Today is day 18 for me as a bass player, and I believe I”m making progress. I can slowly play scales in a variety of different places on the fret board using all four fingers (albeit still struggling with the pinky). I’m learning to find the notes, and I’m learning to read music, which I had refused to do in high school. Josh’s very entertaining and informative lessons have been a big help in developing technique… which leads to my question.

Although I don’t have a problem plucking with the index and middle finger, I have discovered that I’m more comfortable using a pick… a wee bit faster too. I don’t want to paint myself into a corner by becoming proficient with a pick, only to learn down the line that I should have focused on finger plucking. But I want to go from Beginner to Bad-Ass regardless of the technique.

I posed this question on the BassBuzz forum, and the overwhelming response was that I should first become proficient at finger plucking, and then, If I so choose, begin to practice with a pick.  So that’s what I’ll do.