The Pick

[Ed Friedland]

Tony uses short little drumsticks attached to his fingers, they're called "funk fingers" and they are wood. I believe he has someone selling them for him. Anyone know whre you can get them?

[David R.]

On his World Diary album, he was promoting "Papa Bear Music" or something like that. I bet you could get them through his company.

 

-David R.

[ricknbokker]

I've been playing for 23 years, and all I've evr heard from other bass players was "real bassists don't use a pick". These friggin' 'bass snobs' have always pissed me off! Of course, once they hear that I use a pick because of various bone and ligament injuries over the years, all of a sudden I'm 'Joe Bass God"! Like I said--PISSES ME OFF!!!!

Wankers one and all! [Oh geez, now you've got me goin'!!!] Oh yeah, Dunlop Tortex 73mm- built for speed!!

 

This message has been edited by ricknbokker on 03-26-2001 at 05:10 PM

[Jeff Addicott]

Tony uses short little drumsticks attached to his fingers, they're called "funk fingers" and they are wood. I believe he has someone selling them for him. Anyone know whre you can get them?

 

No sign of them on www.papabear.com. I know they used to sell them there; there was even an ad in Bass Player. I don't think they're that tricky to make. Just a few hollow pieces of bamboo with elastic strips for the fingers. As I recall, Leven initially had his tech make some, from scratch.

 

So, I occasionally try to use a pick just for the heck of it, and it always bombs. Suddenly, there's no bottom, there's no punch. My sound just dissapears. So I toss the thing away, resume plucking and I'm back in business.

 

I wonder what I'm doing wrong? Some of the picked bass on records sounds pretty cool. I'd love to get that feather in my cap... eventually.

 

------------------

Jeff Addicott

http://www.jeffnet.org/~addicott/bass.html

[Sampoerna]

I've been practicing my picking technique -- it's a great tool to have at one's disposal. While I was laid up in bed with the flu recently, I picked on my bass instead of dealing with the amp or over-plucking to hear myself unplugged. First pick I bought was a Dunlop Big Stubby (2 or 3mm) and I don't care much for it. Fender Extra Heavy suits me better since I like picks with a bit of 'give' to them. But the experimentation won't stop there!

 

_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/

 

Here's the link for Funk Fingers: http://www.papabear.com/pbtlff.htm

 

I don't believe they're available anymore, unless you make 'em yourself. Mr. Bob Gollihur posted the following picture on another forum (courtesy of his son, who has a set)...

 

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=410013&a=12267251&p=44907757

[lug]

I don't often play with a pick, but I've got Chris Squire's

back if any bar fights errupt over this issue!

[BoldRuler]

Techniques!Picks! Fingers!

Why, when I first started out in '68, it was on my Gibson EBO, using just the thumb for pluck'n them strangs! That was what that little wood thang on the pickguard was for right!? Pickguard!? Oh yea, after the thumb blister got the size of a quarter ya hadta use a pick, if ya could hang onto it! Felt picks can get a pretty warm sound but make a mess and breakup pretty fast. Medium and heavy picks became my standard for about three years. I was playing mostly rock at the time but started getting into jazz, oops you can't have a truly walking bass line using a pick (I thought, eventhough I watched Carol Kaye do it at a seminar), so it was time to get some fingerstyle chops...a decade seems to pass... Stanley is on the scene, I'm doing sound with a ten piece horn band, the bass player's doing the flight of the bumblebee stuff with his four fingernails...another decade passes...I'm doing oakland pick to "Drivin' My Life Away" in a CW Band...another decade passes...I'm building a home studio, checking out this board, and enjoy using whatever techniques to get the sound I'm looking for..."My Sounds"... Generally I'll use a .7 or thicker dunlop since that's what I have on hand for the guitfiddle. Happy Playing!

[jazzbass1]

Look, use a pick if you want to, but some people don't get the "pick" thing, and are better off playing with their fingers. Use both if you can, become proficient on each.

[5feetfromcool]

Ok, when i started out (about 3 years ago), I always played fingerstyle, until my uncle heard me trying to play really fast 32nd notes with my fingers. He gave me a pick (which i still have), and I have never stopped using picks. In my mind, for string crossings and for playing really complex lines, picks really suck, but for playing fast notes, fingerstyle sucks, but it all depends on what kind of stuff youre playing. I would never say that one form of playing is better than the other, because it all really depends on what kind of sound you like.

 

This message has been edited by 5feetfromcool on 04-29-2001 at 11:18 PM

[Guest]

I make a point of practicing/playing the same songs with both fingers, and a pick. I like them both. It's hard to adjust going back and forth. I currently have some Guitar Research Ext. Heavy picks. They work just fine for me.

 

Someone mentioned about losing their lows using a pick. If you dampen your strings slightly you'll get better tone. Also, try plucking with your thumb and finger touching the string while holding the pick. You can get a nice thunk tone if done just right. Not Billy Gibbons harmonics, that's a different thing.

[RobT]

Hey PlasticNut,

 

I think you said it best. If the approach (pick, fingers, dead fish) fits the song and the group is happy with it USE IT. I started out on an Ephiphone semi-hollow body (shaped like an ES-335) with a string mute and flat wound strings playing with a pick during the height of the funk era. Sometimes I wished I'd started on a a solidbody Fender type bass but those skills learned from my teen age years serve me well now. I don't claim to be a pro but I know I'm versatile.

 

RobT

[SteveW]

I saw Medeski, Martin & Woods last night, and Chris Wood used both fingers and pick on the P-Bass, and fingers and bow on the URB. On one tune he was playing the P-Bass with a SLIDE on his 4th finger, way up beyond the fretboard and using a pick, then ditched the pick and slide to finish the song playing with fingers. I'm new to MMW, and was very impressed by Woods and Martin, but Medeski has a tendency towards loud, dissonant percussive chords that go beyond my "comfort zone". But that's part of why I went to the show - to expand my comfort zone. Gotta keep those ears open, ya know. Pick -no pick - who cares so long as it fits the music. Just my $.02.

Steve

[Tom Capasso]

Glad to see most of us are broadminded. The right answer is what works for you.

 

I also started thumbing a Gibson, went to a pick, then to fingers. Now it's mostly fingers, but I'll use the pick for certain songs (15%).

 

The thing that amazes me is watching "modern" players (read: not me) using multiple finger styles at once. I've got enough trouble with two fingers !!

[gabrielk]

And just to add another voice to the puddle...

 

I tend to switch into either double stops or chords a lot in my playing, so more often than not I'll end up using my fingers and then "picking" with my fingernails. I'm mostly a finger player (3, 2, 1, thumb, whatever). Mostly 3 fingers, or else a 4-finger (no pinky) quasi-classical guitar style. For songs I play with a lot of chords/doubles, I almost always go with a pick. I use one of those giant, white, rounded triangle wedges that Fender puts out. Thins. I have a really hard time playing with a medium or thick pick. All on a fun little 5-string Washburn bass. =)

 

Saving his pennies for that blue 5-string fretless MusicMan Stingray,

--Gabriel!