Having a little trouble on the upstroke...

[Rhythmalism]

I can do the down-up-down-up thing on guitar, no problem, but bass is another story. Any tips for a bass player in distress? Been playing 3 years, mostly fingers, but am trying to get into faster/funkier picking.

 

Pick thickness? Technique?

 

Thanks in advance.

[bikehorn]

keep a variety of different pick shapes and gauges around. i have around 30 different pick types in my box 'o bass {censored}.

 

i like to sometimes anchor my hand on the bridge and pick that way. then your fingers do the moving, and not your whole hand.

[bonscottvocals]

 

Try to let as little of the pick out of your fingers as possible. I use Jim Dunlop Stubby picks whenever I need a pick. I've got so used to them, I use them for guitar as well.

[takeout]

Don't death-grip the pick. It actually slows you down. And try to find out if there's any wasted motion in your technique. I've got mine down to where I just barely move my wrist; there's more tension in my upper arm than in my wrist or hand.

 

Dunlop .88 green Tortex, BTW.

[ImaSmrtBaby]

 

 

i use Dunlop Ultex Tri .73mm

 

they're amazing. they sound good and they are industructable.

[moody]

Don't dig in.

 

Turn up the volume and play lightly (I know it's against all your instincts).

 

It will also give you an extra edge when you need a bit of extra volume and can dig in.

[Sixgun77]

 

Originally posted by moody Don't dig in. Turn up the volume and play lightly (I know it's against all your instincts). It will also give you an extra edge when you need a bit of extra volume and can dig in.

 

 

Good advice for playing fingerstyle OR with a pick. The advantage of having good pick hand control can not be overstated.

[el_duderino676]

ok, so 1.5 mm Dulops are too thick in your opinion. I had some of these once and found it too hard to pick, so I just switched back to fingerstyle.

[Craig Vecchione]

Use shorter strokes, and don't use so much lube.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, sorry, wrong forum.

 

 

[el_duderino676]

Originally posted by Craigv Use shorter strokes, and don't use so much lube. Oh, sorry, wrong forum.

 

yeah, that's more open jam style.

[MageZ]

Originally posted by Craigv Use shorter strokes, and don't use so much lube. Oh, sorry, wrong forum.

 

 

Yeah and cut your fingernails. The crap which remains behind the nails tend to stink badly after few days...

 

 

[Rhythmalism]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for the tips everyone, I'm off to the gear shop today, hopefully they have stubbies or dunlops/tortex's.

 

I've had sloppier technique than I realized, now I know. Thanks again.

[Apendecto]

 

Originally posted by el_duderino676 ok, so 1.5 mm Dulops are too thick in your opinion. I had some of these once and found it too hard to pick, so I just switched back to fingerstyle.

 

 

It's not the picks man. I have a hard time using picks which are very thin but 1.5 should but just fine. I'm using a pick I made out of an old Zildjian cymbal. As long as you practice and get use to it, any thickness should work. Practice.

 

Yo.

[ImaSmrtBaby]

 

Originally posted by Apendecto It's not the picks man. I have a hard time using picks which are very thin but 1.5 should but just fine. I'm using a pick I made out of an old Zildjian cymbal. As long as you practice and get use to it, any thickness should work. Practice. Yo.

 

 

yeah, this is true, but really, i think people get used to playing with different thicknesses. i used to play with the 1mms, but i just didn't like them. it was so much a playability thing so much as it was a slight tone thing. in my experience, i like the sound of thinner picks a little, but not too thin, because then they just kinda bend instead of actually plucking the string

[el_duderino676]

I think that I just might try picking again, just as soon as I get some new picks. I think I will get a few of a wide range of thicknesses just so that I can get a god view of it.

[Apendecto]

 

Originally posted by ImaSmrtBaby yeah, this is true, but really, i think people get used to playing with different thicknesses. i used to play with the 1mms, but i just didn't like them. it was so much a playability thing so much as it was a slight tone thing. in my experience, i like the sound of thinner picks a little, but not too thin, because then they just kinda bend instead of actually plucking the string

 

 

Yeah, I'm not sure how anyone can use somthing so thin like you are talking about.

 

Yo.

[FreestyleIntruder]

Originally posted by bonscottvocals Try to let as little of the pick out of your fingers as possible. I use Jim Dunlop Stubby picks whenever I need a pick. I've got so used to them, I use them for guitar as well.

 

Those things are awesome, only problem is you can't fit too many in a pick holder

[Tbirdbassist]

I use Dunlop 2.0mm, it takes some getting used to the thickness, but they last for ages, if didnt keep dropping and losing my picks, id probably have the same ones i had last year. I can get some Paul D'Amour sound when i really hammer the string/s with those picks.

[el_duderino676]

Originally posted by FreestyleIntruder Those things are awesome, only problem is you can't fit too many in a pick holder

 

Wouldn't bother me, I don't use a pickholder. I just cram them between the pickguard and body or pickguard and fretboard hangover.

[ImaSmrtBaby]

Originally posted by Apendecto Yeah, I'm not sure how anyone can use somthing so thin like you are talking about. Yo.

 

for me its kind of a fine line between too thin and too thick.

 

i couldn't use a light guitar pick, but i also don't like heavy. so medium or medium thick is the way to go

[sgt_politeness]

Loosen up that wrist and avoid using your forearm/elbow. (i.e. eddie van halen)

 

I would advise using AT LEAST .88mm, if not 1mm or more, to help keep the attack consistent.