Bass player, do you use picks or no picks? If it depends on the song, what kinds of songs require picks?
by 
Coheed
ANSWERS: 23
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I can't tell you exactly what songs but i use no pick and my brother does
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depending on my mood (and if i can actually find my pick or not) i'll usually play with my pick. sometimes i'll practice with no pick though just to change it up a bit. i feel like they're 2 completely different play-styles for me.
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I almost never use a pick. Though every time I listen to Anthony Jackson play, I practice it for a little while. :)
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I don't use picks at all when I play the bass.
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I played Bass several years on the road with a band and I never used a pick.
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Totally Depends on the song. I just play it however the original bassist played. for example i play system of a down with a pick i play green day with a pick new metallica with a pick old metallica with my fingers
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I never use a pick when I play my bass. To me, its harder to play, and you just don't get that smooth bass sound when you use a pick. I would only use a pic if the song called for really fast bass riffs, because my fingers would get too tired, and I wouldn't be able to finish the song.
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I never use a pick. I like the sound of finger bassing. Although I know a lot of people who play exceptionally well with a pick, I prefer the funky dynamics of playing with just fingers and feeling the tension of the strings in the fingertips.
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I only use picks when I play Rush. I've found that most of the stuff I want to play sounds a little worse when I use a pick.
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no pick . i only use my index finger
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if youre playing bass you should be able to play anything with your bare hands first
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Usually, no pick. Sometimes, though, a pick adds a desireable crispness to the sound.
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If the band/song dictates it then I will use a pick but I cannot stand them! I don't use them on guitar either unless I am playing speed metal stuff. I find you can get much the same tone playing close to the bridge and also you can use the nail of your index finger like a pick (I think Larry Graham used to do this). But by and large I don't like them at all. Just another thing to get in the way!
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there is nothing wrong with either way. leo fender put a pick guard on the "first" electric bass' for a reason. not to say that it was only to be used with a pick by any means. both have their place. starting with a pick can be good for some people. to get a correct finger tech. can take time for some. starting with a pick can allow players to learn the fret board before exploring other styles. while on the other hand some people find it difficult to use a pick and are better off to start with a walking finger pick style. but in the long run, a musician should have both to use. no one is better than the other in terms of style, it all depends in term of tone and what style is best suited for the song.
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Pick mainly, sometimes by hand. But to quote Lemmy of Motörhead "I don't use effects pedals, I just turn it up and hit it very hard." For that you need a pick.
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Picking is normally not necessary, as fingers can do the job just as quickly and accurately. However, if you do pick its to get a different tone sound out of your bass, or if you have to play really fast and your not sure you can move your fingers the right way without getting tangled up, then picking normally helps in that way too.
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I never cared for the sound of a pick on a bass. Fingers for me.
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i used a pick, punk music is what i played
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I prefer no pickyou get a deeper sound with no pick.As for what kind of songs use a pick.It's mostly depends on the person who's playing the song.Although funk is mostly slap bass that's no pick.In my opinoin it's preference. Pick or no pick you decide.
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Always be ready to use both. A good bass player is one who does what he must to move the song along in the best way possible, and if that means using a pick do it. Usually punk, or detuned music sounds much better with a pick. But even some rock. For instance John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin used a pick on Immigrant Song because he said it sounded better(he used it on other songs, but this is just an example). John Entwhistle used a pick on certain songs, and Paul McCartney used picks for many of his songs. But if you prefer to always use a pick, there is nothing wrong with that, Chris Squire does so. If you only use your fingers fine. But just because one person does it, doesn't make it right or wrong. It's just a personal preference. If you are in a band and you detune quite a bit though, you need to use a pick to regain some of the "pop" in the bass. It pretty much comes down to HOW DO YOU WANT TO SOUND.
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Zero songs absoultey REQUIRE a pick, they just may sound more as the writer intended. Most of these are punk, funk, R&B, a little Jazz, some Rock, and Blues.
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No picks
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You already have the right idea based on your question. It definitely depends on the song or type of music. You have more tone control with your fingers. You have more speed and open up a few other rhythmic avenues when you use pick (notably, faster speeds). I play with fingers, but that's due to the music I mainly play, which requires a lot of dynamic feel and subtlety. If I was going to play punk I'd go with a pick, or speed metal (I'd have to unless I managed to get my speed up without using a pick, some players pull that off well). Some bass players are snobby about this subject, considering pick players to be somehow lesser. But we all know that popular music allows for many styles and techniques. Choosing whether to use a pick or not should be based on what you find more comfortable with your style, and the music you mainly play. Get proficient at both if you can.
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