Editing Mike Dirnt (section)

=== Musicianship ===
Originally a guitar player, Dirnt switched to bass when Green Day became a [[power trio]].  Despite the change, he retained the dexterity and speed typical of guitar players, embellishing his basslines with fills, higher-fret runs, and quick pull-offs.  ''[[Far Out (website)|Far Out]]'' described Dirnt's style and tone as "giddy, vibrant, and instantly-recognizable."<ref name="Golsen">{{cite web |last1=Golsen |first1=Tyler |title=How to play bass like Green Day's Mike Dirnt |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/how-to-play-bass-like-mike-dirnt-green-day/ |website=faroutmagazine.com |date=May 4, 2022 |publisher=Far Out Magazine |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref>  In a 1994 interview with ''[[Bass Player (magazine)|Bass Player]]'', Dirnt stated that he had no specific influences and had never sat down and worked out the bass parts from another artist's album, as doing so "might have influenced me a little too much. I think my method has helped me to formulate my own style."<ref name="Wells">{{cite web |last1=Wells |first1=Nick |title="On Longview I used a Gibson bass. Then I broke the neck in half": Mike Dirnt on the making of Green Day's breakthrough single |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/mike-dirnt-on-the-making-of-longview |website=guitarworld.com |date=October 6, 2023 |publisher=Guitar World |access-date=2 April 2025}}</ref>  Dirnt plays with a [[Plectrum|pick]], using his arm more so than his wrist, unlike most other bassists.<ref name="Wells"/>  "I try to be percussive with my right hand, finding something that has its own motor, with a bounce to it. I think it's all the little 'ands' and in-between notes that create a solid rhythm."<ref name="Herrera">{{cite web |last1=Herrera |first1=Jonathan |title="I was playing a lot of jazz when we did Longview. I'd sit in at jazz clubs and read off the Real Book": If you think Mike Dirnt is another clueless punk, think again |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/bassists/mike-dirnt-green-day-american-idiot |website=guitarworld.com |date=January 11, 2025 |publisher=Guitar World |access-date=2 April 2025}}</ref>

Dirnt prefers a "warm and round" bass tone with enough upper midrange to contend with Armstrong's guitar tone.  He primarily recorded ''Dookie'' with a 1985 [[Fender Precision Bass]], although he used a mid-1970s [[Gibson G3]] for songs like ''[[Longview (song)|Longview]]'', the walking bassline of which was inspired by Dirnt's interest in jazz.<ref name="Wells"/>  Between ''Warning'' and ''American Idiot'', Dirnt developed a signature model bass with Fender.  The Mike Dirnt Precision Bass was primarily inspired by the original 1951 Precision Bass design, while incorporating design elements from later Precision Bass years, like 1955-era arm contours, a 1959-style pickup, and a 1969-style C-shaped neck.<ref name="Bradman">{{cite web |last1=Bradman |first1=E.E. |title=Green Day's Mike Dirnt on making ¡Uno!, ¡Dos!, and ¡Tré!, building a bass for Paul McCartney and his surprise encounter with Cliff Burton |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/green-days-mike-dirnt-on-making-uno-dos-and-tre-building-a-bass-for-paul-mccartney-and-his-surprise-encounter-with-cliff-burton |website=guitarworld.com |date=January 8, 2020 |publisher=Guitar World |access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref>  All of Dirnt's basses are strung with .045–.105 gauge Fender Super 7250 roundwounds.<ref name="Bradman"/>

For most of the 1990s and early 2000s, Dirnt favored [[Yamaha Corporation|Yamaha]] G100 amplifier heads through 6x10 [[Mesa/Boogie]] cabinets,<ref name="Bradman"/> although he has also incorporated other amps into his rig at different times, including models from [[Ampeg]] and [[Sunn]].  He switched to Fender amps in 2003, using Bassman Pro and TB-1200 heads with 8x10 Pro cabs.  In 2010, Dirnt helped develop an updated [[Fender Bassman|Super Bassman]] model, which has since become his main amplifier.<ref name="Bradman"/>