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Post subject: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 1:22 pm
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..or both?

For those who think you shouldn't be playing electric bass with a pick, I toss this list in your general direction ....

PRIMARILY PICK PLAYERS

Joe Osborn (studio)
Carol Kaye (studio)
Steve Swallow (jazz)
T-Bone Wolk (Hall & Oates, studio)
Paul McCartney (Beatles & Wings)
Peter Cetera (Chicago)
Dave Hungate (Toto, studio)
Paul Goddard (Atlantic Rhythm Section)
Bobby Vega (Sly Stone, studios)

Roger Waters (Pink Floyd)
Bob Bogle (The Ventures)
Jet Harris (The Shadows)
Sting (The Police)
Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones)
Chris Squire (Yes)
Allen Woody and Berry Oakley (Allman Brothers Band)
Graham Gouldman (10cc)
Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix Experience)
Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead)
Chris White (The Zombies)
Roger Glover (Deep Purple)
Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple)
James Dewar (Robin Trower)
Gerry McAvoy (Rory Gallagher)
Randy Jo Hobbs (Johnny Winter)
Bill Black on electric
Cliff Williams (AC-DC)
Chas Chandler (Animals)
Paul Samwell-Smith (Yardbirds)
John Lodge (The Moody Blues)
Jerry Peek (The Steve Morse Band)
Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick)
Jared Reynolds (Ben Folds)
Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash)
Mike Rutherford (Genesis)
Greg Lake (ELP)
Mike Dirnt (Green Day)
Rinus Gerritsen (Golden Earring)
Mel Schacher (Grand Funk)
Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads)
Mike Mills (REM)
Leon Wilkeson (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Dougie Thomson (SuperTramp)
Kim Deal (The Pixies)
Duff McKagan (Guns ’n’ Roses, Velvet Revolver)

PLAYED WITH BOTH PICK AND FINGERS

John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
Anthony Jackson (studio, jazz)
Tommy Cogbill (studio)
Rick Danko (The Band)
Tommy Shannon (Stevie Ray Vaughan)
Dave Pegg (Fairport Convention)
John Entwistle (The Who)
Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers & Derek Trucks)
Lamar Williams (Allman Brothers)
Michael Anthony (Van Halen)
John McVie (Fleetwood Mac)
Tony Levin (occasionally)

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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 1:44 pm
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Location: Linningrad
I play both, but am primarily a 'hook' player like Geddy Lee. Love using thumb and fingers.

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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 3:13 pm
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Location: North of Pittsburgh
93% of the time, fingers. 7% pick.


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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 5:00 pm
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Location: Albemarle, NC
YES! Please!

I played with picks at least 50/50 years ago. Preferred the Fender heavy tortoise triangle picks. Went so long without them that I just can't play bass as well with a pick as with my index and middle finger.

Same with my ukuleles. I tried the felt picks and still prefer fingers. If playing a flattop or electric Spanish I almost always use a pick but I just strum them. I'm a pretty sucky guitarist which is why I specialized in bass.

Don't have a problem with people playing bass with a pick, but it just ain't my bag.


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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 5:31 pm
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Location: In this country town, where the laughter sounds...
Fingers only. I tried picks early on, and didn't care for them.

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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 10:32 pm
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I can't play with a pick. Besides pickers are not very sucessfull in music.

I used to use Sharkfin picks back in the big hair Aldo Nova Cars Rainbow days.

WOW what a good name for a band : "Rainbow Daze"


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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 11:54 pm
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I used to think the fingerstyle guys had the best tone..until I heard some of Sir Paul McCartney's isolated bass tracks. I think the engineer was more responsible for his sound..because Paul got that tone no matter what bass he played.


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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 4:59 am
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It doesn't hurt that Sir Paul is an excellent bass player either. He used a wide range of strings also.

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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 9:05 am
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It depends on the type of music I'm playing and what kind of sound I'm after. If it's country, blues, roots, easy rock and some classic rock I'll play finger style for a duller sounding tone. Up until recently I played finger pretty much exclusively but with the young bucks I'm playing with lately and their high gain tones I find I have to use a plectrum to distinguish myself and cut through the mix.

