Adventures in Bass

The New Addition to Our Family.

Having amassed a collection of guitars over the years as an enthusiast, I've always wondered what it would be like to slap that bass. I got my chance when my 10 year-old announced that he would like to learn electric bass guitar. As fate would have it, his birthday was around about this time, so I hatched an evil plan.

I did the typical Dad thing where I acted indifferent to his request, while in my head I was yelling "YEAH BABY! Bass-time! Woo Hoo!". So, concealing my excitement, we planned a trip to Axe Music. When we got there, he selected a full-size Fender bass. It was freaking gorgeous.

Once home, my boy took a real shine to it. But once he sat down, I started to wonder: "Should he be fingering or picking?" What's best for my budding bassist (and me)? I was wondering if I was about to enter some polarizing battleground, similar to Pro-Life vs Pro-Choice, Republican vs Democrat, or Eats with Utensils vs Software Developer.

First up, the evidence. Let's look at some iconic bass players. I need look no further than a quick scan of the tunes on my iPhone. Get a sampling, then check 'em out on google images.

I found some on the finger side ...

Geddy Lee of "Rush"

Robert Trujillo of "Metallica"

I found some on the picking side...

James Lomenzo of "Megadeth"

Really? Do I need to say who this guy is?

Hmmm... no consensus.

The next thing to do is read some articles from experienced bass players. While there were some who militantly anti-pick, I got the impression that many of the more experienced players had a more forgiving opinion. StudyBass.com seems to gently encourage fingers, but has absolutely nothing against that little plastic triangle. He recommends doing what feels right. Makes sense to me.

In the end, we will try both techniques. Picking is good for speed, fingers is good for tone and slapping. Whether one technique wins out over the other is anyone's guess.

Whatever the case, we're just having way too much fun learning this thing!