|
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | Just watched footage of my favorite Jaco P.: two fingers! The speed, rhythm, harmonic sense. Holy Sh*t (so musical). How do YOU pick? Fingers? Fingerpicks? Tapping? Just a thumb like Wes? Mostly octaves? Chords? Single lines? Pick (which pick?) Do you maintain strict alternate picking or is it downstrokes etc? Which is your pick of choice? Tell the story! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 1126
Location: Omaha, NE | Fingerpick and flatpick, sometimes both on the same song.
For flatpicks, I use plain old Fender "Heavy" picks. I like them because they wear down, but don't break. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2010
Posts: 4
Location: argentina | On Classic guitar i pick with my fingers, 3 + thumb i have my nails just a little bit long. cant grow them too long because of my job, and they start to bother me.
i play some tango and folk.
and on steel string i always use pick, i really like the jim dunlop nylon pick, the 1,07mm gauge.
on this case i usually play blues, rock, al dimeola stuff etc.
my electric is stored on the closet.. :) some day ill pull it off again. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
May 2009
Posts: 131
Location: Yalova/Turkey | Mostly fingerpick, also on the 12-string, but I will have to work on that, precisely picking a 12-string is rather a bit testing... I like folk music, and love to play some songs of Jim Croce...
Why do I prefer fingerpicking? It seems to offer more possibilities for orchestrating a song on the guitar, though a rather hard flatpick sounds great on my 12-string. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Hmmmmm...Flatpick -- Dunlop 1.14mm my favorite. Good texture for exerting the proper pressure. Dobro, this is a great question! Precisely HOW you make the string vibrate is a determining factor in the character of the note. It's different if you attack it straight on, or at an angle, or do a pinch harmonic, or dampen the note, or grip the pick more or less tightly note-by-note. How tightly you grip the pick (if using a flatpick) is a huge factor. The pick determines how feasible all those things are for a flatpicker. An unsuitable pick can make your guitar life miserable, and a good one can cause a world of improvement in playing. Interesting all the variables that go into guitar playing. And interesting how they all should be optimal to make it good: string gauge, neck width, action, string quality, guitar sound...and, of course, gauge, texture and flexibility of the pick. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Hey, dobro! YOU need to answer your own question too, ya know! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4075
Location: Utah | Mostly flatpick, but I'm learning to be comfortable with simple fingerpicking when necessary. Travis picking is far beyond my brain's capacity so far.
Pick choice varies. For the wood topped Ovations it is a medium Ultex, .73mm, in the standard "Fender" shape. The Ultex has the best tone to my ears, and the medium thickness feels best. For the Adamas my choice is the thinner .60mm Ultex. The Adamas is a bit mellower sounding, so the thinner pick adds a bit of sparkle to the non-amplified sound. When the Adamas is plugged in the .73mm Ultex is fine.
The Hamer electric guitar preferred pick is the Dunlop Gator Grip .96mm. I prefer the slight point and thicker material.
When I can get my hands on the new Ultex Sharp it may become the pick that works for acoustic and electric.
Sometimes I really like the Dava Grip Tip when I get sweaty, or the Dava Rock Control Delrin pick if a song requires going from strumming to fairly fast lead licks. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | I only fingerpick. But there are a lot of variables in fingerpicking too. My friend Jeff fingerpicks everything too, but his attack is so different from mine that we can play the same song the same way and it sounds different. When I play, my fingers are curled and I pluck each string in an upward position (from the sounhole up). Jeff's fingers are straighter, and he brushed them across each individul string (from the treble side toward the bass side). I admire his sound. He admires mine. He sounds "sure" and I sound "delicate". I guess there's a place for both, depending on the song. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I fingerpick 99% of the time. I use fingernails with all 5 fingers sometimes and occasionally strum with the backs of the nails or roll across Spanish style, but I'm not very good at that. I do a bunch of different patterns, but have trouble changing directions once I get started.
Another difficulty is when there is some odd syncopation with the thumb, such as on Tears In Heaven.
Using a pick on anything other than strumming, I have trouble hitting the right strings. I tend to get frustrated and go back to the fingers. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | Fair enough, Alan!
I use a .90 Ultex Sharp (thumb, forefinger) and I pick in a block or finger-style with the rest (incl. pinky). I find, for example, that a chordal pattern with string skips ("Meeting of the Spirits" "Mood for a Day") is easier "finger-style" where my pick plays the part of the thumb and the other three (med. nails) do the rest of the work. I like octaves, and a sort of "string slap" on the E and A. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Originally posted by dobro:
Fair enough, Alan!
