How to Play Bass with a PICK (Noob to Bad-Ass)

[@unclepumpkin4171]

Graham Maby!(Best known as Joe Jackson‘s Bass Player!) Killer pick playing on the first two records!

[@ckindaman]

From Germany: Helmut Hattler. Not only did he inspire me to pick up my bass after many inactive years, he also changed my perspective on playing with a pick.

[@adrianch2527]

Defunct argument... Absolutely correct. Different methods for different music. Just like coffee or tea, both for me. Cheers SBL! Bass The World.

[@adrianotocabaixo]

My Top 3 Pick Players: 1 - Matt Freeman from Rancid 2 - Fat Mike from Nofx 3 - Chris #2 from Anti-Flag

[@artoideone]

Fat mike bass lines are super tricky

[@channtastic]

Fat Mike is the truth on the bass.

[@jenskampmann8791]

Never heard Hellmut Hattler?

[@sebg2086]

@@channtastic lol

[@Bigscott4130]

I was pick player from day one for over 20 years. A total Jason Newsted, play with a pick, down pick everything clone... Then there was Lemmy, Dave Ellefson and dUg Pinnick. Then the deep dives and discovering Chris Squire and Bobby Vega. I'm much more rounded now and play finger style close to half the time now.

[@SO-ym3zs]

I'll add a few that I don't think you guys mentioned: * Mike Mills of R.E.M., the McCartney of alt rock. His lines are not complex or flashy, but they're a perfect blend of propulsiveness and melody and serve the songs, which is way more important. * Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees. Great lines on some of the most popular songs ever. * Andy Rourke of the Smiths. Bouncy, disco-influenced lines that are the secret sauce to their songs, serving as the perfect contrast to Marr's jangly guitar lines.

[@andywoodmusic]

Thanks for the shout out guys! 🍻

[@deanweld]

Carlos D from Interpol is a very under appreciated pick player. Such melodic lines that really use the full range of the bass, from super high notes down to a low drop D. The first few Interpol albums all have great bass.

[@99FXR]

I was a finger purist for a long time. It was basically sacrilege to use a pick. I wish I wasn’t so close minded when I was a youngster starting out. I make a point to practice with a pick daily

[@ruffryder13]

After playing bass fingerstyle for a couple of decades i messed up my right hand and thought i had to switch to guitar since i can only play with a pick. Then, 6 months ago i decided to start with bass again and a pick. Part of it was you guys talking about pick playing! So thanks!!!! So 100% pick only!!! :)

[@RubyDimasStudio]

i always forget to use a pick,, but it is another great way to change balance of a song

[@NotThatOneThisOne]

My favourite pick player is Dave Pegg from Fairport and a long session with Tull. The speed and precision of his jig lines is ridiculous.

[@markdaniels7174]

Chris Squire for sure. I’ve been a finger player for 35 years, but I want to learn pick. I want to play “Roundabout” on my new Rick!

[@mediapcaccount1154]

I've been a guitar player for 25 years and picked up the bass for the first time a month ago. I am a very confident pick player as a result, still learning fingerstyle. I use a thick, big pick and baby I rock the eff out

[@aprilkurtz1589]

I was strictly a pick player for 30 years, then I got ill, had to re-teach myself to play and gradually switched over to finger stylee. Now I have a hard time playing with a pick again! Argh! Thanks guys!

[@sebg2086]

really happy you let the pick go....smart man

[@aprilkurtz1589]

@@sebg2086 I'm working to be proficient at both.

[@robertmansell3667]

I am the exact reverse,I was recently diagnosed with early onset Parkinsons lost dexterity in my right fingers and have had to move to the pick,good luck man

[@aprilkurtz1589]

@@robertmansell3667 I have MS. I had a flare up, and lost some ability to feel things in my left hand, and my left side is a little weak. That's why I had to re-learn how to play bass. I don't know if that's why I went finger style. But I really do have to up my pick game again.

