Fingers vs. Pick (Bass Guitar Comparison)

[@JMNTLRDRX]

A bassist must know how to use both techniques, but I prefer pick. It sounds so sharp and precise.

[@caseypayne5138]

Same here. I think you also get to hear more of the bass' overall tone and timbre with a pick, more sounds that contribute to the mids and help the bass stick out more in a mix

[@JMNTLRDRX]

@@caseypayne5138 I honestly love the rattling sound of the new strings being played with a pick. It sounds so metallic and rich.

[@el.pibedelrock]

Gay

[@richard_4stringmf178]

depends on song tbh

[@BBarNavi]

Heretic

[@Nerd.cachimbeiro]

damn.. the intro of the trooper with picks its hard as hell

[@iamgribs]

I find it easier than fingerstyle but i always play metal with a pick. That is what i am used to. but i can imagine why it gives fingerstyle players issues. One of the big reasons is string skipping. Very tricky with a pick.

[@lucaswallo8127]

@@iamgribs yeah

[@johncena4458]

I can do it with a pick and it’s not necessarily difficult, it’s just rather weird and i mess up bc im just not used to it. I go for 2 fingers for the intro and for most of the eight notes and whatever else is going on throughout the song, except for the main rhythm where i use 3.

[@anthonygingerich4378]

Bruh that’s how it’s sounds on the real song Steve Harris is just way more precise with his fingers and has a bigger tone

[@henriquesdj0]

I can only play this intro with a pick. With the fingers it's impossible for me lol

[@americanidyut7030]

The closest tone to Steve's was the first one and in my opinion the best. Yeah it has a clanky sound, but that's what makes it so unique. If you think of a horse's gallop, it's not going to sound perfectly consistent either and that's what the bass is mimicking on this song.

[@Alonzito23]

Massive props for playing this song with 2 fingers, I can barely manage with 3! Either way, all tones sound AMAZING, but of course in the context of the mix, 3 fingers sound best. It's all about context and personal preference for me, but I usually play with a pick seeing how I play punk-rocky stuff most of the time. Anyways, amazing video, I hope to see more stuff from you.

[@sludoku]

Thanks for the response. Yeah I kind of think the 3 finger and muted pick sound the best inside the mix myself. I think one of the reasons is that I cut out too much of the 200-700 frequency range in the other clips, and in the original mix the bass has a lot of low-mid presence. With muted pick and the softer attack of 3 fingers there's naturally less high frequencies so it fills out the low-mid space in the mix better. I'm intending to do something similar with Megadeth - Holy Wars next, the bass is mixed quite differently in that song, and is played with a pick, so it should be interesting to see how the two compare in a mix around a picked bass.

[@Alonzito23]

Best of luck man!

[@Nerd.cachimbeiro]

Steve harris plays with 2 fingers all the time

[@elpeluca7780]

That's because you haven't practice enough, it's really easy to do the galloping plucking with 2 fingers, for me it's even easier than 3 fingers

[@treeherder2201]

Steve Harris has said he never plays with 3. Just 2. He's said this many times.

[@oFabian]

As an average bassist I like to play with both fingers and pick but of course it highly depends on the context. For the more hardcore stuff I preffer the pick. But for the rock/jazz/funk it's fingers all the way. I especially enjoy playing with 3 fingers

[@ShuKatashSam]

Awesome comparative right hand methods. I prefer 3 finger as it is really good to use for galloping lines. Two fingers also works, but is less clear, you can double your middle or index finger and "tickle the strings" lightly and turn up the volume. You can also double both of the two fingers for a quad gallop. I think many players do whatever works for them and sounds best/consistent. Pick, 2 fingers, 3 fingers(not as hard to learn as many assume, 1-2 weeks to get decent enough to play this song), 2 or 3 finger + Thumb slap method (thump thumb rather than a plucking thumb). "The Trooper" is a good song for applying all these different right hand techniques.

