Pick or Fingers?

Which do you prefer? I prefer fingerstyle, out of habit I guess, but I fool around with a pick sometimes too. I know a lot of people here use a pick, and probably take a lot of s*** for it, because of all the prejudice against pick bassists

Fingums, although I have mucho respect and love for pick flickers.

Began, and spent a year or two as a pick bassist.
Gave all my picks to my guitarist, to not give back until I was competent at fingerstyle.
Now I do both, along with any other style I can.

ya what they all said...fingers picks, one or the other.

in another thread we discussed the differences, and I'll briefly say it here:

why use one pick with alrernating strokes when you have 4 built in picks ( nails ), that depending on how long you grow them, are a GREAT substitute to anyone who sweats and has to grip on a nylon pick. With nails they never slip, stay in the same position you want them to, and sound just like a pick in most applications.....

I hit the strings pretty much not at all with my fingernails, except when strumming chords.

Fingers. Always. Even when playing guitar.

I like to experiment with using picks on guitar because it really does sound and feel right to me, but when I play acoustic, always fingers. Sounds so much better...get that flamenco jam happening!

when i first started bass i played with a pick for about 10 months and than i saw this video. it made me want to gallup with my fingers really fast instead of alternate picking. i was like waaat


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS7NXRQXem4&feature=channel_page

my band has a guitar player already.

ha!

i go to gigs and chek out other bassists and just shrill when they pull out that chunk of plastic and go "chunk,chunk, chunk" thru the whole set. not that they are bad bassists ... just ... ew.

pick players that do sound good are the ones i always see playing thos 8x10 ampeg rigs with a fender p that comes out all tone. eliminiates that harsh edge. i've played thru one of thos rigs for a gig and was extremely dissapointed that i couldnt get any "string" sound out of it ... just all tone.

i just look at it this way.

#1 i just dont like the sound so i dont do it. i've messed around with it but ... eh ... i got fingers (although they dont really fing. ).

#2 with a pick, i can think of 2 ... maybe 3 sounds tops i could get. with my fingers i could probably get 7 or 8. pop, slap, changing finger angle, changing attack, fingernail scrape, etc, etc ....

i notice that at this point, 0% said they use a pick. i know i really liked you guys for more than one reason.

Picks seem to be used in speed metal a lot. I personally don't think I could play 16th notes all night long at a 160 tempo using my fingers. My hand would fall off! I suppose I'm just getting old. I don't play that style of music but if I did I would have to use a pick.

Mo Beach wrote:

Picks seem to be used in speed metal a lot. I personally don't think I could play 16th notes all night long at a 160 tempo using my fingers. My hand would fall off! I suppose I'm just getting old. I don't play that style of music but if I did I would have to use a pick.

Thats exactly the stuff I try to build my finger speed up for, and play slow rock etc with a pick.

Darkstrike wrote:

Mo Beach wrote:

Picks seem to be used in speed metal a lot. I personally don't think I could play 16th notes all night long at a 160 tempo using my fingers. My hand would fall off! I suppose I'm just getting old. I don't play that style of music but if I did I would have to use a pick.

Thats exactly the stuff I try to build my finger speed up for, and play slow rock etc with a pick.

I can do it, but not for a whole set. One fast song here and there is what I can handle.

I mean, you have got to try Bad Reputation at least once with a pick to see what's up, you know?

Mo Beach wrote:

Darkstrike wrote:

Mo Beach wrote:

Picks seem to be used in speed metal a lot. I personally don't think I could play 16th notes all night long at a 160 tempo using my fingers. My hand would fall off! I suppose I'm just getting old. I don't play that style of music but if I did I would have to use a pick.

Thats exactly the stuff I try to build my finger speed up for, and play slow rock etc with a pick.

I can do it, but not for a whole set. One fast song here and there is what I can handle.

Eventually, thats what I'd love to build up to.

I'm not sure how long I can last. Once I'm in a groove, I stop thinking about how I'm picking and try ti let it flow.

Darkstrike wrote:

Mo Beach wrote:

Darkstrike wrote:

Mo Beach wrote:

Picks seem to be used in speed metal a lot. I personally don't think I could play 16th notes all night long at a 160 tempo using my fingers. My hand would fall off! I suppose I'm just getting old. I don't play that style of music but if I did I would have to use a pick.

Thats exactly the stuff I try to build my finger speed up for, and play slow rock etc with a pick.

I can do it, but not for a whole set. One fast song here and there is what I can handle.

Eventually, thats what I'd love to build up to.

I'm 46, my endurance isn't what it used to be. I'm fast, not Storm Troopers Of Death fast though.

Chowderboots wrote:

I mean, you have got to try Bad Reputation at least once with a pick to see what's up, you know?

another song with Bad Reputation as the title huh....lol

I have 2 online now one by ThinLizzy, and one by YngwieMalmsteen.

for me., its all fingers...but theres some guys who have made picks work very well for them..Phil Lynott
always sounded cool...Martin Turner from Wishbone Ash...Chris Squire of Yes...at the end of the day its all about what you play...do what you gotta do to get there! ever see Tony Levin with those drumstick-finger things??

Yeah! Tony Levin is amazing! And didn't he actually invent those finger drumsticks?

John, you are in a unique position being an international performer. Have you met any of those guys you mentioned?

Come to think of it, who are your big heroes, and have you met them?

I got to brush shoulders Alan White at our theatre...kinda sad how bad his playing was that night, but a super guy. Closest I've gotten to meeting Christ Squire, but Alan is in his own way a hero of mine, I guess you could say.