I use a .90 Ultex Sharp (thumb, forefinger) and I pick in a block or finger-style with the rest (incl. pinky). I find, for example, that a chordal pattern with string skips ("Meeting of the Spirits" "Mood for a Day") is easier "finger-style" where my pick plays the part of the thumb and the other three (med. nails) do the rest of the work. I like octaves, and a sort of "string slap" on the E and A. Lol! I understood almost NONE of that, but I DO know you're one HECKUVA guitar player, Greg! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | It just means, Alan, that I use a pick AND the other fingers in various combos.
We often forget that the point at which our fingers meet the string(s) is KEY: 95% of our "tone" happens right there... not in a string brand or effects pedal. It's amazing how little even the GUITAR itself matters. It's the player and the hands. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
October 2009
Posts: 29
Location: Texas | I have tried a variety of styles, 2, 3, 4 finger, flat pick on the same song. It changes the character. Whatever sounds best. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | Medium plectrum or broken Travis picking!
I like to involve the Thumb and 3 more fingers, with my Pinky as an anchor (Doc Watson).
My nails are soft and even with chemical assistance (formaldehyde) I can't grow them to finger pick with.
Tried the Alaska picks, metal and plastic fingerpicks but they just didn't take. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | Woody: is there something that "fortifies" the nail so it does not break or chip so readily? I remember Chet Atkins using something.... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | 90% finger pick. Started out with a "Travis Picking" style and just sort of evolve it to whatever I need. Thumbpick and fingenails for me. I cannot grow a decent thumbnail so I have had to adapt to a thumb pick. (hate to always have to carry one around) I use a flat pick only when I play at church or with other players when required. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | "is there something that "fortifies" the nail so it does not break or chip so readily?"
Yup, formaldehyde. It is the main ingredient in the "Nail Hardeners" as well as embalming fluid.
I tried the stuff and had some nicely manicured nails for about 2 months but every time they made it to about 1/8" they would bend backwards.
So now my Man Hands modeling days are over. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 2791
Location: Atlanta, GA. | Originally posted by dobro:
Woody: is there something that "fortifies" the nail so it does not break or chip so readily? I remember Chet Atkins using something.... Eat lotsa Jello... or so I've been told. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | There's a great fingerpicker here in town who uses his own homemade fake nails. He cuts ping pong balls to the shape of his entire fingernail and superglues them on. I know it sounds weird, but the ping pong balls have just the right curvature and thickness, they can be filed and shaped, and they sound wonderful.
My own nails are thick and tough so I've never needed to strengthen them, but the next time I break a nail when I have a gig coming up, I will be going to the store for ping pong balls. It's worth a try. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | :)
 |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Originally posted by CanterburyStrings:
There's a great fingerpicker here in town who uses his own homemade fake nails. He cuts ping pong balls to the shape of his entire fingernail and superglues them on. I know it sounds weird, but the ping pong balls have just the right curvature and thickness, they can be filed and shaped, and they sound wonderful.
My own nails are thick and tough so I've never needed to strengthen them, but the next time I break a nail when I have a gig coming up, I will be going to the store for ping pong balls. It's worth a try. Great! Human ingenuity is a wondrous thing. And NEVER in short supply! |
|
| |
|
Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | Flatpick w/ fingers. Fender medium picks which are also the cream colored OFC picks...... |
|
| |
|
Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 1851
Location: Newington, CT | Originally posted by MWoody:
Medium plectrum or broken Travis picking!
I like to involve the Thumb and 3 more fingers, with my Pinky as an anchor (Doc Watson).
My nails are soft and even with chemical assistance (formaldehyde) I can't grow them to finger pick with.
Tried the Alaska picks, metal and plastic fingerpicks but they just didn't take. It was GREAT to read this! I didn't know that others used their pinky fingers as an anchor...I figured I was the only one who did that. I figured further that it was a BAD habit as it had the effect of dampening the vibration of the guitar top. Does anyone know whether this DOES indeed have that effect? And, if so, is it a dramatic difference? |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by CanterburyStrings:
He cuts ping pong balls to the shape of his entire fingernail and superglues them on. FINGERNAIL FALSIES instructions. |
|
| |
|
Joined:
December 2005
Posts: 109
Location: Alabama | Ani Difranco uses Lee press-on nails. I read somewhere she thought she would have to give up playing if the quit making then. I use a pick or my fingers: with or without nails depending on if I have them. If one is broken or short I will usually just grab a pick. |
|
| |
How do you pick your "O" (and why)?
