TGEvans Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Right then. After playing for about 10 years properly, I mean using my fingers. I have been involved in a project where the tone and attack of a pick sits better In the process. Just wondered if there are any tutorials out there that would give me some pointers or anything that may be of use. Anything really. Im quite enjoying using a pick but feel that there may be something missing with my technique.T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_B Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 What sort of thing do you want to know? What thickness pick are you using? What sort of music will you be playing? Sorry for all of the questions, but there's a variety of options, depending on what you intend to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Lots of this stuff on youtube. If you put "bass picking" in the search box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGEvans Posted January 6, 2010 Author Share Posted January 6, 2010 Playing kind of post hardcore/punk rock stuff. The kind of stuff I have done in the past but for some reason it feels more natural with a pick this time round.play a five string too so dont know if that makes a difference.who are the pro 5 string pick guys? I know Jason Newstead did ( I think). Went through all my picks today. The 1.5 mil felt good for the lighter stuff but the 2 mil felt better for the heavier stuff.Dunlop picks. What picks do you guys use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Picks come in all shapes and sizes so try plenty. Personally I play with & without so agree it's good to have the choice of techniques. I'm plus one on YouTube clips too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 (edited) [quote name='TGEvans' post='703609' date='Jan 6 2010, 10:45 PM']Playing kind of post hardcore/punk rock stuff. The kind of stuff I have done in the past but for some reason it feels more natural with a pick this time round.play a five string too so dont know if that makes a difference.who are the pro 5 string pick guys? I know Jason Newstead did ( I think). Went through all my picks today. The 1.5 mil felt good for the lighter stuff but the 2 mil felt better for the heavier stuff.Dunlop picks. [b]What picks do you guys use[/b]?[/quote] How long's a piece of string?* Seriously, you're likely to get as many different answers as people that reply - rather like strings It took me ages & much experimentation before I settled on Jim Dunlop 1mm Black Nylons, so I'd suggest a hunt around on Ebay, get an assorted "grab bag", & see what suits you best. From what you've stated I'd probably tend towards the heavier/stiffer picks, as I guess you want to enhance the edge & clank. Slightly thinner/more flexible ones are good for high-speed "drilling" - for me anyway. Pete. [size=1]*twice the distance from the middle to one end[/size] Edited January 6, 2010 by Bloodaxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Pick size is a bit of a trade-off between tone & speed. Thicker picks will give a thicker, fuller tone but will be a bit harder to play really fast; whereas thinner picks flex more and so present less resistance to movement (which makes them easier to play fast - especially if you use an alternating technique) but give a slightly thinner tone. From what you've said I would guess that your playing is dominated by downstrokes? That being the case thicker would generally be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 (edited) AS far as pick players go, [b]Jerry Peek [/b]is well worth a listen. There's not much of his stuff available on youtube, but he played with Steve Morse for a while and his picked/hammered solo on the track "Cruise Missile" is awesome!! [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUwO9xkyDnA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUwO9xkyDnA[/url] Edited January 7, 2010 by Conan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGEvans Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 I think I am still trying to play the same way I did with my fingers, by still alternating and moving up and down over both pickups and so on. After reading all the bits on here lat night/early this morning I see what people mean about the different thicknesses. I read a few things on other sites too. It looks like some players I like go as thin as.75 with some picks. I sat and played with a 1mil for an hour and that felt pretty good too. So It looks like I will be using between a 1 mil and a 2 mil depending on whats needed. Before this I would never have thought there was a difference.t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_B Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I use Dunlop 'Tortex' .88mm picks. More often than not I play the sort of stuff you're playing. Mind you, I imagine you've got stronger fingers than me, so something a little more chunky might suit you better. But it might effect the snappiness of the sound - depends on if it's snappy or chunky post hardcore/punk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Also, I find the big Dunlop triangles easier to use on bass rather than those little teardrop ones you useually see everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Dunlop 88s for me, too - for about the last quarter of a century... I think I've settled on them now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_B Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 [quote name='dannybuoy' post='703940' date='Jan 7 2010, 11:14 AM']Also, I find the big Dunlop triangles easier to use on bass rather than those little teardrop ones you useually see everywhere.