Bobby Vega on Pick Playing, Tone, and Why the Instrument Chooses the Strings

Whenever I hear the tired old phrase “real bass players don’t use a pick,” I direct the uninformed soul who said it to Bobby Vega. His use of a plectrum proves its power through creative grooves, unique tones, and, most importantly, self-expression. But to Vega, it’s “just another tool in my arsenal,” as he told us in 2013.

In fact, playing with is just a small part of his remarkable musicality. He’s an encyclopedia of bass knowledge, from the history of gear to the techniques of icons to the nuances of tone. On a recent tour of Brazil, he sat down for an incredible interview with WOW BASS to discuss his approach to sound and his career-defining moments.

The conversation includes some fascinating observations about tone. Interviewer Beto Gutierre asks about how he started using a pick, and Vega admits that playing fingerstyle was hurting his fingers. It became one of his strengths for several reasons.

“Nothing sounds better than skin,” he says. “People would sometimes play with a tortoise shell pick, because it’s the closest thing to a fingernail. But when you play with a pick, the note is a little faster. It has a direct point. Depending on what the pick is made of and how thick they are, there are so many options. You just have to learn how to use it and what works for you.”

Another crucial aspect to your tone, obviously, is in your string choice. However, the bass guru doesn’t have a direct answer when Gutierre asks what set he uses. Vega used to listen to records and compare sounds to figure out what gear his heroes used. The real magic, though, comes from the right combination.

“I say the instrument picks the strings,” Vega states. “When you play an instrument and you like the sound of it, you go, ‘Ok, that’s the string that it likes.’ It helps create the sound you like, which inspires you to play.”

Vega also stressed that the importance of placement when thinking about tone. “There’s so much tone between [the bridge] and [the end of the fingerboard],” he explains before demonstrating.

Listen in for a fascinating exploration of Vega’s playing, ideas on tone, and the story of his bass strap.