What are you struggling with?

Can’t hurt.

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The Ibby is fine.
And next Bass I buy will either be:

OR something along these lines:

https://reverb.com/ie/item/84141163-atelier-z-beta-5-d-plus-custom-tp-blk-m

Isn’t this a Joe dart thing still?

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Lots of people, even famous ones, do inexplicably strange things :slight_smile:

I’m really struggling with learning to play with a pick. Keeping a consistent tone with the up and down strokes and changing strings (oddly my up strokes seem to be louder). I’ve watched Josh’s video which definitely helped with holding a pick but I’m still struggling. Are there any exercises you all recommend?

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Practice, practice, practice… once you know the technique, just doing it more should help. If you’re looking for exercises to use for practicing with, I’m fine tuning my pick technique atm by redoing B2B with a pick. Josh likes to give you right hand plucking in the videos. What I do there is, when he says index finger, thats a downstroke, middle finger is upstroke.

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Oh me too, I’d only ever played finger style before. I’ve been having a go with pick over the last week - think it’ll take a lot of practice :sweat_smile:

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It’s been said countless times, but go slow — slower than you think is worthwhile. I know it seems counterintuitive and boring as hell, but it works.

Patience is key, as is giving yourself the grace to suck mightily. Also, you might try practicing in this manner for just five minutes at a time, because the effects -and gains - are cumulative. Just try this approach. It works.

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I love the idea of going back through B2B with pick. Great suggestion. Thank you

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Same boat! Only been at it about a week too. We got this!

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I’ve only been at it about a week so i do need to cut myself some slack and not get discouraged when I’m not seeing immediate results like with finger style

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You absolutely do need to give yourself permission to suck at it. That way you won’t get discouraged and not do it.

Another benefit to using B2B (besides picking up stuff you missed the first time through) is that because Josh starts you out playing one note and one string at a time, you ease your way into pick playing. I meant to mention that earlier but was in a meeting when I typed it.

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Hmmmmm … that is actually … helpful! I’m getting more and more inclined to repeat B2B with a pick.

Any suggestions for pick thickness? I have a whole collection but don’t know what is right to start…

100% these. I just got a pack of them a little bit ago and like them so much more than celluloid picks for bass. Thick enough to drive through the string if you’re chugging, precise enough to handle the delicate stuff. They’re a bit smaller than a normal pick, but not as small as a regular Jazz III.

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That’s 1.5mm, right?

I have a whole Rombo set laying around for months now … will start with the 1.4mm!

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Yep, 1.5mm. The normal Jazz III are 1.38mm so yours are right in there as far as thickness.

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Of course you bought the Rombos. Of course you did. :rofl:

(They are fine but really no better than normal picks)

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So for starting with picks it is generally better to start with a thinner pick. They are more forgiving and will let you get used to the picking motion more readily. Having them flex a little on the string really helps while learning IMO.

I really recommend normal Dunlop Tortex picks to start, then Ultex once you are comfortable. For bass, starting in the 0.7-1.0mm range is a good area.

My favorites are 0.88-1.2mm Ultex, but they are probably too slick for a beginner starting out.

I would shy away from the gimmick picks like the Rombos. They aren’t any better and frankly are just kind of odd. And very expensive.

The Jazz style pick @faydout linked is actually a great choice but is a bit trickier to use starting out. But all the advantages he lists are real for an experienced player once you have the technique down.

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Rombo is a) a small German manufacturer (with very nice people) b) uses recycled material and c) looks very cool.

I knew that I would/could use them one fine day :slight_smile:

I probably should have mentioned that I used to play guitar, so the concept of using a pick isn’t foreign to me.

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