[@wiltd001]

Number one for me is definitely Tyrone Porter, Doobie Brother's. You can really hear the notes he played, they were very tight punchy and precise. Leon Wilkinson of Lynyrd Skynyrd period until recently I always thought He played with fingers until I see some old video period it shows you how versatile a pic is because with the right setting it actually sounds like fingers . Last but not at least, Paul McCartney.

[@wiltd001]

One more thing about pick players . I believe the pick cuts through the mix better in offers a clean sound and you can hear the attack on the string . New strings can be too bright. For myself I like old dead round wounds when using a pic.

[@M.Holland]

My first stringed instrument was the guitar, so I learned to play with a pick from the ground up. When I switched to Bass, I had to learn fingerstyle. Did it all the years through out music college in every genre I had to play. Jazz, Roc, Pop… what ever. But when I joined my last metal band, I started to play with the pick again. After a few weeks of getting used to it again, it felt so natural. Almost more as fingerstyle. This gave me such a reputation that the Bassplayer of a very very known Punk Band here in Germany called me to give her lessons on how to play with a Pick. So yeah, I’m not Bobby Vega, but would consider myself as a 8/10 in Pickplaying. :D

[@johnladd8421]

i have a similar story. there were no bass players in the 80’s around my friends. it was guitar or drums. i picked it up after guitar so i started playing chords on bass and strumming.

[@5Bird5]

It's actually the angle of attack across the strings that changes the sound. Scott's thumb movement alters the angle of attack. I also use the rounded edge of picks, not the point. Took the idea from jazz guitarists who often use stubby picks. Country guitar pickers angle across the stings (scrape) to facilitate faster picking.

[@garrisonr1890]

Since I’m not seeing him mentioned, Mark Stoermer of the killers has incredible pick tone and some awesome melodic lines. “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine” and “Spaceman” come to mind. And since I’m mentioning him, his solo album Dark Arts was a very under the radar gem from 2016. Such a cool artist!

[@5Bird5]

Evesham, Worcestershire! I was always a pick player and moved to mainly fingerstyle but a pick has it's place, without doubt. One huge benefit is when palm muting - tight, punch, clarity. Yes I agree, Bobby Vega, Carol Kaye and of course, Sir McCartney

[@kkcdad]

From BC Canada. Love watching u guys. Winning a lifetime membership would be epic. I play with both. You are so right Scott. You can get sounds from use of both to expand your playing. Keep kicking ass and playing bass.

[@The_Metal_Mechanic]

I have never really played much with a pick and have mostly played with my fingers. When I was first starting, it was the early-mid 2000s, which was when I first started hearing the "real bassists use their fingers" argument. Back then, and maybe still today, many new bands started by friends in middle and high school were mostly composed of guitarists. A few friends would get together, try and find a drummer, and then there would be no bassist so they put the bad guitarist on bass. You could always tell which bands put the bad guitarist on bass, because he would still be using a pick, so that became the argument for "real bassists use their fingers." Doesn't work now, and didn't really work then, but since then it has become a bit too overblown without the context to explain it.

[@georgecraig8519]

I was taught to play bass in the 80s by a guitar playerstarted with a pick, played loads of Indie through the 90s, biggest influence was Paul Clifford from the wonder stuff. I was in a Beatles tribute show for quite a few years, used soft pick for a thud. Yellow Tortex for a bright sound 0.6 Jim Dunlop nylon for soft

[@deanweld]

I was initially a converted guitarist who only used a pick. Got back into bass later in life and spent a few years in the shed learning fingerstyle and slap. How many instruments have three completely different techniques to play them??? That’s what makes bass so hard if you really want to be versatile. But it’s so worth it to experience the full range of what the instrument can do. Similar to rounds and flats, it really feels like missing out on part of the bass experience to only do one and not the other.

[@thomascordery7951]

I really like Scott's thumb move. To change from a scratchy attack to a straight attack with such a small move must open artistic possibilities, just from note to note, in much the way that going between staccato and legato does.

