nope, the older I get, the more I want to hear a good song. I remember when I was a boy, I had to walk uphill, both ways, to get my Metallica CD's.......

To start off i dont use a pick, never have never will. But thats only because i just love the sound i get with my fingers, the pick sounds to me as if someones playing a really low tuned guitair, i feel fingers give the bass more life and whatever. Anyway I've only been playing for 4 years now but i can play pretty damn fast and it beacause i always just did, seriously grab a metronome or even just play along with a really fast song until you can do it, you should start to see improvment pretty quickly that way i think.

I play with three fingers. The only thing you have to learn to change the strings. That's the hard part of the tech. You can practise the three-finger-playing anywhere! Play on the table, your hand... I learned it like this...

I practiced Metallica's "Disposable Hero's" from the Master of Puppets album when I was first learning. It's got a great picking pattern that is tough for a nubie but not discouraging. You get to practice both three finger timing and two finger quickness in tight timing. Maybe you should give it a shot??

I've been playing for about 12 years now, and have never really used a pick. But that's probably because I learnt to play by getting hold of the tab for Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and learning the damn thing note for note - seemed to do the job. as I like to indulge in a spot of slapping now and then, the pick just becomes impractical.

as for speed - joining a punk band did it for me! but other than that, I strongly advocate the old daily practice method. But as I am only three shades of lazy above catatonic, I found what worked for me was to plop down on the sofa with my bass on my lap and clank away while half watching the news or something.

My first song from Metallica: One. It was hard... Very hard!