Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.

Calling all bassist

lord henry strikes back

16:29 / 08.02.06

Right. I'm about to start playing bass with a band (first practice is on Sunday). I used to play bass a few years ago, so I'm not a total beginner. The thing is, I've always previously played with a pick (primarily due to learning the guitar before the bass) but now wondering if I shouldn't move in the direction of finger-picking. So, all you bassist out there, the pros and cons of the pick verses the fingers, if you please.

The band is a rock outfit with influence ranging from Guns and Roses to Muse, if that makes any difference.

Jack Fear

17:08 / 08.02.06

Depends on what effect you want, really. I would routinely switch between pick and fingers depending on the song. I can play just as fast with fingers as with a pick, but for me, the pick works better for fast, driving songs where you're pounding the root, or playing simple figures. It's a matter of tone, I think—the pick adds this extra metallic chank that just motors the thing forwards. See: the astonishing riffs that powers "Celebrate," by An Emotional Fish, or just about anything by the Pixies.

Fingers are better for the groove—soul, funk (duh), reggae, one-in-the-bar country or folk—or for more melodic, "singing" lines. Learn both techniques, apply as needed.

lord henry strikes back

18:28 / 08.02.06

I figured that that was pretty much the case. While we're here, I think I've got the pick side of things sorted, any tips on building up the finger-picking skills? Exercises, tunes, anything really.

Loomis

09:41 / 09.02.06

What Jack said. I've only ever used fingers because I prefer the sound, and it feels good as well. You feel more connected to the instrument when you're touching it with your fingers.

Another reason I've never used a pick is that I haven't played bass on the style of music that would require it. I probably wouldn't want to play bass in a rock band because you generally don't get to play as interesting stuff on the bass. And I confess that there's an element of snobbery involved. People tend to assume that someone chugging along with a pick in a rock band is doing it because they're not good enough to play guitar, whereas when they see you grooving along with your fingers they see you as a "real" bass player. That's my impression anyway - feel free to disagree ...

As for getting good with the fingers, just practise really. Try using all fingers even when you don't need to, to build up strength and coordination.

rizla mission

10:39 / 09.02.06

I think more bass players should favour mad, relentless downstroke strumming, like Lemmy. DUR-DUR DUR-DUR-DUR etc.

rizla mission

10:40 / 09.02.06

so a vote for 'pick' I guess.

Sniv

12:21 / 09.02.06

I play almost exclusively with my fingers, and I play in a fairly heavy rock band. I feel, as mentioned up-thread, much more monnected to the instrument this way, and feel I have much more control over what I'm doing. Although, funnily enough, I did want one at rehearsal last night for the same reasons given above - faster, more chuggy, sharper.

However, for balls-out rocking nothing beats your fingers running away with themselves (apart from the blisters when you start), the connection between mind, body and instrument. That, and I gets sweaty and drops my picks...

03:25 / 10.02.06

Pick all the way for me. I've been playing bass in loud/noisy/punk/rock bands for about five years, and I just can't imagine getting the effect I want without a pick. I generally don't really like the way fingerpicked bass sounds in loud rock music. It seems to lack presence and precision. (I'm listening to a Redd Kross song as I type this, and the bass, which sounds to be fingerpicked, just sounds wrong to me).

Obviously, it's a matter of personal preference, and you should go with whatever sounds right for you, but my advice (considering it's a hard rock kind of band) is to use a pick.

The Strobe

17:03 / 10.02.06

I saw Chapter XIII last weekend. They're basically a rock band, drawing on bits of metal, nu-metal, and that whole funk-rap-rock crossover nonsense that I blame the Chilli Pepperes for. They were also huge fun to watch.

Anyhow, their music is underpinned by absolutely thunderous bass, which is all fingered - no pick in sight. This is also because their bassist (who plays a six-string) loves huge, hammering, slapped runs, and gets a lot of intonation out of his instrument - but he also beats the hell out of it, and gets this amazing, raw, bottom, no pick. Works very well for him.

Char Aina

18:38 / 10.02.06

i use both, but i'd definitely suggest watching bands who sound like you want to and doing what they do.
hard rock can be done with either, but both are distinct sounds.
ding or doong, basically.
you wanna make a bassline that you'd sing ding ding ding or doong doong doong?

lekvar

20:04 / 10.02.06

Finger-picking all the way. I used to use a pick exclusively, but I've found that the variety of tones and techniques you can get when finger-picking outweighs the small amount of time it takes to get used to the new style of playing. Picks have a very limited dynamic range, and with enough practice you can easily achieve the same speed of playing that so many pickers prefer.

lord nuneaton savage

12:59 / 15.02.06

A good practice for finger style is learning to play Enwistle's bass solo on "My Generation". It took me bloody ages, but now, everytime I get a bass in my hands I do it just to show off. Impresses everybody.
Well, not everybody.

Professor Silly

22:07 / 16.02.06

Another vote in the finger column. I've always used the "picks are like condoms" analogy when talkin' shop with my pick-using friends. Even though I play in a loud space rock group, I have a lot of theater background--so I like to be able to control my volume and the attack of the note with the placement and strength of my fingers--I play over the pickups when I want attack, and over the fretboard when I want lagato. Of course, we blend a lot of jazz and surf into the rock...so flexibility serves me better.
...I should probably mention that I play fretless...and that I personally loath the tinny bass tone of guys like Patrick O'Hearn--I like things beefy and bottom-heavy. Like Donald "Duck" Dunn.

...but then there's plently of pick-using bass players that I respect: Eric A., David WM Simms., so it's all relative.

Add Your Reply