[@silverfoot6079]

Heavy fingers or heavy pick is the only way to go

[@Justmeyes]

As a expert guitar player who switched to bass, picking to me is piece od cake 😂

[@DaEpicTable]

picking is a piece of cake in general

[@Justmeyes]

@@DaEpicTable Yeah maybe for bass, which haves 4 string and 1cm space between strings. Guitar is a different story.

[@Justmeyes]

@@Observant213 I know, just saying.

[@DaEpicTable]

@@Justmeyes Picking gets easy once you get muscle memory

[@inuchiyo2534]

I personally prefer fingers just sounds better pick makes itna smoother transition

[@Michael_Veritas]

Pick playing is the clear winner!

[@themedallostoryteller1105]

I think it is more a matter of preferences

[@WilDBeestMF]

Pick just WORKS every time for fast paced music, but omfg do I love how all the different fingerstyle approaches sound..

[@taylorbelanger7982]

Both sound good, but I keep hearing this whole one has more attack or is more precise or one is more round. From this demonstration both are basically the same in realm of attack of accuracy, it all comes down if you prefer the sound that fingers give the tone or the sound that a pick gives the bass. Consistent and pingy or consistent and pingy with that distinctive pick scrapping sound. Both are fine and useful

[@jaybyhop]

Plenty of comments sayings bassists should know both, and it's absolutely true. I am proficient with both and love playing with both, but tbh I feel so much more comfortable playing with a pick, but I'm kinda getting up there so my fingers aren't as nimble as they were, so pick for me heh heh

[@SpartanLaserCanon]

For bass I can not tell much difference if someone uses a pick somtimes or some finger techiques with bass. Sure sometimes it is obvious if someone plays with their fingers with a different technique or different finger placement, but some of those sounds were so similar to me here. I think for music for a bass a pick is good for some tones and finger picking is good for some tones and same with guitar. Davie504 does not like bassists using picks, but I think if you mainly use a pick for bass then sure go ahaead and use a pick for bass.

[@BudderB0y2222]

The no picks thing is just a joke that some people took seriously

[@RichardDeBerryOfficial]

@@BudderB0y2222 I swear some Davie504 fans will go fucking rabid at the thought of someone playing bass with a pick. It's terrible lmao.

[@gregthornton4209]

per Steve Harris - "I use two fingers, NEVER a pick"...

[@nick_camilli]

Well, he's using his nails, so there's a bit of trap xd

[@DenverStarkey]

@@nick_camilli fact: he only uses his nails to strike chords. not when he is picking individual strings.

[@necrodamus5481]

Wish he woulda tried this with a .60mm pick. Way easier to gallop, get more treble without rounding the sound out too much, also can act like a compressor in a way

[@sludoku]

I'm certainly interested in trying out the tone of a thinner pick, but never found it easier to play with one the few times I've tried out in the past. In general I just don't like the feel of playing with a thin pick, burst patterns feel impossible.

[@necrodamus5481]

@@sludoku oh i understand. I've found burst patterns easier for me with a thin/medium pick. Plus it makes transitioning from string to another feel flawless. I used to do heavier picks but that shit start giving me bad carpal tunnel after a while and my down stroking technique kinda sucks

[@sludoku]

I only really use a pick for guitar normally, so I'm used to very small wrist movements. With a thin pick it bends so much that I have to make bigger movements to even get through the string lol. Happy to hear that you found something that works for you, stick to it. I think I have some .70mm lying around somewhere at my parent's place that I could play around with to see what kind of sounds I can get from it. Who knows, maybe I'll enjoy it too once I get used to it too :p

[@handlebarjosh2419]

I use different picks for different sounds. A 1.5 to 2 gives more definition to each note and to me sounds more like finger playing. I like these for a clean sound. I use a 1 for heavier distorted/overdriven sound because I feel the attack is more consistent and percussive which I think is more fitting.

[@pervysage1450]

Awesome content dude, loved it

[@johnpatitucci7919]

In context of Maiden, fingers are best. 2 fingers medium attack.

