Jazz = Fingers PBass = Pick

[BassAdder60]

PBass with a pick for rock is well proven and a match 

 

What about a Jazz bass but finger style playing for rock ?

 

Do they naturally sound brighter and less boomy ?

 

If I could get close to my picked PBass tone using fingers I would use fingers for the “ connected” sensation 

 

Never tried in anger a Jazz bass but played finger style do you get a naturally mid focused tone ? 

[grayn]

I have played JB with fingers for rock for years and yes, it works.

That mid focused tone you want is all down to where you pluck the strings and how much tone you roll off.

[BassAdder60]

7 minutes ago, grayn said:

I have played JB with fingers for rock for years and yes, it works.

That mid focused tone you want is all down to where you pluck the strings and how much tone you roll off.

That’s interesting 

On a PBass for me playing fingers it’s full and ok but lacks the clarity and attack a pick gives 

 

Would a JB played fingers sit between the two do you think ? 
 

If a Jazz has better definition and mids then using fingers on a Jazz may be for me a solution ? 

[Burns-bass]

I just plug it into the amp and use the tone controls to shape. 

[MichaelDean]

It might be worth you trying out a PJ bass (if you haven't already). You can get a bit more high end from the J, but you've still got the P there that just fits in well. 

[grayn]

41 minutes ago, BassAdder60 said:

That’s interesting 

On a PBass for me playing fingers it’s full and ok but lacks the clarity and attack a pick gives 

 

Would a JB played fingers sit between the two do you think ? 
 

If a Jazz has better definition and mids then using fingers on a Jazz may be for me a solution ? 

I have mainly played JBs but have over the last year or two, been playing single, split-coil pickup basses, Sandberg and Guild and they get all the clarity and punch I need, with a good amp and finger technique.

[Lozz196]

Jazz bass played with fingers in rock definitely, John Paul Jones immediately springs to mind. 

[paul_5]

1 minute ago, Lozz196 said:

Jazz bass played with fingers in rock definitely, John Paul Jones immediately springs to mind. 

Then of course there’s Geddy Lee…

[Baloney Balderdash]

Nothing else than a pick will give you that unique snappy emphasis on the attack.

 

The EHX Steel Leather pedal was made with helping being able to get closer to a pick tone while using you fingers in mind, essentially helping with emphasize the attack, as is the main characteristic of pick playing, as described above.

 

But again, while that might help you get closer, it won't really sound like a pick.

 

Getting an EHX Steel Leather pedal and learning how to utilize the flamenco inspired index and/or middle finger flicking technique would probably be your best bet though.

 

A regular compressor with just the right settings can do a somewhat similar thing though, the trick is to dial in just exactly sufficient attack time to let the transient of your attack fully through unaffected (I'd say just about 30ms or so ought to work well), then following have the compressor cramp down the signal a bit immediately after, just a bit, you wouldn't really want a very high compression ratio, the release time needs to not be set too long either, that is relatively short, but not too short either, and it helps with a hard knee as well, for the cramp down of the signal to happen as fast and steep as possible immediately after the full  transient of the attack initially has been passed through unaffected, all to emphasize the attack (but not too extremely so, for it to still sound natural), like a pick would do (experiment with the threshold value of the compressor). 

 

And using an equalizer pedal to slightly boost a center frequency of 1kHz or so (experiment with a center frequency from around 800Hz to about 1.2kHz) with a relatively narrow bandwidth/high Q value will help with emphasizing the attack too (again a huge boost is not desirable, a slight boost will do, in order for it to still sound natural).

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[Guest]

4 hours ago, BassAdder60 said:

What about a Jazz bass but finger style playing for rock ?

 

 

(Guess whose fingers they are counts for something 😁 )

[Baloney Balderdash]

5 hours ago, Ricky Rioli said:

 

 

(Guess whose fingers they are counts for something 😁 )

Geddy Lee too, at least in later years.

 

Though Geddy does make quite frequent use of that flamenco style inspired finger flicking technique I mentioned in my initial reply in this thread.

