Q: How long would it take to become a good jazz bassist (electric/acoustic) if you start at 20?

A: As with becoming good at any skill, it depends on many factors. 1. What is your definition of “good”? Good at what level? 2. Will you be taking lessons, and if so from how good of a teacher, and if not, what is your plan to teach yourself? 3. How dedicated are you and how many hours per week are you committed to practice? 4. What is the level of your musical talent and prior experience (what other instruments do you already play and how well)? The bottom line is, nobody can accurately answer your question; there are too many variables. However I can say one thing with certainty: the most important variable of all, BY FAR, is how much time you spend each day/week/month/year practicing.

Q: How do I strum a bass with a pick?

A: You never “strum” a bass. You play one note at a time, while muting the other three strings (learning how to do that is one of the reasons to take bass lessons… it’s easy to show but hard to explain in words. Good players actually use both hands to mute strings not being played). You can play with your thumb, or two of your fingers (pointer and middle) which is my favorite for most songs, or with a “plectrum” (pick). Every bass player should learn to do all three because you get different tones with these methods. Using fingers is easier, so the only reason I can think of to use a pick is to get a bright, snappy tone on songs that need that sound (e.g. disco circa 1980).

You hold the pick in a similar way to how guitar players hold it: thumb sideways across the front, and index finger more or less vertical on the back. But the way you use the pick is different. Like I said, you don’t strum; you “pluck” one string at a time.

I highly recommend NOT using a regular guitar pick. Those are terrible for bass guitar; they wear out fast and are too sloppy to use on those thick strings on your bass, so they don’t give a good tone. After many years of playing and experimenting with every kind of pick imaginable, the pick I like best for bass is the purple Dunlop “Big Stubby”. It is the right shape, the right hardness, and it’s easy to hold and control. It is very thick, but has nice sloped edges for easy plucking, and a sharp pointed end to get that snappy tone.  If for some reason you don’t like using your fingers, then the best pick for a smoother tone is the gray nylon Dunlop “Big Stubby.”  They don’t last very long and as they wear out they give you a smooth tone similar to fingers.