bonzodog Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I know this has been done to death and will cause a lot of conflicting views so I apologise in advance. I have always played with a pick but more recently have begun learning with my fingers. I not only enjoy playing more with my fingers but prefer the more punchy sound I am getting. However there are some songs we do that I simply just cannot do with my fingers. We play in a mod covers band and some of the typical runs that are in the jam bass lines are just too fast without my pick. Town called malice too is proving impossible to get the rhythm with my fingers where as its simple with a pick. The problem is if I switch between the two its making my sound too different as I used to roll up the low freq with a pick but back off now with my fingers. Should I carry on trying with my fingers till I nail it or just accept I need to switch between the two and keep adjusting the eq? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Use whichever works best for the song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 (edited) It's really up to you - you [i]can[/i] get the speed of a pick with your fingers (learning Rush basslines got my speed up !), but some songs are just pick songs to me so I play them with a pick. It is good discipline to learn to do both so give it a go if you're into it, but you're not [b]obliged[/b] to do one or the other - the strap's over [i]your[/i] shoulder, so you get to decide ! Yay ! As for the difference in sound, you could buy a EQ pedal to even up the sounds if you like. Edited April 15, 2015 by ahpook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Riva Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Ronnie Lane was an excellent bass player - lots of groovy and melodic lines and all done with a pick. If it was good enough for Ronnie etc.. Or you could be like Mr Vega and be a master at both [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2lza1Rb0U"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx2lza1Rb0U[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 [quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1429125957' post='2748358'](learning Rush basslines got my speed up !),[/quote] index finger 'flamenco' ftw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 [quote name='Iain' timestamp='1429129655' post='2748419'] index finger 'flamenco' ftw! [/quote] I've not tried that that much - getting the speed up with 2 1/2 fingers is enough for me ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I thought you was going to talk about using a pick & fingers together. Some songs suit fingers, some pick & some even suit a bit of slap (I kid you not). Use whatever works & laugh at the ignorance of those who diss using more than 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I`d get the eq set right for playing with fingers, then when switching to a pick back off on the tone a tad on the amp - just knock the treble down a notch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Long term get faster with your fingers, short term get an EQ pedal I use both almost equally, depends what sound I'm after Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barneyg42 Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 😀😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 [quote name='barneyg42' timestamp='1429173876' post='2748693'] ... [/quote] Brilliant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 No easy answer to this as no one really knows what sound you start from...but the easiest to EQ is fingers, typically, so I'd keep that sound as the default sound and compromise when playing fingers. Not really compatible but I think you are going to have to concentrate on getting the amount of bass EQ down on the pick. It is only really something that you can work thru....so bring the two sounds close and workable without a mass of adjustment between the two each time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 If you play best with a pick then that is your benchmark for finger style. Work at it and you [i]will[/i] get better. Believe me Town Called Malice is easy with fingers. There will always be numbers that sound "right" played one way or the other. If you can do both that's good. Just aim to be as flexible as you can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 I think it's best to do whatever feels right. When I first got a bass many moons ago, I thought that pick was the way to go. When I started learning properly, I changed to fingers only. Many years later, I realised how sloppy I could be , so I cleaned up my act and do both. When playing gigs doing finger only, I realised I was never gonna be stevie Harris . So I often played with one finger only for the entire gig. Hats off to cliff burton , playing full on thrash never using a pick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 This.[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1429125532' post='2748350'] Use whichever works best for the song. [/quote] You mention Town Called Malice, I used to be in a band that did this and could play it with fingers, but it just sounded so much closer to the original with a pick. I also enjoyed the more aggressive vibe it seem to draw from me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 I've used a pick for years, I prefer the sound - of me using one - as when I play fingerstyle, it just sounds a bit of a dull thud. I can't sound like other people! I like the 'cleaner' sound a pick provides, less thump. I do practice it at home, and I have got better, to the extent that when I dropped a pick at a gig, I just finished the number fingerstyle. But for me, I am a pick player. Coming from a drumming background, I just prefer the more percussive feel I can attack with using a pick....I suppose my style will always be a bit like drumming on a bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzodog Posted April 16, 2015 Author Share Posted April 16, 2015 Cool..thanks guys. Think I will continue to use both and adjust the eq for now. It seems to be certain rhythms i cant do with my fingers rather than speed. Struggle with town called malice riff but can do the bass solo to my generation with my fingers fairly easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 I leave my finger nails just long enough to catch the strings when playing in rock bands and that gives me the effect of a pick. If you get it right you just tilt hand back slightly and you have proper "skin" sound finger style. I do use index finger as a pick occasionally but i find it hurts finger under the nail if played too hard or too often. I just can't get used to holding a pick. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 [quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1429200344' post='2749160'] I've used a pick for years, I prefer the sound - of me using one - as when I play fingerstyle, it just sounds a bit of a dull thud. I can't sound like other people! I like the 'cleaner' sound a pick provides, less thump. I do practice it at home, and I have got better, to the extent that when I dropped a pick at a gig, I just finished the number fingerstyle. But for me, I am a pick player. Coming from a drumming background, I just prefer the more percussive feel I can attack with using a pick....I suppose my style will always be a bit like drumming on a bass! [/quote]I too prefer the definition and attack I get with a pick, I've tried finger style just didn't like it but playing mostly punky stuff it's not surprising, I have seen some very good fingerstyle bass players but mostly they just seem to get an undefined thump when playing this way, I did read somewhere where some pro bass players use fingers in the studio and a pick for live work, don't know whether anyone on here can name them, but it does make sense, to me anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Pick player here. I have to confess that I just don't like playing finger style. Please don't burn me! I say that, but I do actually use my fingers, just not in the usual way. If I play without a pick I use my thumb and first two fingers (the same way I play the banjo) or three fingers, with a digit for each string. But the way I use them most often is also with a pick, where I will use my middle and/or ring finger for playing chords or the octave simultaneously with the picked root note. I use a range of picks for different styles and sounds, if I want a finger type sound I use a thicker pick. For the best part of the last twenty five years I used 3mm picks, and they can be incredibly versatile, but for the last few months I have been using .60 picks (Dunlop orange ones) for playing fast, heavy stuff and still be able to clearly make out every note. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Mostly fingers, also pick, also thumb and fingers for an upright like sound, some slap........ Bottom line, whatever feels right and you think is/ sounds best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynottfan Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Use everything, don't limit to one, I use pick a lot, but my finger style is not bad and I even dabble in slap, John Entwistle used everything going for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbiscuits Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 If you're worried about your pick/finger sounds being too different, I find that rolling off the tone control a bit when using a pick helps take out some of the thinnness and clacky rasp that sometimes happens with a pick. Then again on some songs that's exactly the sound you want. Horses for courses etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 http://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=yYOQ01zPnt8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1429283038' post='2750034'] [url="http://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=yYOQ01zPnt8"]http://m.youtube.com...h?v=yYOQ01zPnt8[/url] [/quote] Clicked on your link and got this. [attachment=189738:Capture.JPG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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