Are Back In Town, for example. Try it!

[ahpook]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1427393180' post='2729902']
am I missing something, what difference does it make?
[/quote]

I don't know - I think it's personal taste, like a lot of things. I feel it adds more urgency to the sound, but I'm sure you could get that similar effect with any playing style.

[JTUK]

I used to do this but it is really taking away the strenght of playing with a pick IMV..

[spectoremg]

Playing a bass with a plectrum? You'll be telling me people are hitting the strings with their thumbs next

[The Admiral]

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1427403364' post='2730072']
Playing a bass with a plectrum? You'll be telling me people are hitting the strings with their thumbs next
[/quote]

Yes, and some people also seem to have curious instruments with more than 4 strings, which I don't really understand as this is bass chat.

[Subbeh]

It's not something I consciously try and do but there are some passages and fills in songs that I play this way without thinking about, just seems to happen naturally.

[tauzero]

I don't play much with a plectrum but when I do, I generally alternate down and up and can start on either the up or the down, except for "Doctor doctor" where if I start the verse on the upstroke, it completely throws me (it's probably the uneven beat that does it).

[Spike Vincent]

I used to play upstrokes with a plectrum when I was in my Stephen Severin is my hero phase,and I still do it sometimes but not exclusively any more,360bpm tends to require up and down strokes..

[rogerstodge]

Does Bruce Foxton only play downstrokes? A lot of his bass lines are very fast, I have to use up and down.

[Norm]

I thought down strokes only was a hardcore punk band thing. Severins upstrokes only was initially (no disrespect intended) due to self taught lack of competence IMO, just like myself & how I learnt.
I like unorthodox players more than virtuosos but any "only" is limiting the possibilities available.

[visog]

"Plectrum playing... all upstrokes" No... although quite common... For some reason Steve Severin comes to mind -some great lines but from a technical point of view, all over the place. All up-strokes is simply a placation of bad technique.

Alternate picking is the way to go with a focus on consistent tone. Just put the time in and get on with it...

[visog]

Sorry - re-read your OP and you cited Steve Severin also....

Great music, bad technique....!

For great examples of killer plec technique, refer to Chris Squire, Bobby Vega and some guy called Paul McCartney.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='rogerstodge' timestamp='1427451148' post='2730453']
Does Bruce Foxton only play downstrokes? A lot of his bass lines are very fast, I have to use up and down.
[/quote]

From what I`ve seen he does seem to only use downstrokes. I`m the same, up & downs on his lines much easier.

[Nicko]

Upstrokes for offbeat. Downstrokes for onbeat. Or alternatie if the speed needs it.