[@ianharris2207]

Jean Jaques Burnel 😊

[@SO-ym3zs]

A few more: T-Bone Wolk with Hall & Oates: perfect lines for their blend of soul, pop, and rock. Gene Simmons of Kiss: an easy band to dump on, but a lot of his lines are actually really cool, and he inspired countless kids to pick up the bass Simon Gallup of the Cure: his lines are right up front and an integral, defining part of their sound for decades.

[@McGuyveracity]

I have only been playing bass for 11 months and I am about a 0.5 to 1 with a pick. I feel much more comfortable playing finger style. But I see this as a necessity to learn to play with a pick, since some songs can't really be played any other way, so I'm going to bite the bullet and learn. But it feels hard right now. I hope it gets easier and more natural feeling as I practice more.

[@WolfAbarth]

Metallica are an interesting case, the early songs have been been played with fingers to start with (Cliff), then played with a pick(Jason) and now back to fingers(Rob). That could be an interesting video to make showing the different styles.

[@timhutchinson8485]

Side note, that Green-Gold BB bass is gorgeous.

[@LaDeAlPakino]

Finally!! There are lots of great bassist,but boy Have I ever been pestering on the comments for a video about Carles Benavent... and he at last got a mention ! One would hope for a video now ^^ Not a big fan of the pick, but just coz I play more with the fingers, there are amazing things that sound objectively better than fingered. And stuff that's unique to it Salu2

[@GreenhorseRecords]

Scott over the hills in Clitheroe and started as pick player playing upstrokes like my heroes- Les Pattinson Bunnymen, and other 80s players who all seemed to play upstrokes- then played up and down. Then went to fingers for years and prefer it but now in Echoes of the Bunnymen tribute and back to pick but all downstrokes- for a badass bassline check Crocodiles by Echo and the Bunnymen- 16note juggernaut

[@SO-ym3zs]

I love playing with a pick. Between the choice of pick itself and your technique, you can get a really big range of tones. And if you want to sound authentic in certain genres where it's used extensively (hard rock, metal, punk, hardcore, post-punk, Goth, New Wave, alternative/college rock, etc.), it's definitely worth trying.

[@bobsee679]

Picks are a science. I like the Jazz III plus size and feel. The red is great for most things, but they have a harder translucent yellow material that results in a brighter, more biting tone. I can't count the number of picks I've tried over most of 50 years playing. I really like the thicker pick with some grip and that it's available in a couple materials that provide different tones. Haven't seen anyone mention JPJ among great pick players. Maybe not the best ever, but he has a video interview floating around and he does some cool things with striking two strings at once that create some depth.

[@vorpalblades]

That material is called Ultem.

[@GingerBass]

My pick of choice currently is the dunlop max grip nylon .73m. Been playing 19.5 years and using picks and fingers both. I got hooked on nylon picks since nearly the begining. I used 1 mil for along time but now prefer more flex

[@fretworks9692]

I was a fingerstyle player for decades, but I've always loved to dabble with a pick, which is what I started with. Now I spend almost all my time working with a pick because I want to play like Steve Swallow when I grow up. I grip in a similar fashion to Cody Wright these days, and use Chicken Picks most of the time.

[@gadeadhead816]

Phil Lesh (RIP) played exclusively with a pick. By far, he is my favorite pick player. I would love to see some Phil content on SBL YT. 🙏🏻

[@devinebass]

Danny Mo hosted a seminar on Phi Lesh tonight over in the academy! Maybe we'll dive into him on the channel too sometime...!

[@thomascordery7951]

That scratchy pick sound that Ian opened this with is especially great when there's no drummer.

[@simondonadel9870]

Phil Lynott Fantastic solid picking style! For the record my main picks are thick felt ones. I soak the ends in pva glue to harden them up a bit but they’re at their best when they’re worn in a bit.

[@stagnance]

One of the funnier comments I've heard regarding using a pick vs fingers came from a gear run down for Ben Sheppard from Soundgarden. Where he says neither matters, it's just whatever the song calls for. Then he proceeded to say he'd play with his elbows if it was needed 😂

[@thebassrogue]

I love blending playing pick and fingers

[@crigs71]

Anthony Jackson, Chris Squire and David Ellison. I started with a pick and played that way for a few years, then I switched. It’s a useful tool in certain situations for sure.