[@mats-if1uu]

thx! i love pick style bass!!

[@danzemacabre8899]

There is a slightly different method using fingers that's sounds tighter and cleaner than even a pick, keeping the picking hand flat and alternating between the first and third fingers , using the second finger sparingly, kind of a supplemental picker

[@danzemacabre8899]

@blake1177 right on, technique works well in quieting ones who believe certain parts or songs can only be done with a pick among some other techniques,most important, just alot of practice, if your using that, then i know you agree, keep jammin bro, low-enders rule!

[@Celso_Luis]

Will try this! Makes sense, since (at least in my case) the first and third fingers are similar in length. Honestly, I know the pick produces a more homogenous and "compressed" sound, but I like the dynamic range that playing with your fingers can give you. It feels more "alive"... playing with a pick sounds to me like playing in training wheels mode, it's kind of sterile. It's very hard to keep it consistent and hit the string with the right spot of the tip of the finger to produce a sharp attack every time though, especially when playing with three fingers.

[@danzemacabre8899]

@@Celso_Luis cool, but I'll let you know ahead of time that it's a process and requires daily practice if you want a proficient attack with consistency, so don't get discouraged ! Keep at it and it will pay off! There's a bass KZbin channel I'll refer you to that he pretty much nails it and can give some visualization I believe it's Rodney Mcg. Should pop up if you put the name in then go to his playlist and he has a couple of tutorials on three finger technique which for all intents and purposes is what you're going to be learning; the technique I was explaining is sort of a sub!-technique that's a small part of the bigger picture so good luck and feel free to let me know how your progress is going if there is anything you want to ask I'll try to give you a cohesive answer lol peace

[@danzemacabre8899]

@@Celso_Luis one other thing, be sure your bass is set up properly, check the neck, be sure ya got the truss adjusted properly and your action should slightly lower than how you would have it set for a pick if you really want a good clean attack with consistency this is a must and I promise you with the work put in you'll be able to handle anything that you could with a pick if that's what you desire, it's a good thing to know how to do both though just adds to your versatility

[@Celso_Luis]

​@@danzemacabre8899 Wow, thanks man!!! Checking it right now. I've been practicing my fingering technique lately (I'm a guitarist who likes to compose, so I'm exploring new instruments) and I got some tips from a brazilian bassist who I personally believe to be the best in the world in that kind of playing. He's called Felipe Andreoli, and I really recommend his videos playing his parts on the songs from his band, Angra (I especially recommend his video playing a song called 'The Shadow Hunter'). He plays VERY hard and very consistently, but all his fingers seem to have similar sizes, and I'm having trouble with my middle finger, which seems way larger than the other ones (that's why you technique interested me so much). So far, the bass seems to me an instrument that is pretty easy to start playing, but REALLY difficult to make it sound clean and stable. But hey... that's part of the fun!

[@jasonpattee5151]

Billy Gould from Faith No More uses fingers or pick depending on the song. Fingers when going for a percussive sound and pick when going for a rhythm guitar sound. I usually find that bass players are either pickers or fingers and not both. From experience, moving to fingers from pick is a difficult transition. Pick is much easier.

[@sludoku]

Muting and string skipping is harder with a pick, otherwise I agree that it's generally easier to play with a pick than with fingers, especially faster stuff is a lot easier with a pick.

[@jasonpattee5151]

Good points. Thank you

[@sludoku]

@@metaldave3276 You learned to do it with one finger instead of incorporating your ring finger instead? Interesting choice. The coordination between the index and ring is better for me than index and middle in the first place tbh ;p

[@Klingmoto]

Nice comparison. Twofinger sounds like horse running on rough ground, more up down motion, more dynamics , pick sounds more like sliding, less vertical motion, less Iron Maiden .

[@CollynsTV]

i can play this pretty easy on fingers and pick, but the way Harris plays it is pretty hard. my technique is still pretty rough

[@novadhd]

Im a beginer bassist and like the fingers at least for IM. The pick just makes it too overpowering and twangy.

