i started playing bass back in H.S. after a yr of playing gtr (both flatpicking and fingerstyle). i had two gtr playing buddies and when we added a drummer it was time for someone to pick up a bass.
i used to haunt pawn shops in nyc and one day i walked into one and there was the '63 P bass i'm playing in my avatar. snagged it for $75!
even though i fingerpicked on gtr....it felt better playing bass w a pick until i started paying more attention to all the bassists i dug and realized they were predominately fingerstyle players.
these days i play probably a good 90% of the time w my fingers (two finger pizz, pop/slap, palm muted thumb style, thumb,index, and middle fingerpicking, etc.)
i have pretty good chops w a pick but there are just soooooo many more sounds i can pull out of a bass using my fingers.
plus.....there's also the tactile intimacy and connection of fingers on strings. to me that always feels one step removed by putting a pick between MYSELF and the BASS.
i liken this to playing drum set (with sticks) as opposed to playing hand drums (congas, bongos, dumbek, etc) where it's skin on skin and you can actually "dig in" and feel more of a connection.
bottom line (pun intended)....in the end it's all about what sounds good. if it sounds good...it is.
i used to haunt pawn shops in nyc and one day i walked into one and there was the '63 P bass i'm playing in my avatar. snagged it for $75!
even though i fingerpicked on gtr....it felt better playing bass w a pick until i started paying more attention to all the bassists i dug and realized they were predominately fingerstyle players.
these days i play probably a good 90% of the time w my fingers (two finger pizz, pop/slap, palm muted thumb style, thumb,index, and middle fingerpicking, etc.)
i have pretty good chops w a pick but there are just soooooo many more sounds i can pull out of a bass using my fingers.
plus.....there's also the tactile intimacy and connection of fingers on strings. to me that always feels one step removed by putting a pick between MYSELF and the BASS.
i liken this to playing drum set (with sticks) as opposed to playing hand drums (congas, bongos, dumbek, etc) where it's skin on skin and you can actually "dig in" and feel more of a connection.
bottom line (pun intended)....in the end it's all about what sounds good. if it sounds good...it is.
BREAD IS GREAT!
PRAISE CHALLAH!!!!
PRAISE CHALLAH!!!!