How the heck do I use fingerpicks?

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 14 Jul 2008 11:06 pm

Believe it or not, those Jeff Newman picks are so comfortable that I hardly notice they are on.

James Collett · Post by **James Collett** » 15 Jul 2008 8:15 am

I use stadard Dunlop .025's, and if you bend them right (and take out the "comfort curve" they don't bother me at. They should fit to the shap of your finger, not the shape they came in.
YMMV

Tommy Mc · Post by **Tommy Mc** » 15 Jul 2008 10:12 am

Fred Bova wrote:

I only know of one other thing that I have tried that hurt more; Sitar Finger picks.

They are pure torture after you have had them on for any extended amount of time. They make steel guitar finger picks feel like fuzzy wool mittens.

Mizrab = miserable

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 16 Jul 2008 3:30 am

99% of players use picks, and there must be a reason for that. You have to get used to picks...it's not just like putting on a pair of gloves. Once they're fitted properly and you get used to them, you'll probably forget you even have them on (as I often do). Most of the time, they will require forming to make them comfortable. I prefer the Pearce (Stevens) type of pick that wraps around the knuckle instead of the fingertip. In over 40 years of playing, I've never had one slip or come off while I'm playing.

Of course, if after a few months, picks are still a pain for you to use, then no picks is certainly a viable option.

Bob Evens · Post by **Bob Evens** » 18 Jul 2008 4:16 am

Hi Justin
The Ga Steel Guitar Association has a "Mini" Jam every 4th Tuesday of every month. We meet at the American Legion in Loganville, Ga. We meet from 7 PM to 11:00 PM and play some, talk some and tell a few war stories. You are welcome to join us. Call me for directions and additional information.
Bob
770-985-8780

Stephen Silver · Post by **Stephen Silver** » 18 Jul 2008 9:06 am

I've had my JF finger picks for over 20 years, with one spare set just in case.

I don't even know they are on. And I take really good care of my cuticles so they don't hangnail on me.

SS

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 18 Jul 2008 1:22 pm

Learning steel AND using fingerpicks for the first time could be tough. I'd suggest you spend a bunch of time playing your 6-string, which you're used to, with the fingerpicks. Just takes time and experimentation.
How to fit them? Here's a couple of pics of my way to wear them. Notice that the picks are rotated somewhat on my fingertips. That's so they hit the stings flat on. My thumb pick is kept very short. The pick on my index is double-sided. I can do brush strokes, and can also hold it like a flat pick.

Steve Hotra · Post by **Steve Hotra** » 18 Jul 2008 3:15 pm

Twayn Williams wrote:I highly recommend ProPik Fingertones. (Sorry about how it's spelled, but that's how it's spelled!)

I just ordered some of these today.
I've been playing for about 2 months now, but
I've never seen these before>
I like their idea.
Steve

Dennis Saydak · Post by **Dennis Saydak** » 18 Jul 2008 4:02 pm

I'm a beginner with chubby, short fingers. Coping with the discomfort of fingerpicks at first frustrated me to no end.

I tried about six different brands. Nationals and Propick split-wraps seem to be the best of the lot for me. Here's what I finally felt comfortable with. The Propicks are very comfortable.

Jim Konrad · Post by **Jim Konrad** » 21 Jul 2008 9:13 pm

Twayn Williams wrote:I highly recommend ProPik Fingertones. (Sorry about how it's spelled, but that's how it's spelled!)

X2!! These have really helped my transition from bare fingers also. I found out I NEEDED to learn how to use picks when I ended up with sore fingers trying to keep up with a few banjos 8-10 guitars, 2-4 fiddles, 2-3 mandolins, electric bass, and a harp at the local "bluegrass" jam!!

Sometimes, though, we have 3-4 guys on dobro!!

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 22 Jul 2008 7:23 am

I agree completely with Donny - the vast majority of players use them for a reason. I just can't seem to get the clean, classic pedal steel tone without them. If you're not into that tone, maybe you don't need finger picks, or maybe your fingernails are strong enough to make that work for you. Doesn't work for me, though.

I've tried a bunch of different finger picks. I have used Dunlop .020 on middle and ring with a flatpick on guitar for a long time, so I started with those finger picks for PSG. But in time, I found .025 sounded better on steel, to my tastes. Just a bit more solid-sounding.

I love the sound of the old National finger picks, but I don't find them comfortable at all. The same goes for a bunch of the reissues. To my tastes, the "vintage" style ProPiks are the best of both worlds - very comfortable and have the classic tone. I also tried the split-band ProPiks, but they felt weird and didn't really hug my finger tightly enough for me. Just my experience, YMMV. Any of these picks are cheap enough that it's not unreasonable to try them all and see what works for you.

I put the picks on pretty far up my finger, but leave them a bit straight with about 1/8" to 1/4" of the blade showing. For me, the tradeoff is to not lengthen my already-long fingers and not have a long blade to contend with, but have just enough blade showing to get a nice clean, ringing note. I don't want my fingers to touch the strings directly. I now use thumb pick plus 3 finger picks (index, middle, ring) - I would miss that ring finger pick at this point.

I sure needed to experiment around to figure out what worked best for me. You may need to also - learning this instrument is definitely not a passive process.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 22 Jul 2008 7:56 am

A pair of needlenose pliers are pretty much needed to adjust the fit to your fingers. After so many years, the calluses on my fingertips are the same size and shape as my fingerpicks. I can't tell you how many times I've awakened in the morning to find that I still have them on. They get that comfortable after a while!

Gary Richardi · Post by **Gary Richardi** » 22 Jul 2008 1:36 pm

Twayn Williams wrote:I highly recommend ProPik Fingertones. (Sorry about how it's spelled, but that's how it's spelled!)

+1 with a Herco thumpick. Not that I have any business giving advice here but I've struggled with fingerpicks too. As a 6-str guitarist since age 10 (and just fyi, I get mail from AARP every so often these days) I had tried and mostly failed to get used to fingerpicks for acoustics. After I started faking er... I mean playing psg, I discovered Fingertone picks and made an effort never to touch the strings without wearing them. I found I was able to get used to them, maybe because there's less of 'em to deal with (they're only edges with the finger pad are cut out).

Brett Mielke · Post by **Brett Mielke** » 24 Jul 2008 2:24 pm

i HATED finger picks for the first little while i was playing, then decided i should just get used it. Forced myself to use them, and now I can't play without them. I feel naked without my picks!
Never would I have guessed I would ever be a nerd about something like picks, but at the music store while my buddies are playing the $10K martins, I'm over in accessories trying on picks and scaring the employees