[@esa4141]

Harris goes with flatwounds

[@cyorneon]

I prefer the fingers, to me sounds better, and the bassist can do slaps and other figures

[@johndescy7904]

I think it's obvious that it all depends on the band and the whole sound spectrum. For instance: I really didn't like the muted pick sound, but was surprised how much better it sounded in context with the whole band. Still not my preference, but simply so much better than on its own. Another example is the sound I'm currently working on. I'm trying to evolve my own sound and I developed something that sounds good on its own, great with a guitar, but like absolute shit with guitar and drums. So back to turning some knobs.

[@sludoku]

Yep, totally agree. You'll also mix the bass very differently depending on whether you want it loud in the mix or quiet. Honestly what seems to matter the most is the consistency of the playing and the instrument. You can sculpt yourself a great tone that works well in a mix with just about any playing technique as long as you're able to play with a consistent touch/attack. If the timbre between your strings is all messed up you'll get a tone that sounds great on one or two strings but dead on the others. I still find it really interesting to play around with different playing techniques and trying to figure out the pros and cons, what kind of technique I should be using to get the best result the easiest in terms of what I'm looking for.

[@Hellion73]

When young, never knew how much studio/gear/freqs etc tweaks were used to achieve some of the great tones from my bass heroes like Steve. Even with the right technique, fingers pluck could sound muddy, but all depends on the gear factor and yeah, your band/music style. Pick, which I stupidly despised back then (even if Jimmy Bane who was another hero of mine used to play with it), its great for bit more clarity and "agression" in rock.

[@sirwyattt]

Any technique works, it's just up to preference.

[@SniperPrecision]

If bassists raised their action a bit and increased string tension, the finger style would sound much better. You need higher action to give the string room to move. It moves in a different motion between picked or plucked

[@sludoku]

Entirely depends on what tone you're going for. In metal you generally want the bass to be percussive, hence using lower action and going after the fret clank. Thinner strings have more mids as well and cut through the mix better.

[@nikolatomic5287]

fingers it works for maiden, but not for many other bands in metal.

[@plexi4295]

Sounds good either way

[@pedrofernandes6668]

3 fingers >>>>> 2 fingers and pick

[@hylas99]

Pick seems to sound better for most styles. Virtually eliminates the clank. But you need to add left hand muting to get the same rhythmic nuances and accents.

[@ShadamAran]

higher action also eliminates clank lol

[@averagerallyenjoyer9927]

I like the clank

[@the4given196]

@@ShadamAran higher action makes fast basslines a lot harder

[@lucaswallo8127]

Cool vid

[@erickgower120]

Not bad but remember Steve plays with flatwounds and heavy gauge strings. He hits them hard and fast mostly using his first and second finger to create his sound

[@sludoku]

This video isn't about imitating Steve Harris' sound so I fail to see the relevance? :P

[@erickgower120]

@@sludoku you're not wrong I just wanted to add a fun fact

[@danzemacabre8899]

@blake1177 correct on all, nothing to add, except yep

[@durhamviking1809]

Pick sounds better

[@bthonk]

those sound like roundwounds, and steve plays with flatwounds

[@sludoku]

They are, he does. The video isn't an attempt at imitating Steve Harris' sound, I was just comparing how different touches and playing styles sound out of curiosity. It's one thing how they sound on their own, an entirely different thing how easily it sits well in a mix and what the pros and cons are.

[@bthonk]

@@sludoku i gotcha. i didn't mean to sound so judgy, and you've gotta be pretty good at bass to be able to play triplets/gallops with a pick

[@Aldeavo]

Honestly for my you should use a pick for a heavy and aggressive song and fingers for a softer or slower song

[@DenverStarkey]

let me guess you also think you should always use a jazz bass for metal , and a p-bass for any thing but metal? just silly. especially on a video where a metal bassist that used fingers only is being used as the example (and he uses P-basses to)

[@nevaknowmanamesame5089]

Instantly like 1&2, 3 was kinda lost

[@ilikevideos4868]

Maiden doesn't sound Maiden when played with a pick

[@zogames8659]

I'm no bassist but why is pick bass so hated, it sounds a 1000x better to me. Finger always sounds very sloppy. Impressive, yes, but sound, no.