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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 8:13 pm
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Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:37 pm
Posts: 278
Location: Delray Beach, FL
Miami Mike wrote:
..or both?

For those who think you shouldn't be playing electric bass with a pick, I toss this list in your general direction ....

PRIMARILY PICK PLAYERS

Joe Osborn (studio)
Carol Kaye (studio)
Steve Swallow (jazz)
T-Bone Wolk (Hall & Oates, studio)
Paul McCartney (Beatles & Wings)
Peter Cetera (Chicago)
Dave Hungate (Toto, studio)
Paul Goddard (Atlantic Rhythm Section)
Bobby Vega (Sly Stone, studios)

Roger Waters (Pink Floyd)
Bob Bogle (The Ventures)
Jet Harris (The Shadows)
Sting (The Police)
Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones)
Chris Squire (Yes)
Allen Woody and Berry Oakley (Allman Brothers Band)
Graham Gouldman (10cc)
Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix Experience)
Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy)
Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead)
Chris White (The Zombies)
Roger Glover (Deep Purple)
Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple)
James Dewar (Robin Trower)
Gerry McAvoy (Rory Gallagher)
Randy Jo Hobbs (Johnny Winter)
Bill Black on electric
Cliff Williams (AC-DC)
Chas Chandler (Animals)
Paul Samwell-Smith (Yardbirds)
John Lodge (The Moody Blues)
Jerry Peek (The Steve Morse Band)
Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick)
Jared Reynolds (Ben Folds)
Martin Turner (Wishbone Ash)
Mike Rutherford (Genesis)
Greg Lake (ELP)
Mike Dirnt (Green Day)
Rinus Gerritsen (Golden Earring)
Mel Schacher (Grand Funk)
Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads)
Mike Mills (REM)
Leon Wilkeson (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Dougie Thomson (SuperTramp)
Kim Deal (The Pixies)
Duff McKagan (Guns ’n’ Roses, Velvet Revolver)

PLAYED WITH BOTH PICK AND FINGERS

John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
Anthony Jackson (studio, jazz)
Tommy Cogbill (studio)
Rick Danko (The Band)
Tommy Shannon (Stevie Ray Vaughan)
Dave Pegg (Fairport Convention)
John Entwistle (The Who)
Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers & Derek Trucks)
Lamar Williams (Allman Brothers)
Michael Anthony (Van Halen)
John McVie (Fleetwood Mac)
Tony Levin (occasionally)



You forgot one of the best pick players out there.......

4 Time Grammy Nominated Bass Player - Andy West (Dixie Dregs)

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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 8:17 pm
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Location: In this country town, where the laughter sounds...
Not everything he played was his Hofner.

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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Thu May 02, 2013 8:19 pm
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I use my fingers & thumb most of the time ......... I seldom use a pick ....but that being said, back in the '80's & '90's I used to play with a pick about 50% of the time ( the tunes in the band I played in called for it.)


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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 1:16 am
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Both.


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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 10:32 am
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Location: SW Florida
I tried a pick back in the 60s, didn't like it. Started playing with my thumb and then moved to fingers. I really don't remember when I made that change, only that it was a very long time ago, maybe still in the 60s.

I recently tried a pick again. With a bit of arthritis I have gotten a bit slower. Sometimes I have to intentionally simplify a riff. I hoped a pick would help me with that, but I didn't like the sound and didn't give myself enough time to work that out and become proficient.

I may try again someday, till then, fingers.

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Post subject: Re: Bass players - pick or fingers?
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 3:11 pm
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Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2012 10:11 am
Posts: 195
stroker vance wrote:
I can't play with a pick. Besides pickers are not very sucessfull in music.

I used to use Sharkfin picks back in the big hair Aldo Nova Cars Rainbow days.

WOW what a good name for a band : "Rainbow Daze"
[quote="stroker vance"]

Pickers arent very succesful i guess you missed the huge list of succesful "pickers" at the top
Roger Waters:money and banged tons of girls


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