[@YoungDoug13]

Sergio from Quicksand and Deftones. Dudes a beast and exclusively uses a pick.

[@DudleyCreekStudio]

Phil Lesh played with a titanium pick because titanium both initiates the note more quickly and it rings musically when dropped on a hard surface.

[@jenskampmann8791]

Helmut Hattler from Germany is a true pick legend. Leider noch nie bei SBL erwähnt worden 😢

[@Kcutthth]

I split my time between fingers and a pick. Honestly it depends on what the song calls for and will sound best for it.

[@1234drums]

Well picked bass is so underrated ❤

[@glaceonus]

My favorite bassist MISA, from Band-Maid, uses a pick and she is super fun to watch. She constantly position shifts throughout all of their songs and she plays a bunch of solos too.

[@5Bird5]

Dave Sparrow (The Photos, Satan's Rats). Simple but he could drive and was never lost in the mix. Even disco funked on There's Always Work.

[@urbanadventurer5]

Colorado USA. I am currently in a place in my lessons where I am still getting finger style ingrained. Having taken some guitar lessons previously, I am really looking forward to getting to place where I get to add in the pick lol. Thanks for another fun and useful video. For players, love Mike Kerr and Nate Mendel. Those dudes always impress me.

[@scottpitner4298]

Mr Mike Gordon has a love for the pick. A little DWD comes to mind

[@ErnestCarroll]

I do not like playing with a pick, but sometimes my fingers just can’t go fast enough or I run out of stamina. Some songs just require pick to sound right like Scott and Ian pointed out. Another example is like any GnR covers. That Duff sound is soooooo picky and great 😊

[@Cameron-qu8vz]

Stevie Wonder, "I Wish" My favorite bassist all around is Chris Squire.

[@vincebowling1778]

Ian! That opening is just straight up funk with a whole lotta soul!! 👍 My pick would have to be Chris Squire, and it’s a genre reason. All you named are fantastic, including Carol Kaye. You two guys are top notch too!! 💪

[@kushking420]

I'm a noob at bass, I always play with my fingers but I do like the sound from a pick as well. Geddy Lee has a finger picking style that kinda sound like using a pick at times, I mean that in a good way, love Geddy gritty sound

[@wrekintaichi6536]

Stuart Morrow - New Model Army, Lemmy. Greetings from Shropshire.

[@davebollon1306]

Nice video lads, thanks. I use a pick almost without exception. I’m playing rock covers now, but back in the day was doing indie/ alternative originals. Duff was (is) my jam. Tony Franklin is my new one. I’ve found that I’ll use downstrokes unless I have to alt pick for speed. But I’m pretty quick and can do fast slap sounding octaves with downstrokes. I’ve a fair bit of subtle right hand muting going on. Just like Scott explained it. P bass with a 1mm pick. With a bit of OD. Giving myself a 8:/10. Rocking the pubs of Leeds. (Edited from a 9/10, because I’m British and so that sort of thing is not for me to judge) Cheers, D

[@Tommy-fr5nm]

Fat Mike - NOFX Mike Dirnt - Green Day Matt Freeman - Rancid/Operation Ivy And of course..Bobby Vega!

[@sullyb23511]

Tiran Porter's recording with the Doobies. Also, Billy Sheehan has a signature pick, made by V-Picks. Think about that. There are times when HE has to use a pick. Ditto with Stu Hamm.

[@MoreSoNowThanEver]

Sucks you can’t bring him up because of what happened but Dave Ellefson was one of my heroes when I was learning to play. When I was real into it I could play Rust In Peace damn near from start to finish. Then you run into CRAZY hard songs like My Last Words or Bad Omen. I could never get through those. The dude was THE MAN!

[@5Bird5]

And don't forget Bernard's chucking. Essentially quick change pick playing.

