so I picked up the bass.......

[rickster]

a buddy sent me an email this weekend, hey man , he says, I know your a guitar player..but if you wanna pick up the bass maybe we can do something.So i did.,.and boy do my fingers hurt today.But I think I like it.
Its gunna take some getting to used to for sure.. Tips for taming telephone cables , and yes im using a pick.

[witchhunt]

and yes im using a pick.

Puss!!!

[felix'apprentice]

and yes im using a pick.

Puss!!!

+1 ... don't use a pick! haha. jk. you get used to the strings, hell i play 11's on my guitar - suck it up butter cup!! haha just kidding, good luck rick! tear it up!

- kayla.

[thebattle]

ugh i hate the sound of a pick on the bass ive been playing for ten years and will never use a pick ill stick to using my four.

[MeYatch]

you get used to the strings, and there's nothing wrong with using a pick.

[Flaw]

you get used to the strings, and there's nothing wrong with using a pick.

+1

[EyesOfAnguishbassist]

there's nothing wrong with using a pick.

+2

[witchhunt]

you get used to the strings, and there's nothing wrong with using a pick.

If you're a little light in the loafers to begin with.

[Geetarzz]

Play with whatever you are more consistant with. The only person that should even have the nerve to say you should ONLY play with your fingers is Steve Harris. And as far as I know, he's not a member of this forum.

[DrumAndDestroy]

there's nothing wrong with using a pick.

agreed.

[Mandmeisterx]

I was just the opposite this past weekend. I got asked to play the guitar and I'm only used to playing bass anymore. The fact that I was playing on some old strings probably didn't help, but man were my fingers sore for a couple of days.

[witchhunt]

The only person that should even have the nerve to say you should ONLY play with your fingers is Steve Harris. And as far as I know, he's not a member of this forum.

Ha,ha. I can't believe someone actually took me seriously in my other posts. Oh, I see, I forgot a smiley face. Well here ya go.

[grimmbass]

Welcome to the dark side...it's better here. Good things to know about being a bassist:

1. We are in short supply.
2. There aren't many of us around.
3. Not a lot of people play bass.
4. A lot of bands seem to be looking for bass players.
5. Bass players always have work in this town.

Um...yeah...I guess that's kind of repetitive. I've always said that, in Central PA, the main requirements for getting a gig on bass are playing in time and owning your own equipment (hey, it's worked for me!). Here's to ya!

[moxham123]

From another music website

The lord said let there be bass, and there was bass, and it was good!

[DMFJ03]

Hell - in standard tuning my string guages are 60-80-90-110! Talk about your fingers hurting at the end of a three hour job! Ah, but the age old battle of tone prevails...I can't give up that boom, not yet anyway. When the fingers don't work like they used to I might consider it, but until then...screw it!

[Gallowglass]

Awesome! I picked up the damn thing some months ago and now I can't seem to put it down. I really didn't expect to love it so much, but it's really addictive. I didn't really have any problems with my fretting hand, but my right hand fingers (no pick) occasionally get pretty ragged when a callous tears off. I'm using .50-.105s. After a few hours of intense playing, my right forearm does begin to cramp up and my fingers assume what a good bass playing friend once referred to as "the claw".

I think it's definitely improved my regular guitar playing. I've always had fairly strong hands for string wranglin', but after tackling a bass for awhile it opens up a whole new dimension of control. I'm also much more in tune with what the lower frequencies are up to.

Kent brings up a great point too. The reason I got into it in the first place was because I wanted to experiment with some bass parts for some material I was/am writing and there really weren't too many bassists conveniently available (they're all GIGGING!). After I started playing for awhile I got some unexpected calls to fill-in/ play with a variety of people. I can't believe how much fun it was. Now I'm actually the bass player in a band! I keep waiting for someone to realize that I really can't play the thing, but no one's brought it up yet. I guess I'll keep on having fun as long as the guys are willing to play along.

As for tips, I don't have anything more than have as much fun as possible, it seems to make the pain a lot less noticeable.

[witchhunt]

For you guys who mentioned sore fingers, try flatwound strings. They're less abrasive on your frets, too.

[MeYatch]

For you guys who mentioned sore fingers, try flatwound strings. They're less abrasive on your frets, too.

the couple times I've tried flatwounds, I found them to be more painful. It kind of makes sense, since more material is actually contacting your fingers.

[MOONDOGGY]

Flatwounds will be a bit easier on your fretting had because of less friction when sliding, but MeYatch is correct in that they might not be easiest on your plucking hand. Most importantly about flatwounds is how much they'll mellow out your tone. If you want more punch and growl, then stick w/ roundwounds.

