Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hey, cool....look, I'm an advanced member!

I knew a guy during my stint as a GC employee, that was 100% a finger player, and he used to laugh and make fun of me because I used a pick. then I handed him a bass and a pick and I said go ahead and play it, and he couldn't. That was an amusing day for me. He took up practicing with a pick that day to "be more versatile" he would say. haha!

a pick is a tool ... one of many ... it is good to know how to use your tools ...

Very true Jeff. I only pluck with my fingers if I'm going for a specific sound. The guy I was talking about was primarily a pop and slapper. The guy pops and slaps everything. Slow blues, he'd pop and slap, Pop, Rock, Jazz, you name it you'd hear pop and slap.

Nothing grooves like popped and slapped slow blues, haha! I'm the opposite, I only use a pick when I'm going for a certain sound which is very rarely.

WOW JIM GLEN!!! You just changed my life!

I just never tought I could play with a pick and my fingers at the same time (almost). I tried it and it's real cool!

Oh, and I don't know about the pick/fingers question... Looks like Flats/Rounds...
See, when I play Megadeth, I rather use a pick to gain more speed. If I play Rock'n Roll I'll use a pick (with flats) so I can have a mellow-punch... But, When I play mingus... Nothing like naked fingers!!!

For a laugh, I would sometimes play my bass with my hand over the top of the neck rather than under it in the tradition fashion. For a bigger laugh I would go into really fast runs when I was doing improv solos, and play both over and under in a sweeping motion. Guitar players hate that unless they're doing it too.

single note UP
otherwise both up and down

I started with a pick, then moved to fingers. I used to use ccut up phone cards when I couldn't find my pick, and when I did find it I was set to play. (It's a pick that I still use BTW. Worn down to almost nothing.). I suck with a pick now. When do use a pick I mostly do down strokes, Pink Floyd stuff mainly. I do up and down with McCartney's stuff.

Yes a pick is a tool, but it's a tool I rarely use. I can get pick like speed and sound with my index finger at the bridge. Sorta like strumming the string up and down, fingertip and nail. Very fun technique.

Being majorly influenced by Chris Squire, of course I use a pick. I have never sat down and examined my picking method, but I would guess it would be an alternating stroke usually starting with a down.
Funny thing is.... when I'm doing any Pink Floyd, I play fingerstyle. Strange isn't it???

I pick up/down, unless there's big space between the notes (the repeated "A" on Yes's "America," or The "G" on "Smoke on the Water," for example.) I started with fingers and still use them mostly, especially if I need to dampen strings for a super funky, staccato Motown sound. I played primarily with a pick from 1971 to 1978, when I stopped playing professionally, because I wanted the extra zing it gave me. I suppose you could play something like "Heart of The Sunrise" with fingers, but it'd be difficult for me.

Anybody ever try finger picks?
I was just thinking about it the other day after hearing a friend play a song (on my rick) in a finger picking style.A few possible combinations might include a finger pick on certian fingers so you can also change the sound of the attack.
Just a thought.

My band is a rock'n'roll band and when I dropped the guitar to move on the bass, I felt better with the pick...and I find it faster too. I play down and up. And I play fingers on the slower songs!

I can't play with a pick. I used to think that people who played with picks were just lazy and taking the easy way out until two things happened: 1)I saw a video of Yes playing live, and 2)I tried it myself. I've tried and tried and tried, but I can't make my hand work right with a pick. I always want to move my fingers as opposed to my wrist or arm.

Luckily, though, this has helped me get REALLY fast with my fingers. I have no trouble doing stuff like "Heart of the Sunrise" or anything with lots of fast, repeated notes in sequence . . . so little trouble that, actually, I sometimes find it hard to do anything slow! Gotta practice grooving more . . .

Keep in mind Squire fans, he also uses his thumb on occassion.