fingers with/without picks

Matthew Warman · Post by **Matthew Warman** » 31 Aug 2013 8:39 am

I've been playing pedal and lap steel on and off or a while now, always used fingerpicks on the right hand.
lately I've been finding playing with my fingertips only on lap steel more satisfying and interesting, and may even carry on using my fingertips more often.
I've seen other players use fingertips only; on psg Bobbe Seymour is one outstanding example, lap steel has a lot of fingertip players as well.

I was wondering how many of my fellow players prefer using fingertips only on lap steel, who might have started out with fingerpicks and later went to fingertips and why, any pros and cons or any comments welcome. thanks in advance.

Stephen Cowell · Post by **Stephen Cowell** » 31 Aug 2013 1:03 pm

I started on spanish guitar, like most of us... graduated to slide... then tunings. During this I started finger-picking... with plectrum... then without, using all five. During the transition to steel I kept this style.

I've tried finger/thumb picks and it just feels like sex with a condom... my style consists of feeling all the strings... any pick on there just gets in the way. My thumb is the main bass muter... when I put a pick on it I find it much harder to count across the strings from the bass side.

I use the fingernails of the four fingers, and transition to tips when softness or touch is required. The big disadvantage is... broken fingernails! I carry super-glue in my gig bag just in case... when I need to play a loud, long gig I'll glue all my nails beforehand and add baking soda afterward to set the glue and give it body, then file them down.

There's things I can't do... fast tremelo-picking is impossible. It's nice to be able to grab five-finger chords on my E13th, however, and as I said, I've got much more feel without picks, and finger-muting just seems to happen without much effort. Breaking a nail is a show-stopper, unfortunately.

Matthew Warman · Post by **Matthew Warman** » 31 Aug 2013 2:04 pm

good analogy

with/without fingerpicks.
fast tremelo does seem to be one drawback, would have to don the picks if knew I wanted to use it on a particular number. muting of strings does seem to flow much more easy.

Noah Miller · Post by **Noah Miller** » 31 Aug 2013 2:23 pm

I play entirely without picks. I've heard people say that if you use fingerpicks long enough, you'll get used to them; sorry, but that just didn't happen for me. I find them cumbersome, and I don't like the sound they produce. To each his own - one thing I like about steel is that there are no hard and fast rules.

Rune Alm · Post by **Rune Alm** » 1 Sep 2013 10:24 am

Hi everyone,
I too started playing spanish guitar. And I have never really stopped with that right hand position. However, I switched completely to thumb-pick, when I tried the Fred Kelly regular pick, as seen here:

http://fredkellypicks.com/regular/delri ... 4-pcs.html

The curve of the pick does that you won't get tangled up in the trings, when 'returning' from having plucked one string, etc. I can really recommend you try those.

For the finger picks, I found a type of pick that makes it possible to finger-block and have actual skin contact with the strings. I felt that the usual picks would remove contact with the strings completely. These completely fixes the problem for me:
http://www.guptillmusic.com/propik-fin ... ger-picks/

Matthew Warman · Post by **Matthew Warman** » 1 Sep 2013 1:53 pm

Rune, I've not come across the Fred Kelly fingerpicks, they do look innovative. Have you tried the F.K. 'Freedom Pick' at all on a lap steel?
I've used Dunlop, Keyser, National, etc. fingerpicks, might try the Feedom Pick out of curiosity. Anyone else try these on a lap steel?

Peter Lindelauf · Post by **Peter Lindelauf** » 1 Sep 2013 5:56 pm

I'm glad I kept at getting used to a thumb pick and two fingerpicks for lap steel -- after many years of playing guitar or banjo without. Doing physical work for a living, I was always breaking nails. Didn't take all that long to get comfortable with the picks and I really appreciated the better tone, clarity, and volume.

Peter Lindelauf · Post by **Peter Lindelauf** » 1 Sep 2013 6:10 pm

I'm glad I kept at getting used to a thumb pick and two fingerpicks for lap steel -- after many years of playing guitar or banjo without. Doing physical work for a living, I was always breaking nails. Didn't take all that long to get comfortable with the picks and I really appreciated the better tone, clarity, and volume.

Stephen Abruzzo · Post by **Stephen Abruzzo** » 1 Sep 2013 6:28 pm

For the thumb, a Fred Kelly Speed Pick. Bare first and second fingers. Never could get the hang of fingerpicks.....whereas the thumb pick felt so natural. Go figure!

Carl Mesrobian · Post by **Carl Mesrobian** » 2 Sep 2013 2:20 pm

For non pedal steel woodshedding sometimes I use picks, sometimes I don't, but definitely use them when performing. You can spend time shaping the fingerpicks to be almost like having steel coated fingertips, if you like, or have them hang out like gopher claws

I find the thumb pick is often more of a hassle than the fingerpicks - guess my hand is too gnarly

I use Keyser fingerpicks which are shaped nicely, and blue Herco thumb pick, which sometimes seem too delicate, but I like the size.

Anyone know if the Kelly are similar size to Herco, but hold on better??

Clay Williams · Post by **Clay Williams** » 3 Sep 2013 3:46 pm

I switch between flatpick and fingers or just all fingers. Thumb and fingerpicks creep me out. Couldn't get 'em off my hands fast enough.

Gerard Ventura · Post by **Gerard Ventura** » 3 Sep 2013 5:23 pm

I only recently realized the proper way to wear fingerpicks- which makes it easier-

http://www.daigleharp.com/perfecttouchpicks.html

Steven Pearce · Post by **Steven Pearce** » 6 Sep 2013 11:27 pm

Golden Gate thumb pick... thats all folks
BTW, sure is nice getting to play without a cast on my left arm.

Matthew Warman · Post by **Matthew Warman** » 7 Sep 2013 8:01 am

Steven Pearce wrote:Golden Gate thumb pick... thats all folks
BTW, sure is nice getting to play without a cast on my left arm.

That must be nice getting that cast off - I cut my index finger on my left hand once pretty bad and had wear a large bandage - had to play electric (not lap steel) guitar in a band using only the other fingers for two months- Necessity is the mother of invention...some folks said I was playing those solos just as good as before. ha. it was a challenge!

Your absolutely right there Gerard, getting the right shape to your fingerpicks with some pliers or whatever is essential if your'e gonna wear them.

Matthew Warman · Post by **Matthew Warman** » 9 Sep 2013 5:54 am

Carl Mesrobian wrote: Anyone know if the Kelly are similar size to Herco, but hold on better??

Carl- I've just tried some of the Kelly 'Freedom Picks'. They seem to be Ok for fingerpicking an acoustic guitar, but for my two cents worth I didn't think they were suited for lap steel. If I'm going to use fingerpicks, I'll stay with my Keysers.