Here's my best advice:

- If using your fingers instead of a pick, learn to use as many fingers as possible. This includes your ring finger and even your pinky. It also includes your thumb, not only for slapping and popping, but for classical finger-style plucking. And try to master different techniques besides anchoring your thumb on the pickup. Learn to anchor it on all strings, or better yet, learn the floating thumb technique and don't anchor it at all. I say do this now, because once you fall into one habit of playing it makes learning a new technique ten times more difficult.

- And if you're practicing with your band mates, try to use a metronome. If practicing by yourself ALWAYS use a metronome. This is my biggest regret in my 13 years of bassing. My timing and rhythm sucks. Ask any musician I've played with! And as much as I try to be flashy and stand out as a bassist, I am still part of the rhythm section. Timing is crucial, and I'm still trying to make up for years of never using a metronome.

- The best advice given to me was by the one and only Fat Vinny. He told me to listen to any and all types of music. This means rock, blues, country, reggae, R&B, funk, hip hop, techno, folk, polka, standards, classical, whatever. And not only listen to all styles, but learn to play in any style. I haven't taken full advantage of this advice, but I make the effort when I can and a little versatility goes a long LONG way.

- My last tip is for ALL musicians. READ VICTOR WOOTEN'S BOOK: THE MUSIC LESSON!!! It will change the way you go about improvising and playing music in general. It will even change the way you listen to music. Two words: GROOVE FIRST.

[my7of9]

you get used to the strings, and there's nothing wrong with using a pick.

+3 Absolutely nothing wrong with using a pick!
Some of the great Bass players use picks. It is a tone thing too!
Eventually you can do both if you like for different tones and is no reflection on your manhood!

[moxham123]

Since I have been playing bass for 40 years (yeah, I'm an old fart at this music thing), I know a few bass playing tips.

Timing is everything. Learn how to count everything you do - measures, riffs, sections, phrases, breaks, rests (rests are very important parts of the songs), solo lengths, accents, etc. For you guitar players learning bass, this will make you better guitar players with your timing as well.

Learn to play and work closely with the drummer. Lock into each other with the groove, dynamics, accents, runs, rolls, etc. It will tighten up the entire band.

Strings can be rough on your fingers if you are starting out. Flat wounds are good (especially on a Rickenbacker) but not everybody's sound choice. Round wounds like Rotosound strings sound great and are durable but will eat your fingers up quickly even for players with serious calluses. Half wounds are a good alternative and LaBella, DiAdarrio, or GHS are good half wound strings. Yes, round wounds are also tougher on your frets and neck.

As far as picking styles, I have developed and changed several things over the years for different sounds, speed, tones, punch, etc. Most of the time, I use my fingers in the tradional overhand style. Occasionally a pick for a certain punch or speed on a song. Rarely my thumb. And, I developed a style using my index finger for a half tone and speed control in a pick style manner that works very well for me on certain songs. It is something that I started to work on many years ago that gives me a unique playing style.

[witchhunt]

If you want more punch and growl, then stick w/ roundwounds.

I don't agree. I've been using Rotosound flats on my Fenders and Yamaha for quite a while. I have no problem finding punch and growl. Just me, maybe.

[songsmith]

My advice (I started as a bassist):
Timing.

Timing.

Ti-ming.

Sure, I love a technical bassline, who doesn't, but give me a plain but solid bassist who locks into the drums and rhythm guitar, and together we will rule the world. I think a bassist who has the self-discipline not to busy up a groove is a rare and beautiful thing... after all, it's about the song, not the player, in the end. When the song requires some fancy fretboard work, you'll seem that much better because you haven't been belaboring the groove all night.

Learn to accurately play in 3/4 time, and other time sigs. You will be amazed at how it will improve your other music.

Self-serving advice: Play bluegrass, country blues, folk, or some other music without drums. It helps your timing when YOU set the timing. When you go back to rock or whatever, your playing will be more intuitive because you have had a wider role in the music.--->JMS

[JackANSI]

My only advice is not lock yourself into a pick OR your fingers. You want to be flexible enough to use what is going to mesh with the sound of the entire band or song. Sometimes thats a pick, sometimes its not.

Once you learn it with your fingers learn it with a pick or vice versa.

And never forget that you can always change back and forth super quick or even use your middle, ring, and/or pinky finger with a pick still between your index and thumb...


Chances are at least one band or basssist that resides in your favorites uses a pick for bass.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=494695