Famous Bass Players who use [gasp!] a pick.

An audience member came up to compliment me on my bass playing after a show I played a couple of weeks ago. He commented on the fact that I used a pick most of the night and said “isn’t that unsusual?”. I replied “not really, did you know that Paul McCartney used a pick on nearly all The Beatles records?” He was surprised.

Truth is, a lot of great players have played bass with a pick, at least part of the time. I talked more with a friend about it and we named a bunch of players we could think of, all of whom played with a pick (at least sometimes).

Here are a handful (mostly favorites of mine):

• Graham Maby (Joe Jackson, They Might Be Giants, Marshall Crenshaw, Natalie Merchant)
• Colin Moulding (XTC)
• Paul McCartney (The Beatles, Wings)
• Carol Kaye (The Beach Boys, Ray Charles, The Monkees, Frank Sinatra, Simon and Garfunkel, many more)
• Joe Osborn (Ricky Nelson, Johnny Rivers, Mamas and Papas, Simon and Garfunkel, The Association, The Carpenters)
• T-Bone Wolk (Hall & Oates, Elvis Costello, BB King, Carly Simon, Shawn Colvin, Jellyfish)
• John Entwhistle (The Who)
• John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin)
• Chris Squire (Yes)
• Mike Mills (REM)
• Sting (The Police)
• Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick)
• Rick Danko (The Band)
• Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones)
• Jack Bruce (Cream)
• Roger Waters (Pink Floyd)
• John Deacon (Queen)
• Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix)

Often guitar players who switch to bass favor a pick (McCartney, Kaye) but other times, they just like the attack. Some players switch between the two often, depending on the needs of the song. Personally, I use a pick about 90% of the time and play fingerstyle when it fits the song better.

Here are some vidoes I found of some great bass playing, with a pick:

Comments

[matt the bass player]

i switch back and forth depending on what the song needs...personally, i like the pocket that i establish with my fingers, but sometimes the attack and speed of using a pick i necessary for me to kick the song into gear...hell, i've even got pick holders on my mic stand and use BOTH styles in the same song...

[Lori]

I just realized after reading your post how totally under a rock I live pertaining to music- you musicians see things totally different than us general listeners...

[Marvin Forte]

I would NEVER say you live under a rock Lori! Just one of those geeky details that musician's pay attention to. Makes no difference in the grande scheme of things.

:-D

[Andy Till]

Hello, nice article and list of bass players...

I mainly play with a pick, it's my style and feel of my bass playing. Somtimes i will have to use fingers
depending on the sound. In general it's with the pick. I've always had great feedback about my playing
and sound.

Cheers,

Andy

[Marvin Forte]

Thanks for the post Andy and keep playing with a pick.

[B ramy]

These bass players listed are among the best rock and roll has to offer. Learning to play with a pick can be challenging for those who started with their fingers. I think that having the ability to use both a pick and finger styles is true mastery of the instrument.

[Rich]

I've always played with a pick since starting in the early 80's. I've never got the hang of playing with my fingers and find it difficult.
Three players that I look up to who have great attack playing finger style are the great Geezer Butler, Steve Harris and Greg Smith(Ted Nugent).

[Marvin Forte]

There are tons of great fingerstyle players out there for sure. Like you said Rich, it's often whatever the player starts with and sticks with. The best players I know can effortlessly switch between the two.

[Stephen]

This is a helpful post. I have always played bass with my fingers since the 1970's. About 10 years ago I bought a Gibson SG and took Guitar lessons just to learn to play the Guitar on my own and try to understand music from a Guitarist perspective (doing similar with the drums). I still am a dedicated Bassist. Recently I started experimenting with playing the Bass with a pick and learned that the control, speed, and attack are much superior than with fingers. I like hard classic rock: Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk, Cream and a pick is great for this type of music. By the way may I suggest that you add Mel Schacher to the list of great pick bassists.

[Marvin Forte]

Ah, a nice add for sure Stephen! I've seen some great players with killer attack and speed on fingers and with a pick. I just finished recording a new album with my brother and I played about two thirds of the songs with a pick, the others without. I think they both have their place and neither one is ever "right".

[Scotty]

I use a pick myself probably because I'm a guitar player. I've been playing guitar for over 30 years, I started playing bass about 10 years ago, mostly as an experiment. I was in a band and we had no bass player, so I figured I'd try it myself and I've been playing it ever since. I guess you could say that using a pick feels natural to me because I'm a guitar player. However, I do use my fingers on a few songs, mostly slower ones, and I use a pick on the faster more upbeat ones. I figure that if you can hit all your notes and your timing is on with the rest of the band, then you must be doing something right. It's good to know I'm not alone. I must say though, I really admire guys that can do the two or three finger and/or thumb technique, and also anybody who can play an upright bass. Anybody who can do either of these is a heckuva musician! I figure that guys that play like that are probably more "pure" bass players, they probably started out more as bass players, whereas I'm more of a converted guitar player. But however you do it, keep on rockin'!