Pickin

Spencer Luckey · From: Connecticut, USA

Has anyone out there ever played a pedal with a guitar pick? I am a reforming guitar player and the finger picks seem like a bridge too far, but the guitar pick seems like a workable compromise, and I still have a bunch of fingers left for whatever.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Yep, several guys. This is a video of Boogie Sherrard playing a tune on the C6th.

He uses the conventional guitar pick grip between the thumb and forefinger while using the remaining bare fingers for grips. You can't see the technique in the video probably, but you can hear he is very proficient at this method.

He is also a hoss of a guitar player.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=213921&highlight=boogie+sherrard

Bo Borland · From: South Jersey -

Sure why not , but it will start up a whole lot of bad habits you will eventually want to break..

There are plenty of threads here from over the past 10 years or so.. all saying the same thing..

Get a good pair of picks, get them to fit right (get some help from an experienced player) there are photos of pros all over here.. wear them, pick with them until you are comfortable.. then you won't even knwo they are on ..

Tim Heidner · From: Groves, TX

Junior Brown?

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Flatpicks never hurt Tut Taylor's Dobro pickin' any.
I never could do it.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Tim Heidner · From: Groves, TX

Junior on not a pedal steel, but steel nonetheless with a flatpick and finger picks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRMNeoaosQw

Quentin Hickey · From: Nova Scotia, Canada

Check out Dick Meis on youtube.

Ned McIntosh · From: New South Wales, Australia

Spencer, it can be done and a few trailblazers have done it and been successful, BUT (and this is where the sentence really starts) the use of fingerpicks and a thumbpick is overwhelmingly preferred by the vast majority of steel-players. They just seem to be far better suited to the playing techniques used, especially when faster picking is required. Look at all the greatest of the greats - it's always a thumbpick and two fingerpicks.

My suggestion is to do a search of the forums for advice about brands and thicknesses of fingerpicks, ditto for thumbpicks, then shape them to suit your fingers, and start practising; slowly at first, add speed once accuracy is developed.

I too played guitar with a plectrum (flatpick) but switched to thumb and fingerpicks when I took up Dobro, and stayed with them for steel-guitar. (A side effect is now I can play 6-string either way!)
_________________
The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being.

Bob Vantine · From: Freeville, New York, USA

IT IS NOT "ALL" THE GREATS ..... altho he does use a thumb pick ....Bobbe Seymour does not use finger picks .... and I don't think it's hurt either his tone or ability to speed pick . Rolling Eyes

I would suggest trying all avenues of playing , but Winking

"PICK"

what is most comfortable for you . I have not ever found finger picks that are to my liking and I switched to a thumb pick in the late 70s cuz everyone said Razz

"I had to" Razz

, wish I hadn't .

Good luck
_________________
EQUIPMENT:
"TEAK" ZUM STAGE-ONE Steel / C6th Lapsteel
Peavey NV112 , CLASSIC and EFX112 amps
Peavey Guitars

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

I used a flatpick to play "Apache" on C6 non-pedal steel... Click on the Picture below to hear it.

A guitar pick works well for certain songs and techniques, like tremolo picking and strumming. But in general, I think a steel guitarist is better off learning to use finger picks.

CLICK on the PICTURE to Hear the song

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My Site / My YouTube Channel
25 Songs C6 Lap Steel / 25 MORE Songs C6 Lap Steel / 16 Songs, C6, A6, B11 / 60 Popular Melodies E9 Pedal Steel

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

I'd say that if you are a brand new musician without any steeped habits and just beginning to play the pedal steel, it's probably best to use the thumb and finger picks if you intend to pursue traditional methods of picking steel guitar copying your peers and heroes.

If however, you have spent years playing with a straight pick on guitar there's just no reason that you can't continue that way on steel guitar. It takes a lot of time to get used to and proficient with the thumb and 2 or 3 metal finger picks if you're unfamiliar.

That eliminates one stumbling block along the way to learning steel guitar.

Whatever works for you is the best. You might even set new standards and find things you would not otherwise.

Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

I started playing steel as a 6 string player for 30 years. Not knowing where to start, I began with a flat pick. After about 8 months I realized that I'd never be able to get my right hand to do the things I wanted to do using the flat pick. However, it took a considerable time to get the confidence in that thumb pick because it didn't feel as strong striking the string as a flat pick securely held with thumb and index finger did. It felt like the thumb pick was going to fly off or spin on the thumb. This sounds gross, but now I lick my fingers before putting the picks on and they stay glued on pretty dog gone tight.
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Zum Encore, Zum Stage One, Fender 2000, Harlan Bros., Multi-Kord,

Bill Plemmons · From: Simpsonville, SC

Sid Hudson, who played on our Saluda show last weekend, plays with a flat pick and two finger picks and he "SMOKES". Sid may be better known as a guitarist but his playing on both instruments is as good as it gets. I have a tape of him and Paul Franklin that is absolutely amazing.

Ransom Beers · Posted 26 Feb 2012 11:10 am

My 2 cents (as if anyone cares) but I too am a reformed guitar player but never used picks,just thumb & fingerz but I found it very difficult to use picks so I kept practicing until it felt more & more comfortable,now I can't play without picks(well if what I do is considered playing)

Spencer Luckey · From: Connecticut, USA

Thank you all for your advise and input, I truly appreciate it.

Ned McIntosh · From: New South Wales, Australia

Fred, I believe Papa John also used that trick of licking the tips of the fingers to make sure the picks stayed there!
_________________
The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being.

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

Hey Spencer, put them picks on and practice, practice, practice. That was the hardest part of my learning steel guitar but believe they are a nessacary tool in pedal steel. Just don't think the full potential for steel guitar can be reached without picks. If it could, them Weldon Myrick would be playing with no picks. JMHO
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Henry Matthews

D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes.

Jim Priebe · From: Queensland, Australia - R.I.P.

Spencer
I have always played with a pick and two fingerpicks - I am originally a guitarist and it was best for quick instrument changes (I doubled for a long time). I could never get a thumbpick to stay on my thumb no matter how I bent or deformed it (the pick that is - maybe my thumb is already deformed !)
There are pros and cons IMHO :
- It is more difficult to get a wide grip
- It is more difficult to get forward rolls (fast)
+ Finger blocking is a cinch
+ Back and forward picking is easier
I remember asking Doug Jernigan about this may years ago when he was in Oz and he replied "why not, it will help you to sound a bit different - everyone tries to play like Paul but we already have him".
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Priebs GFI ('09)Short-Uni10. GFI ('96)Short-Uni SD11. ('86)JEM U12
www.steelguitardownunder.com

Bob Vantine · From: Freeville, New York, USA

Henry ..... again I say "Bobbe Seymour"
_________________
EQUIPMENT:
"TEAK" ZUM STAGE-ONE Steel / C6th Lapsteel
Peavey NV112 , CLASSIC and EFX112 amps
Peavey Guitars

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

I played guitar with a pick w/fingers and bass with either pick or thumb-and-two-fingers for 25 years or so before I got a steel, and at some point I probably asked the same question - and the answer is, "Learn how to shape a thumbpick so it works up-and-down, and use that on six string guitars." Just buy a pile of them and start sanding away, I like the normal white Dunlops, reshaped like a sharkfin. That's eating your hand, if your thumb was a shark.

Beaumier, do you have any idea how hard it to listen to any version of "APACHE" whatsoever without pos... No...no!... must stay strong.... sssss....

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

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