- Jun 30, 2010
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- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
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No more pick jokes
- Thread starter Bunk McNulty
- Start date
I mean.......generally speaking.........there is no right or wrong way to play the electric bass. Like, "duh", over the many decades it's been played many, many different ways.
If on one side of the spectrum a bassist can slap, bang, beat-out notes with fingers, hand and fist..........what's wrong with a pick?
I'm too lazy to give a list of bass pick players. Carol Kaye, Paul McCartney, Monk Montgomery......many, many others!
Although I (try) to play bass with index and middle finger (mostly index).......I love the sound of the bass with a pick and palm muting.
Needles to say, Joe Osborn was one of the GREATS! The Wrecking Crew! Say no more! Can be heard on thousands of recordings from the 60s and early 70s!
It was a new fact for me that he was originally a guitarist that that was switched to bass.
Hey! "To each his/her own!"
If on one side of the spectrum a bassist can slap, bang, beat-out notes with fingers, hand and fist..........what's wrong with a pick?
I'm too lazy to give a list of bass pick players. Carol Kaye, Paul McCartney, Monk Montgomery......many, many others!
Although I (try) to play bass with index and middle finger (mostly index).......I love the sound of the bass with a pick and palm muting.
Needles to say, Joe Osborn was one of the GREATS! The Wrecking Crew! Say no more! Can be heard on thousands of recordings from the 60s and early 70s!
It was a new fact for me that he was originally a guitarist that that was switched to bass.
Hey! "To each his/her own!"
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Joe said what the song tell you what it wants. Some want pick. Some want fingers. Some want a different bass player.
I never can get why pick players are so much looked down upon. Many pioneering giants played with a pick, from Carol Kaye and Paul McCartney to John Entwistle and Chris Squire.
It used to be said in jazz drumming too, that you should be felt and not heard. Look at how drummers play now - they are only second to electric guitarists volume-wise.
It used to be said in jazz drumming too, that you should be felt and not heard. Look at how drummers play now - they are only second to electric guitarists volume-wise.
The wedgies in grade school inspired me to lift weights... suddenly no more wedgies.
I'm sorry ..what was the topic?
Just out of the blue, I thought to try these Wedgies on my fretless bass. Nice! Sound very close to fingers. Yes they do grab a bit but I am using pressurewound strings so not so bad. I like it.
Maybe where you are, but I am quite active in the busy SF east bay scene and have yet to see a short scale bass on stage.
When I was a lot younger, I didn't like playing with a pick. Silly young frame of mind. I erroneously thought the time I spend on with the pick I would me lose what little ability I had playing finger style. 
Thankfully, I've grown up. I do switch around depending on the song.
Thankfully, I've grown up. I do switch around depending on the song.
Using picks as a guitar player prior to becoming a bass player made it a lot easier for me. The string spacing difference was the biggest thing to get used to. It just takes practice.
You may want to try the Wedgie pick as it's thickness helps with the grip. And they sound great.
He still did it in a few songs - I think Summertime Blues is pick and palm mute.
I played with fingers until my hands just got too arthritic to do it without pain, so, I play 95% of the time with a pick now. Dunlop nylon gripper at 0.60mm thickness.
I primarily played fingerstyle because it fit the music that I played. When I started playing worship music at church, I was hearing a lot of pick playing. I tried to 'force' it with fingerstyle, but it just sounded better with a pick. So, now I play certain songs with a pick. I try to be open minded about different techniques. If it works better with a pick, then I'm not going to say "but, I'm a fingerstyle player." I just use a pick for those songs.
I've come to like pick playing.
I've come to like pick playing.
You are not picky about picking or not picking huh Nicky? Me either!
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If you prefer to play 100% pizzicato, go for it. Haven't there been enough pick players explaining why they use a pick? Aren't there enough examples of historic and legendary bass players playing with a pick to squelch this debate?
I've read so many comments on this subject, just looking to understand why it matters. Usually, you just get a boatload of personal preferences, and often enough, dismissive or deligitamizing remarks. To be honest, I heard those negative remarks said to my face and never gave much a hoot and found it sad actually. The reason I respond is bashing someone for using a pick is not respectful and could be discouraging to a beginner or even a fully capable player (person) for that matter. Please consider how your bold statement would be received by someone impressionable or with less confidence than you.
I've read so many comments on this subject, just looking to understand why it matters. Usually, you just get a boatload of personal preferences, and often enough, dismissive or deligitamizing remarks. To be honest, I heard those negative remarks said to my face and never gave much a hoot and found it sad actually. The reason I respond is bashing someone for using a pick is not respectful and could be discouraging to a beginner or even a fully capable player (person) for that matter. Please consider how your bold statement would be received by someone impressionable or with less confidence than you.