Advice on fingering vs using a pick?

[patman]

I use a pick for mainly 80's repetitive eighth note stuff--2 fingers on everything else (some slapping too, on select appropriate tunes)

[Denis]

Beware of "burning" the finger-tips...

A tip I was given years ago (by a keys player several years younger than I) was, "No, perfect practice makes perfect..."

So, Glasshopper Denis... plactice, plactice, plactice, plactice, plactice... and then plactice some more...  

Ah, that old practice thing!
Thanks everyone for the pointers and ideas. It's also helpful to know how each of you learned and how you play now. I supposed it would be best to practice most on the bass which has the best rest spot for my thumb so that's out of the equation. Even that varies, I'm sure...

[Pilgrim]

Nobody asked, but just in case...here's a post I wrote on TB about how to tape fingertips.  If you ever play an upright bass, even for a few minutes, this is good info to have.

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I read a lot of messages about blisters and how to deal with them. The best way is to avoid them by not overdoing it with your fingers until you can build callus on the fingertips.

I learned to tape my fingertips 30+ years ago while playing upright bass in dance bands.

Here's how to do it:

1) Buy roll of Johnson & Johnson waterproof adhesive tape, 1/2" wide.

2) Tear off a strip about 2" long and tape from on top of your finger above your fingernail around over the tip, and up the inside of your finger. This puts one strip over the tip, in line with your finger.

3) Now we'll go around the finger. Using a longer strip, start taping over the nail, and wind it around the finger at a slight angle, working upwards.

4) Stop when you feel like it. Taping over the first joint may be necessary, but it stiffens the action of the joint and it will take some time playing to flex and soften the tape enough to get decent flexibility back in the fingers.

It may be a mess the first time you try this, so practice it a few times. Tape is cheap.

It is VERY important that you start the winding action at the fingertip and wind upwards so the "open" edge of the tape faces the tip. If you start high on the finger and tape down toward the fingertip, the "open" edge will face upward and the action of your fingers against the string will strip the tape off quickly.

Some people say that when the tape is stuck to the fingernail, it makes the nail sore. This doesn't happen for me, but if it does for you, put a small piece of gauze, paper or something else over the nail before you start taping.

This will prevent blisters, and it will also help prevent making them worse.

[godofthunder]

I have been a pick player all my life............................... on occasion say a soft passage I would palm my pick and use my fingers. About five years ago our band started playing a lot of Zeppelin.................................... a lot. I could not get the tone I needed for many of the songs with my trusty pick. I practiced in earnest with my fingers to get it right. Fingers are not the same as a pick, nor pick the fame as fingers. I am still a pick player but ingers are in the tool box if needed.