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brian_primrose
12-12-2015, 07:57 AM
For a long while, I have been grabbing a pick from time to time out of a sense of ? i'm not sure what. I never liked it and it never felt comfortable in my hand, despite trying several different ones, and Roy's suggesstion of playing with teh rounded corner rather than the tip.

Then I read Bobby Vega's column in Bass Player Mag this month. He suggestes starting with holding your hand so that the thumb is parallel to the strings and the point of the pick is pointing down at 6 o'clock. Then rotate the point to 9 o'clock so that it is resting under the nail of your thumb. :confused:
I tried it. :D I finally get it. Love the tone I get. Feel comfortable. Still can't paly wirth beans, but motivated to get teh skills.

Amazed how such a small thing can make such a large difference.

Brian

TobiasMan
12-12-2015, 12:20 PM
Interesting tip, Brian. I'll have to give that a try. I've experimented with picking any number of ways and it always feels like I'm poking a snake with a long stick - not natural at all. This is something else to try.

Elmeaux
12-12-2015, 04:11 PM
I like picks, but I use rubber ones instead of nylon. They're called WEDGIES. I can't do anything fancy with them, but sometimes if I have my B3 box fired up to some unusual settings, a pick adds a nice touch.

line6bassman
12-12-2015, 07:00 PM
I use them when ever I feel like I need to get the same sound as the old songs!! And I do love the 50's 60's and 70's!!! Oldies that is. If you need them Use them!!

TobiasMan
12-12-2015, 07:57 PM
I have the same Wedgie picks. The thin plastic/nylon ones cramp up my fingers trying to hold on to them. I gave all of those I'd tried to our guitard.

Elmeaux
12-13-2015, 01:31 AM
In case you didn't read it, this is the Bobby Vega article:

http://www.bassplayer.com/artists/1171/bobby-vega-to-pick-or-not-to-pick-part-i/55398

Holland_Jazz
04-23-2017, 07:38 AM
7 years late for this comment, but hey (smile)

Carol Kaye played all those wrecking Crew bass lines with a pick. Carol told me that she was a Guitar player that switched to bass and was always more comfortable with a pick.

Elmeaux
04-23-2017, 08:14 AM
Look at our most recent article about Midnight Oil playing "Beds are Burning". Bass played with a pick! Pure motivation!!

http://www.thunderrow.com/content.php?3099-SONGVIEWS-Midnight-Oil-Beds-Are-Burning

:D