Fingerstyle or Plec? Or both?

[MB1]

MB1.

Recently played a "Battle of the bands" noticed i was the only bassist playing fingerstyle out of 7 bands!
PREFERENCE?

Edited July 23, 2007 by MB1

[Alpha-Dave]

Both, depends on what texture I need for the song.

[beerdragon]

Plectrum. The guitarist in the band i'm in (it's his band, he picks the songs, gets the gigs, organises practises etc) insisted i play with a plec because it suited the songs we do.

[paul, the]

Poll me


P.S. fingers

[woodenshirt]

Plectrum...... I play in a rock three piece - seems to cut through better with a plec

Mart

[mr pablo]

both, but mainly i use a pick

[The Funk]

Fingers/Slap but I've started messing around with a pick in the privacy of my own home.

[16Again]

Depends what song really but generally both!

D.

[Mickeyboro]

Fingers only. Old school!

[MB1]

[quote name='The Funk' post='35968' date='Jul 23 2007, 03:45 PM']Fingers/Slap but I've started messing around with a pick in the privacy of my own home.[/quote]



MB1. After meals, i presume?

[odub]

Fingers for Blues/jazz, Pick for rock/punk

[Hamster]

Prefer to use fingers, but use a pick when the song dictates it.

Hamster

[DaveDDF]

Pick mostly, but in the ambient/clean parts I much prefer to use fingers.

[Wil]

Fingers, but some of my bands old back catalogue really need a pick. Fast punk just doesn't sound right with fingers, plus its a nightmare to keep up.

I get really bad wrist ache whenever I play with a pick though. My technique must need work.

[Bassassin]

Both.

Practicing at home, 99.9% fingers, playing with my band, about 75% pick.

Jon.

[Rayman]

[quote name='Mickeyboro' post='35973' date='Jul 23 2007, 03:47 PM']Fingers only. Old school![/quote]

+1

[simon1964]

I prefer fingers, but a lot of the songs my band play are more suited to pick, so I use both.

[BigBassBob]

I use both... use fingerstyle primarily live, but I've used a pick in the studio several times because even though I hate to admit it (I argued like hell over this till I heard the evidence), playing bass with a pick sits in the mix far better on some songs recorded than using fingers

[Chop]

About 70 / 30 pick / fingers. Used to be all pick. With a pick playing 70's / 80's rock & originals, like the ease of muting strings with the flat of hand, and versatility of having muted and unmuted in same song.

[bassbloke]

100% fingers. I rarely come across a situation where I am unable to keep up and, to be honest, if I was to play that fast it'd sound messy,so I'm better writing a more appropriate part.

[Hit&Run]

I always learn new material playing fingerstyle, but about 20% of the set I play with a pick because the sound suits the song better.

Every once in a while I'll play a rehearsal either all fingerstyle or all pick (or both; one after the other), just to make sure I can play all of our stuff with both.

There does seem to be a resurgence of pick players, certainly from other bands I've gigged alongside anyway.
There did used to be a lot of 'anti-plectrum' sentiments within the bass community, or so I found.

Choosing one style [i]verbatim [/i]over another just limits your palette of sounds. Or so I reckon.

Edited July 23, 2007 by Hit&Run

[Adam]

Always fingerstyle,

I just feel im more in control, i have a big dampening technique goin on in my right hand, whihc ive worked really hard on, so to go to a pick now would be a waste of all them practice sessions refining my technique.

Ads
p.s, anyone found that some/most fingerstyle only guys are really snobbery to ppl who use a pick?/ i'm not one of em each to their own

[JoeS]

Used to be 100% fingerstyle when I started, nowadays I use either fingers or a pick depending on the feel/sound I need for the song.

[MB1]

[quote name='Adam' post='36023' date='Jul 23 2007, 05:59 PM']Always fingerstyle,

I just feel im more in control, i have a big dampening technique goin on in my right hand, whihc ive worked really hard on, so to go to a pick now would be a waste of all them practice sessions refining my technique.

Ads
p.s, anyone found that some/most fingerstyle only guys are really snobbery to ppl who use a pick?/ i'm not one of em each to their own[/quote]

MB1. I can play both, but like yourself,i feel more in control with fingerstyle. As for posh?.........i dont think she can sing at all!

[ARGH]

Either... Im just as good with each.