[/quote] I used to use those, but found them a bit knackering after playing for an hour or more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKenrick Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Bobby Vega is probably my favourite pick player. Not that much of him on youtube but he's one of the few guys that can really groove with a pick... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGEvans Posted January 10, 2010 Author Share Posted January 10, 2010 Some good links guys, Thanks. Becoming a bit obsessed with this now. As far as playing live with a pick is there much difference eq wise? I know the tone will be different but will I need to alter my settings much? I sound dumb now! Or would I be better getting a separate eq so that I can switch between fingerstyle and pick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 I use medium gauge Alien 'glow in the dark' picks (BTW, they don't really glow much at all) [url="http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/products/299-alien_ebe_glow_in_the_dark_guitar_picks_medium_heavy_"]http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/products/29...s_medium_heavy_[/url] Despite being 'medium' they are very thin which allows me to pick very fast. Was previously in a death/thrash metasl band and now in a punk band and speed is the order of the day. If I played in a slower band I would use a thicker pick for more meaty tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Thinner pick, faster pace! I have done this before and you can get upto some very fast speeds. Awesome fun and once you pair it with a fast fretting hand it looks impressive. Thicker pick, more meaty tone but difficult to go incredibly fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
righi80 Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Hi there! I started playing "properly" (and i'm still going on!) but few years ago i swapped to pick for your same reason. It took me a while to get used even if, playing also some guitar, the pick didn't feel like a completely alien object in my hand. What i think is that if you play punk rock you just need attack and aggression and this doesn't come with any technique. It's all about the feel and the energy, trying different kinds of picks and trying to play in different positions along the strings you will work out YOUR sound. rock on!!! [quote name='TGEvans' post='702503' date='Jan 6 2010, 09:53 AM']Right then. After playing for about 10 years properly, I mean using my fingers. I have been involved in a project where the tone and attack of a pick sits better In the process. Just wondered if there are any tutorials out there that would give me some pointers or anything that may be of use. Anything really. Im quite enjoying using a pick but feel that there may be something missing with my technique.T[/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 [quote name='TKenrick' post='704411' date='Jan 7 2010, 04:45 PM']he's one of the few guys that can really groove with a pick...[/quote] Isn't that a Pink Floyd track?! Great player BTW - thanks for posting that, I'd never heard of him before. Who does he play with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 Dunlop Gator Grip 1mm. Don't slip out of your fingers at sweaty gigs. If I run out I rough up the grip are of Tortex ones with a bit of coarse sandpader. I play quite aggresively (I seem to wear picks out quite quickly) but not excessively fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Al-Di-Meolas-Picking-Techniques/dp/079351018X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263486165&sr=1-1-spell"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Al-Di-Meolas-Picki...mp;sr=1-1-spell[/url] Look this one up (less than a fiver). It will get you where you want to be (yes, it is a guitar book but the principles are the same). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
righi80 Posted January 14, 2010 Share Posted January 14, 2010 [quote name='dannybuoy' post='703940' date='Jan 7 2010, 11:14 AM']Also, I find the big Dunlop triangles easier to use on bass rather than those little teardrop ones you useually see everywhere.[/quote] Love those ones: perfect grip and they are so big that you can't miss the strings even in the sweatiest drunkest craziest gig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGEvans Posted January 14, 2010 Author Share Posted January 14, 2010 That book looks good.found a pick im happy with.blue 1mil tortex.feels good too me! having a sit down with my mate in a few weeks for a few pointers.he has played with a few big names.(Gary Numan, Alison Moyet, Shakin Stevens,forget that one though). just to go through basics.really,really enjoying playing with a pick though.its great.just struggling with the 5 string bit though.anybody know any examples of 5 string pick players in the rock metal genre i can have a look at????t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamieariss Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Picks like to go missin lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throwoff Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 .96 delrin Dunlops for me for 8 years! I use a pick quite a bit, I was in a ska band for a while and used about 60% fingers 40% pick I like to alternate! Nothing wrong with using a pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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