[@davandbre]

I play with fingers, but tried playing ELO’s Kelly Groucut’s “last train to London” with a pick, incredibly difficult!! I never mastered it.

[@Vykk_Draygo]

I like Dunlop Ultex 2mm. Though the Dunlop Flow 2mm is pretty good too. I use 2mm because anything thinner is flexible (which is terrible for tremolo picking). As for drag, thicker picks actually tend to drag less (probably dependent on material too), but you might need more authoritative picking. Push through the string, rather than let the pick flex past the string. I have a 6mm Gravity pick that I just can't use, because it glides over the strings and doesn't bite at all.

[@gerrydawson149]

Guys I’ve played bass finger style for 50 years, now I’m doing more recording, I’m trying to get fluid in playing with a pick!

[@jazzman0173]

Criss Squier used his thumb and pick kind of hitting strings with both at the same time !

[@angelpons2470]

Chris Squier ! He did had a very unique way of holding the pick ! He had his own technique and sound ! He’ll touch the strings with the pick but also with part of his finger

[@eralar2]

That's great, I'm learning and was just struggling on my pick grip... nice timing to fall on this video just now!

[@randomdigression4455]

A fat thick pick for soft stuff with dynamics, and a soft flimsy pick for thrashing hard on the strings, your setup will appreciate it.

[@DudleyCreekStudio]

I've been using a pick for 40 years in Big Sky Montana USA at Dudley Creek Studio

[@shawnhuff3920]

I play with a pick i like Jason newsted and lemmy and carol kay and Kathy valentine they are the reason i play with a pick 😊

[@RyanWright]

I don't use one all the time, but I am also perfectly comfortable using one when I need to. fingerstyle and pick I am probably at an even level of comfort. Slap is where my skill/ comfort level is lacking. I like to use 3.0 mm picks from Chicken Picks (Bermuda)

[@LeeScott78bassist]

Started off with pick thn picked up on playing with fingers but slowly going back to playing with pick again for same reason ‼️💯👍🏼from Tennessee

[@rosenfeld68]

Great class lads, from Dijon France

[@WolfAbarth]

Green (.88) Tortex triangles are my go to pick.

[@rebllion9866]

Orange and red .

[@sherlock4791]

I kinda suck at using pick but i love the sound I kinda replace it with double thumb now, and im quite satisfied of it, like for locked out of heaven for example, it sounds pretty good with double thumb with foam mute And for metal and rock stuff, i feel like double thumb gives out more energy

[@Dragonslayor226]

If I had to pick my top 3 pick players I’d probably have to go (in no order) Justin Chancellor, Peter Hook and either Simon Gallop or Peter Steele. Personally I play pretty much exclusively with a pick and even when I do occasionally play with my fingers I almost always keep holding the pick and just turn my hand to use my middle and ring fingers to pluck.

[@donlogan6697]

Jason Newstead, hello from North London.

[@MarcioBaron]

Espessura da Pick é uma que escolha que demora muitos anos até se chegar numa medida que agrada. Hoje uso a tortex .73 e é perfeita pra mim. Tem baixistas que usam .60!! E outros a 2.00 .Compre vários tamanhos e teste o máximo possível.

[@channtastic]

I’m not a bassist but my favorite bassist who plays with a pick is Fat Mike from NOFX.

[@piscesman54]

The bass picking pioneer was definitely Paul McCartney. He came from guitar world and applied all his melodic creativity to the bass, and he was a big fan of Motown, so he adapted Motown style to playing with a pic, and knocked it out of the park. Stuff like Taxman, The Word, Come Together, Savoy Truffle, And Your Bird Can Sing, Dr. Robert. Genius. When he switched from the Hofner to the Ric, his sound got a lot punchier, especially with those flatwounds.

[@suadiggitti]

I was told once that sometimes you can tell someone was or is a guitar player if they played bass with a pick. What cuz me to always play with my fingers to stay away from the stereo type..lol. I play guitar and may start incorporating the pick. Thanks guys.

