skatingbasser wrote:Whenever I use a pick for harmonics I get a really nasty click sound that ruins it for me.

Try this:

Make *sure* the pick is exactly parallel with the strings, like it's not at an angle at all, just flat up against the string. Pick somewhere near the bridge pickup, not above it, but a little bit towards the neck pickup. And rather than picking, start out by holding your pick flat up against the string, and then kinda push the pick through the string.

You should be able to get a sound that's relatively click-free. Another thing to try is to pick it with an upstroke instead of a downstroke. That can make it more rounded sounding, and less sharp on the attack.

scott wrote:

skatingbasser wrote:Whenever I use a pick for harmonics I get a really nasty click sound that ruins it for me.

Try this:

Make *sure* the pick is exactly parallel with the strings, like it's not at an angle at all, just flat up against the string. Pick somewhere near the bridge pickup, not above it, but a little bit towards the neck pickup. And rather than picking, start out by holding your pick flat up against the string, and then kinda push the pick through the string.

You should be able to get a sound that's relatively click-free. Another thing to try is to pick it with an upstroke instead of a downstroke. That can make it more rounded sounding, and less sharp on the attack.

You can also try using the round side of the pick.

Very useful tips. Thanks guys. Right now I'm very satisfied using my fingers but good to know for future reference.

Edit: Come to think of it the "point" side of my picks are way more rounded down than the pre-rounded corners.

Are you trying for weedly-weedly style pinch harmonics? I use harmonics on bass more for noise and melody on a few parts, and I've found the easiest way to have them cut through is playing with a pick and turning up the treble on your amp.

In fact, if more people turned up the treble on their bass amps, more bass players would stop sounding like toneless crap.

tallchris wrote:Are you trying for weedly-weedly style pinch harmonics? I use harmonics on bass more for noise and melody on a few parts, and I've found the easiest way to have them cut through is playing with a pick and turning up the treble on your amp.

In fact, if more people turned up the treble on their bass amps, more bass players would stop sounding like toneless crap.

no widdley-wah, just hooks and whatnot.

Are you talking about artificial harmonics where you tap or put your finger over then pluck behind 12 frets above the note you're playing?

Yeah, I didn't know what they were called.

If you are talking about tapping and playing melodies in the high positions of your bass it also depends on the quality of your instrument (are there any dead spots on the neck where the tones are less loud?) and the condition of the strings. New strings make the bass sound much more "audible".

And then it's also a question of the arrangement of your songs. You can waste the greatest bass lines when in the meantime the rest of the band thrashes their instruments. "Giving space" is a good method to integrate harmonics of the bass into a song.

All very good suggestions, I played without a pick for about nine years and got good at compensating for the lack of definition, but when I switched to picking, i had to relearn it all, BUT, it was about 12 years ago I did this and now I look back and think how could I have not just done this sooner, its easier to learn finger than pick IMHO so start with the hard stuff and get it out of the way. Also I play a Ric 4001 which adds a great deal of brightness and harmonic presence to the sound, all these things working together(amp speaks etc) add up , a good instrument with the proper woods and joints(or lack of joints really) and a sharp pick or really well developed sensitivity to your instruments sweet spots and your in buisness, its like fucking.