[@sludoku]

It's just good old silly elitism. I like both pick tones and finger tones, but it's so much harder to get fingers to sound good, especially when you're chasing an aggressive tone. Some of my favorite aggressive bass tones are fingerstyle though and can only be achieved with fingers, here are some examples: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoLTk2eka92mnMk kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJTHgYpsoZadlZY

[@randomanton]

I don't even play guitar with a pick

[@trashmanzero7827]

I pick fingers

[@carlosallegretti5631]

"Pick illegal!" -- Davie504 --

[@earld158]

pick all day

[@LardyMongusHunnter]

Using Fingers is what sets the bass apart from other instruments

[@johndescy7904]

What does "touch" mean in this context?

[@sludoku]

The clarification is in the description :P "Touch" when it comes to fingers is simply how hard I'm plucking. Attack is the angle I'm plucking from, whether I'm striking down at the string or more so from the side. With pick "attack" is just how hard I'm picking. I should probably have used clearer terminology but... whatever.

[@johndescy7904]

@@sludoku Sorry, you're right, it's in the description. Thanks for clearing that up again for people like me who are unable to use YT. :-D

[@KeithAlumbaugh]

What does @Davie504 prefer?

[@sludoku]

... slap? A slap and pop gallop should be totally doable... hm... sounds like a plan.

[@luanbejeveld80]

Fingers=clank, clank, clank

[@americanidyut7030]

Which is what makes Steve's tone so unique. Love it.

[@deadboyri]

Too bad the bass is barely audible in the mix with that kind of sound. Yes you must know how to play with a pick and your fingers to be effective, but I’ve never understood using these thin bass sounds. Bass should occupy a much lower frequency. Nice playing though.

[@caseyr1434]

I don't watch wwe but i would pay to see eddie fight (eddie is iron maiden's mascot for those who don't know)

[@mechamecha499]

Sounds less tight with a pick. There's more subtle rhythmic errors, and sits way better with fingers.

[@novadhd]

agree you want to hear the bass but not be overpowering in the song and sounds too twangy with pick

[@Emanresuadeen]

How about using fingerpicks! 😆

[@YTiswoke]

I use fingers , when i dont want to, i use a pick....both work well....learn to use both.....dont play Maiden with a pick.....

[@garygary6032]

pick sounds way better in a mix sorry elitists

[@ThundersMcCoy]

Not for nothin' but playing Maiden songs with a pick is almost as blasphemous as playing Ramones songs with your fingers...or alternate picking. ;)

[@dunkelwelpling]

3 fingers and pick sounded the best in the mix. 2 fingers sounded really bad.

[@sludoku]

It's certainly my general experience that it's by far the hardest to get hard clanky finger style to sit good in a mix, but it's also, to me at least, the most appealing when playing on your own. I've played around with it a ton and it's just so damn hard to find that balance of it cutting through but not being annoying. Any inconsistencies end up shining through in a way they don't with softer playing, so you need a much tighter recording in the first place.

[@dunkelwelpling]

@@sludoku Yeah i agree, playing the bass with fingers is just more fun. But i feel like pick is easier and therefore superior. Maybe playing with fingers is just a black people thing, while white people do better with a pick.

[@Iamconnorlee]

real bass players play with their fingers ;)

[@sludoku]

Doesn't matter how you play bass, no one gives a fuck about the bassist anyhow ;)

[@sushilghimire1713]

Connor fuck you

[@wak2wak]

real bass player can use both 👍

[@josecuervo7749]

Paul Macartney was real

[@Nerd.cachimbeiro]

What? Hahaha