[@chadholladay6228]

Eric Avery, Jane’s Addiction

[@johnbmills]

Nick Lowe used a thumb pick playing on John Haitt’s ‘bring the family’ Ry Cooder loved his playing because he was just behind the beat.

[@cultofbass]

Dug pinnick...Mike Inez...Danny Sapko😊 Im a finger player of 39 years, but ive been dabbling with a pi k the last year or so, id put my rating at maybe a 5 outta 10. Working on tightening it up just like yall said for different sounds and to be honest its kinda fun...thanks guys enjoy yalls vids for sure.

[@chrisshaw8287]

New Model Army Stuart Morrow best pick player ever, check out there albums. Vengeance is there first. No rest second. album amazing bass playing and that tone is amazing, Westone Thunder Jet and a Trace Elliot i believe. I dare you to attempt playing Running in the rain off the Vengeance album. Challenge set

[@pim2paul]

dude was nasty af

[@DruEllz]

Both great albums but I prefer Cain and Thunder, the 2 with Moose on bass.

[@chrisshaw8287]

@@DruEllz Moose is a great bass man i agree but Stuart Morrow for me is the man

[@lucagrop]

1 - Duff McKagan 2 - Mike Starr 3 - Mike Dirnt

[@DruEllz]

I read an article/interview (can't remember which) about the recording of Rio. JT used a pick for the verses because, being still relatively new to bass, he couldn't get the syncopation right with finger style.

[@gregpepper6053]

Phil Lesh, RIP was always a pick player! One of the best!

[@devinebass]

💯💯💯

[@Hopefulfodder]

Imagine every bass out there and someone taking away a different unique tone from each one. That's what happens if you don't get some skill with a pick, you just limit all the fun possibilities in your playing. Favorite pick player are Justin Chancellor, Kim Deal, and Shavo Odadjian.

[@FrontPorchTheatre]

Minnesota baby!

[@brankodjinic8626]

Shout out from Serbia.

[@amsknirb]

Mike Dirnt from Green Day, Lou Barlow from Dinosaur Jr. and Joey Howard touring bassist for Paramore are my top 3 pick players. Funnily enough, they are also some of my all time favorite bass players, period.

[@devinebass]

Great choices!!!

[@amsknirb]

@@devinebass I would LOVE an episode about Lou Barlow's very interesting style of playing. But I do understand that would be difficult, since he isn't too widely known. I'll keep my fingers crossed though :)

[@lorenzo9468]

Hello From Miami, Florida!

[@MrRepensteeltje1]

One of the top bass players who plays with a pick is a Dutch bassist: Herman Deinum

[@fullofsmell]

I only started playing pick after 7 years of being the pick sucks guy 😅. Now it’s all I do, as long as I’m not slapping or tapping! It’s just a much better fit for the brand of hardcore I’m now playing.

[@EJROCKER1]

I love I wish. Paul McCartney, Phil Lesh, Greg Lake and Jack Bruce are all great pick players. And their choice of picks is interesting.

[@monkswhiskers3354]

Andy Rourke barely gets a mention on most of these bass channels. Razor sharp pick player who wrote some of the great iconic indie bass lines and all in his early 20s.

[@andrelangenbach4202]

You mentioned way more pick player than I new. But in germany there is a well known player (at least for people in my age) called Helmut Hattler. Bands would be Kraan and Tab-Two. Link to a nice Krasn video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmfKZWirnbmZn6ssi=tNyIo9QTEbSQZ1Lh

[@mikeoneto9582]

Fingers v Pick? Well…it’s like asking a handyman what’s your favorite tool a saw or crescent wrench? Eh??? Right tool for the right job mate. Faves: Macca, Bobby Vega, Chris Squire…honorable mention…Chris Chaney… love is feel, recalled your interview with Chris , he had to bone up on this coming into the Jane’s gig

[@thoreaud5604]

Stevie Wonder I Wish ❤/ Berlin

[@JamieNelson1]

I use a pick because I practice unplugged and can't hear it if I use my fingers. Also I come from a guitar background and the pick just feels better