What do you play and how do you play it?

[JesseVMT]

P bass. Flats. Mostly pick.

 

[elgecko]

99% fingerstyle. The only time I played with a pick was when I played the musical Rent and the chart told me to. I'd think about putting a pick to a P bass with flats if I were playing some Doobie Brothers or early Chicago.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

Euh I use 2 fingers, 3 fingers, a mix of thumb and fingers, pick, e-bow, slap sometimes ( very rare as I'm not good at it )

 

[pravus]

I use picks, two fingers, three fingers, tapping, chords... my thumb. If I can use it to make noise, it's game. For the most part the genre dictates a lot of my play mechanics so it just depends on what I'm playing at the time.

 

[Nev375]

Both at the same time

 

[pacojas]

i use two picks,... one for my nose. the other for my butt!

 

[ZenG]

Shortscales.

95% fingers.

 

[Cowboy in Latvia]

I play a variety of basses (4 string, 5 string, fretless, fretted, 34"-35" scale lengths).

I keep meaning to get around to learning pick but time is not on my side for now so it's all fingers for me.

 

[Bobthedog]

I play a variety of basses (4 string, 5 string, fretted, 34"-35" scale lengths).

I keep meaning to get around to learning pick but time is not on my side for now so it's all fingers for me.

This for me.

 

[Jbassrockboy]

Started out on fingers and then had a stint with picks on flat wounds

I like a pick sound

Just recently went back to fingers on round wounds ...

 

[two fingers]

I voted "50/50" simply because I play however the song needs to be played. If banging the strings with the back of my right wrist cops the sound of the recording then I'm all in.

Also, I bet there are quite a few mostly slappers and tappers here that you may want to include in your list.....unless you let those styles fall under fingers.

As for gear, my #1 right now is a 5 string P bass, but my tastes change with the wind.

 

[awfulguitarnois]

Both at the same time

I've wondered about this technique. On guitar, I primarily play hybrid or thumb pick. I'm curious about how you approach it. Do you dedicate the pick to the thicker strings, and then your middle and ring to the lower? Do/did you find it difficult to balance the attack? I've been wanting to try this on bass, as I currently play 90% fingers currently. Sorry for all the questions.

 

[shawshank72]

P Bass w/ Flats.
Always with a pick.

 

[Mather]

Ive always been a finger player, which is shocking because I staryed off playing a lot of punk/metal music. It definitely got me up to speed and familiar with the three finger technique!

 

[Nev375]

I've wondered about this technique. On guitar, I primarily play hybrid or thumb pick. I'm curious about how you approach it. Do you dedicate the pick to the thicker strings, and then your middle and ring to the lower? Do/did you find it difficult to balance the attack? I've been wanting to try this on bass, as I currently play 90% fingers currently. Sorry for all the questions.

I use my fingernails so the attack is pretty even with my thumbpick.

Im equally comfortable using fingers and thumbs on the same string or spread across all of them. It took a lot of practice to get there and get consistent though.

 

[nzscott]

I was 100% pick for the first two years of playing the bass , I guess it was a legacy from my guitar playing ,now some 30+ years down the road I'm almost 100% finger-style . I use my thumb ,index and middle fingers and im now slowly incorporating my ring finger into the mix . I play a fender American deluxe Jazz 4 string .

 

[Az_Rocker76]

A pick most times. Used to just use fingers, now I use fingers when mainly practicing. The bass is an epiphone thunderbird with DR Hi-Beam standard gauge strings.

 

[jmverdugo]

I would say 70% fingers and 30% pick. Working my way to 50/50 but I still need to practice more with a pick.

 

[hondo4life]

P and fretless J. 50/50.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I play a bunch of different basses a bunch of different ways.