Paul's fingerstyle bass playing

[bottom4]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion! I like the idea of being versatile. I guess if I was Stanley or Victor it wouldn’t be a concern for me. But maybe after all these years if I stuck to one method I’d be famous too

[FretlessOnly]

No, I said what I meant Ronn. For maximum range of tone and playing in different syles (types of music, etc.) I think it is a good idea to be versed & comfortable with pick and "fingers" playing, as McCartney was.

To take this to the extreme, one could argue that to obtain maximum range of tone and playing in different styles, a bass played should become versed and comfortable bowing an upright. I personally feel that way, which is why I bought and learned the double bass back in 1992. But I certainly wouldn't recommend it for every bass player. And I personally feel that a pick doesn't go with any of my basses, especially fretless. If I need sharper attack, I use my fingernails. But again, that's just me. Vive la difference, as I posted earlier.

[iamthebassman]

I've always been of the opinion a player should develop their own style/voice instead of being a "jack of all trades", unless you are mainly a studio player. On the other hand, when I am called to play on a recording it is because they want "my" sound. I have been called the "Best Ronn Roberts-style bassist in Austin". ; (no kiddin')
I have a few different bass tones I love(picked Jazz Bass w/flats, picked Rickenbacker w/flats, picked P/J w/rounds, picked short-scale hollowbody w/flats) and playing with fingers or slap&pop wont get me those tones, so I dont see why I would worry about trying to be good at all different styles of playing. Your mileage may vary. But I'd never think to tell someone how they need to play. That was my objection. Play however you wanna play, that's my advice, TIOLI.

[iamthebassman]

And just to lighten the mood, totally off-topic.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/st ... d_off_from

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

This site just might have you reading for several hours...

http://www.alstrand.com/evolution/introduction.htm

It has some inaccuracies for sure, but it's nice to read something devoted to McCartney's bass playing.

[nick_allen]

That site unfortunately seems to have been infected by a virus (this came up before somewhere). It used to be OK, but now is not... Beware.

[FretlessOnly]

The site administrator (Dennis Alstrand) explained to me that he found some virus problems and apparently took care of them. I never had a problem in the first place, so I can't really comment on the virus situation.

[revolver323]

I figured he strung it upside down, if he used it. I was just thinking...

As someone who's restrung literally countless guitars/basses, I can assure you that restring a bass, especially a bass with a Fender-style headstock where one string travels a short distance from the nut to the tuner and another has a long way to go to get to the tuner, not to mention dealing with the nut and intonation, is a pretty big undertaking, and I dont see McCartney even considering it. IMO.

I'm sure that Denny Laine said he was amazed to see Paul grab a right-handed Jazz and play it upside down in Lagos during the Band on the Run sessions. SInce we have pictures of Paul doing this with guitars, I see no reason to doubt that he could do it on bass, probably a skill he acquired when he was just learning to play guitar and had no left-handed instrument.

As for pick vs. fingers, I started with my thumb ala Brian Wilson, moved to fingers within a year, and started using a pick when I discovered Chris Squire. I've switched between pick & fingers for years depending on the song. These days, I'm probably 98% fingers unless I play my Hofner. There are things I can do with a pick that I can't do with fingers and vice versa. I find damping easier with fingers as well as funk -- I can't play Motown worth a damn with a pick.