 

Still doesn't really sound like they are playing with a pick.

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by Baloney Balderdash

[jd56hawk]

I can get far more aggressive with this than with my fingers.

[BassAdder60]

Guys the point of the posting was really to discover if a JB played finger style would sound less boomy than say a PBass played finger style ?

 

My PBass finger style is ok but I don’t quite get the clarity and punch hence using a pick in the band. 
 

I do miss the physical connection that fingers give you and thought perhaps a JB played with fingers has a different tone to the PBass ? 

[DGBass]

The only time I played pick was with a stingray back in the day. That was an originals band doing rock/rap/metal type material. Been a fingers only player since doing classic rock covers and i've found finger style works just as well with a p-bass or jazz bass. It's all flats I string with these days and I find its easy enough to get plenty attack on the strings with fingertips and digging in when needed. Tweaking the EQ helps as well, particularly high mids.  

[uk_lefty]

48 minutes ago, BassAdder60 said:

Guys the point of the posting was really to discover if a JB played finger style would sound less boomy than say a PBass played finger style ?

 

My PBass finger style is ok but I don’t quite get the clarity and punch hence using a pick in the band. 
 

I do miss the physical connection that fingers give you and thought perhaps a JB played with fingers has a different tone to the PBass ? 

Less boomy, yes, but also not very p bass like. If I were you I'd be looking at maintaining your preferred playing style and instrument but looking at using EQ and maybe compression, or a limiter, to even out the sound.

[fretmeister]

2 hours ago, jd56hawk said:

I can get far more aggressive with this than with my fingers.

 

 

I'd like to try those. But their own website shows they are sold out and I can't find a UK dealer.

[fretmeister]

1 hour ago, BassAdder60 said:

Guys the point of the posting was really to discover if a JB played finger style would sound less boomy than say a PBass played finger style ?

 

My PBass finger style is ok but I don’t quite get the clarity and punch hence using a pick in the band. 
 

I do miss the physical connection that fingers give you and thought perhaps a JB played with fingers has a different tone to the PBass ? 

 

I don't think boomy is the right word. A P bass is all about the mids and a jazz is always a bit scooped when using both pickups but a J does have more tonal options. Just moving to the neck pickup alone brings back plenty of mids, but they can be balanced with the bridge pickup and set 3/4 balance.

 

Until I had my finger injury I used my fingers for almost everything aside from tracks that just sound wrong without a pick. I never got the same type of attack as with a pick, but I still got an aggressive attack partly due to string impact with the frets.

 

It's definitely a different sound and whether it works depends a lot on what the rest of the band are doing. There's hardly any P bass types used in really heavy modern metal as they get flubby / undefined very quickly. But with a more traditional gain level a P can cut through because of that mid focused tone. Steve Harris plays a P with fingers and flats and cuts through 3 guitars every night.

 

Can you borrow a J to try it at a rehearsal before you spend any money?

 

 

[jd56hawk]

32 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

 

 

I'd like to try those. But their own website shows they are sold out and I can't find a UK dealer.

I'm guessing you've tried Amazon and Ebay.

[fretmeister]

2 minutes ago, jd56hawk said:

I'm guessing you've tried Amazon and Ebay.

£14 delivery for 3 picks! 

[jd56hawk]

$10 here but I'd pay $20 if I had to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[fretmeister]

Just delivery. That’s on top of the picks.

[horrorshowbass]

Jazz plus a little bit of drive (B7K in my case) sounds awesome.

 

Edited February 12, 2023 by horrorshowbass

[jd56hawk]

20 hours ago, fretmeister said:

Just delivery. That’s on top of the picks.

Still worth it to me.

[Jellis78]

On 11/02/2023 at 16:50, fretmeister said:

 

 

I'd like to try those. But their own website shows they are sold out and I can't find a UK dealer.

I’ve got one I never use. PM if you want it!

[Supernaut]

Sounds like you need a Stingray.