Famous Pick Players

[cheddatom]

I was debating use of picks on a bass with a friend of mine the other day. I sort of thought we'd all moved past this but anyway, to persuade him that it's acceptable I need an example of a great song with a bassline played with a pick, which isn't obviously played with a pick. I'm trying to avoid rock or country, so something jazzy or funky would be perfect. I'm quite surprised that now I'm trying to think of one, I can't. Can you help?

[SICbass]

OK. the pick is obvious, but oh so funky...

http://youtu.be/Ll3uipTO-4A

[charic]

Dave Ellefson is my go-to but you said not rock

[paul h]

Bobby Vega...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIxpVo-qqKU

[discreet]

Anything with Carol Kaye or Joe Osborn playing on it.

[cheddatom]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1467023479' post='3080474']
Anything with Carol Kaye or Joe Osborn playing on it.
[/quote]

Excuse my ignorance but do you have examples of songs?

[dudewheresmybass]

McCartney

[EliasMooseblaster]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1467023851' post='3080488']
Excuse my ignorance but do you have examples of songs?
[/quote]
I'm reasonably sure it's Kaye playing the higher bass part on the Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations.' (To be honest, pick any Beach Boys song from Pet Sounds onwards and there's a good chance she's playing the bassline. With a pick.)

[cheddatom]

that Beach Boys' sound is very obviously a pick isn't it

I was arguing that you can get the same sound with either technique, although obviously you could do with some EQ and compression to make a pick sound like fingers

[barneyg42]

[quote name='dudewheresmybass' timestamp='1467024232' post='3080491']
McCartney
[/quote]


https://youtu.be/dSneg5vDrQc

[BassBus]

If you want jazzy there is always Steve Swallow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zONFrcrZFs

[Coilte]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1467024765' post='3080499']
that Beach Boys' sound is very obviously a pick isn't it[/quote]

Carol Kaye, as mentioned earlier, played on a lot of Beach Boy's songs. One of note is on the intro to "Good Vibrations".

[Paul S]

Here Average White Band with Hamish playing a Mustang with a pick. Nails two myths in one - you can't play funk with a pick and big blokes look silly playing short scale.

http://youtu.be/qSP5yiUbDLQ

[Number6]

Bob Daisley but he is a rocker.

[bassbora]

Did Duff (GnR) not always play with a pick? Whole of Appetite is one big pick festival if you are looking for a song

[cheddatom]

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1467025435' post='3080512']
If you want jazzy there is always Steve Swallow.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zONFrcrZFs[/media]
[/quote]

Yes! That's great! Thanks

[sammybee]

Leon Sylvers III - most stuff on Solar Records (Whispers, Shalamar) apparently played a Ri**** with a pick

[EliasMooseblaster]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1467024765' post='3080499']
that Beach Boys' sound is very obviously a pick isn't it

I was arguing that you can get the same sound with either technique, although obviously you could do with some EQ and compression to make a pick sound like fingers
[/quote]

I know it's a rock example, but look up[i]Animate [/i]by Rush. The driving bassline sounds quite pick-like but is almost certainly Geddy flapping his index finger back and forth. (I'd provide a link but work interweb and youtube links don't mix too well, sorry!)

[zero9]

I love what Hellmut Hattler does with a pick. It's very obviously played with a pick, but that's the beauty of it.

[Number6]

Adrian Shaw (The Bevis Frond)

[cheddatom]

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1467030586' post='3080575']
I know it's a rock example, but look up[i]Animate [/i]by Rush. The driving bassline sounds quite pick-like but is almost certainly Geddy flapping his index finger back and forth. (I'd provide a link but work interweb and youtube links don't mix too well, sorry!)
[/quote]

That's a good one!

[lowhand_mike]

[quote name='bassbora' timestamp='1467026840' post='3080529']
Did Duff (GnR) not always play with a pick? Whole of Appetite is one big pick festival if you are looking for a song
[/quote]
yeah duff uses a pick for GnR and Velvet revolver dont think ive ever seen him use fingers.
He has a slightly different pick style as its not straight up and down but rather diagonally across the string so the pick kinda slides a bit if that makes sense

[cheddatom]

I'm after examples which show that a pick doesn't always have to sound "picky" or as above (with the Rush example) fingers don't always have to sound "paddy"

[Coilte]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1467033025' post='3080610']
I'm after examples which show that a pick doesn't always have to sound "picky" or as above (with the Rush example) fingers don't always have to sound "paddy"
[/quote]

If your friend is not convinced by the posts so far, he is a lost cause. Leave him to it. It's his loss.

[Daz39]

Geddy's sound comes mainly from a very thick nail on his index finger, which grew back like that after he broke it as a kid. So he sort of picks while using fingers. But yes, also flapping flamenco style.