What do you play with?

[greywolf]

95% I use 2 fingers,  between tap, rest stroke and free stroke it covers all my basses ...

 

[rockskate4x]

hahaha "covers all my BASSES" hahaha

 

[mindtool]

i was told as i was just started out that "real bassists don't use a pick"... so i guess i kind of learned that mentality.
i'm now trying to learn slap (and make it sound good )  i've got some practicing to do

 

[tictackman]

Hey everyone, it is great to see that people are replying to my poll, even if some people have a dirty mind...... haha.
I am quite surprised, I though I would get everyone just saying "I use two finger". It is great to see that this is not the case.

 

[jerryjg]

I can-freakin -NOT belive noone said Felt pic. Felt Bass pic. Im a six string player, but i lay dwn tracks on the heathen instrument, but i use Felt pick and fingahs.

 

[dbw]

Usually 2/3 fingers

What happened to the other third of your fingers?  :tard:

 

[Volitions Advocate]

VA - you did read that the question is "how do you normally play your BASS" - right?

for purposes of this thread, we don't give a hot-tooting-poodle how you play your stinkin' gee-tar!  :laughing8:

  :toothy12:

all the best,

R

D'OH!!  :doh:

 

[hachikid]

yea, I know, a bit of a gravedigger here...but I suppose the closest I use is three fingers and tapping. slapping is one of the most annoying noises in the world, bar a few select bassists. aside from that, 3 fingers is my norm, but there wasn't an option for 4 fingers. I also utilize tapping in a few different styles (not just the EVH/Sheehan style), a version of Entwistle's typewriter technique, Stanley Clarke style strumming, and a pick sometimes. basically, whatever I feel like doing at that moment.

 

[Cagey]

I can-freakin -NOT belive noone said Felt pic. Felt Bass pic. Im a six string player, but i lay dwn tracks on the heathen instrument, but i use Felt pick and fingahs.

I was waiting to read the whole thread before I put in my two cents, but I'm with you. Felt pick. Sounds like a finger, but gives you the accuracy, feel and speed of a pick. Not that I play much bass anyway - too much work, and too boring. But, you gotta do it sometimes, so I'm thinking of selling the one I have and getting a short scale (30").

 

[BigBeard]

Legos.  And Play-Dough.  Sometimes GI Joe, and sometimes Transformers. 

:laughing7:

 

[AprioriMark]

Usually 2/3 fingers

What happened to the other third of your fingers?   :tard:

Never trust a hooker in Singapore.  That's all I'm saying.

-Mark

 

[Finch]

Usually 2/3 fingers

What happened to the other third of your fingers?   :tard:

Never trust a hooker in Singapore.  That's all I'm saying.

-Mark

Hey at least you tested the waters first, could have been much MUCH worse  :laughing8:

 

[drewfx]

Depends on the sound, and the bass, but:

Most of the time 2 fingers, but really it's a bit more complicated as I might use rakes, the 3rd finger, thumb, or the odd pop, slap, tap, or whatever is necessary to get the sound I want at any given moment.

A pick when I want a pick sound.

And anyone who uses a pick for "more accuracy" is a guitar player, not a bass player. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

 

[AutoBat]

i don't play a bass very often, but i'm a 2 fingerer or picker.  Matt Freeman (of Rancid) and Victor Wooten are my favourites, since I'll never be as awesome as Victor, I'll play more punk.

 

[bagman67]

Tapping is nearly impossible on fretless. :tard: Aside from maintaining intonation, the strings don't have the same "fret sound" to them when you tap them down.

Two words:  Michael Manring.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdC2eQCa8Cw[/youtube]

 

[line6man]

Tapping is nearly impossible on fretless. :tard: Aside from maintaining intonation, the strings don't have the same "fret sound" to them when you tap them down.

Two words:  Michael Manring.

Yes, one of my favorite players.
Unfortunately, I don't have his talent. :sad:

 

[bagman67]

Yes, he's a mind-blowing talent.  He manages to get very percussive, fret-like pop out of a fretless while tapping, though - something to strive for, if you're interested in going that route.  Of course, there's no shame in not being THAT good.  And sounding like yourself is a worthy goal.

 

[Steve_Karl]

I selected too many options for the vote ... and I'm mainly a guitar player.
Something's wrong with this poll. 

 

[jay4321]

I started playing back around the "real bass players don't use a pick" heavy metal era in the mid-late 80s. Back then, someone would always point out Cliff Burton from Metallica didn't use a pick, so of course anyone who did was a punkass. I was a big Faith No More fan too and that guy (usually) didn't/doesn't use one either, so I kind of bought into it for a while.

A couple decades and change later, I don't see any issue with either. Generally I'll use a Dunlop 2mm pick for bass now. I used to do guitar shredding with those back in those days but returned to good old Fender mediums, but as it turns out those purple 2mms work pretty well to roll just a little off the pick attack off--something I didn't like about them back in the day for guitar. On bass it turned out to be the perfect thing for me and rarely do I use fingers for anything anymore. 

Of course your mileage may vary, someone aiming for a lot of Chili Peppers or R&B or whatever is probably looking for something completely different soundwise.

 

[Big V]

I use mostly a pick, as Tom Araya was the reason I picked up a bass in march.
But, as i have played classic/nylon guitar for over ten years,  :icon_biggrin: I also use two fingers + thumb.