My Fingers Can't Handle Finger Picks - HELP!!!!!!!!!!

Wayne Shriver · Post by **Wayne Shriver** » 16 Jul 2015 6:31 pm

I just started learning the lap steel. I have been looking forward to this for a long time. I played electric guitar for a long time - nothing great but I loved it. Had to quit due to arthritis and hand injuries. I bought a cheap Rogue RLS-1 just to see if I can play. Signed up for lessons - hard to find lap steel teachers. After reading bunches on this forum and buying books galore as well as taking 2 lessons so far, I never expected my biggest obstacle - and maybe deal-breaker - I can't bend my fingers very much to use the finger picks. I bought a few different sizes and gauges, but I don't have the dexterity and flexibility to play the way I see in most online videos and pics online. What do I do now to overcome this? I understand by reading and talking to others that it takes time to learn to use the finger pick, but I am not sure I can play because of my limitations in my fingers. Can anybody help me with some advice or suggestions?

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 16 Jul 2015 6:57 pm

Practicing some basic finger picking patterns on standard guitar chords may help with dexterity.

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 16 Jul 2015 7:15 pm

If you're not able to overcome your dexterity and flexibility issues...can you use a flat pick? As I understand it, that's how the late great Tut Taylor played.

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 16 Jul 2015 7:37 pm

Why not use your bare fingers?

Keith Glendinning · Post by **Keith Glendinning** » 17 Jul 2015 12:10 am

Hi Wayne,
I too find it difficult to play with the usual finger picks. Not because of any movement restrictions, but I like to "sweep" a finger back over the strings sometimes, resulting in the picks flying across the room! I recently bought some ALASKA PIKS which fit on top of your fingers and under the nails. Sounds strange, but I find them much easier to use as they are really just an extension of your own fingernails. They're cheap enough so if you can't use them you could just give them away.
Keith.

Alan Simon · Post by **Alan Simon** » 17 Jul 2015 3:56 am

I also find that finger and thumb picks are uncomfortable to use with my lap steels so I just use my fingers. So far, so good. I just bought a Weissenborn style guitar and realize I might have to try to use a thumb pick to coax some volume from the guitar but not sure cause I have not played it yet.

Randy McElroy · Post by **Randy McElroy** » 17 Jul 2015 4:25 am

I guess I'm lucky. I'm a brand new steel player, but a multiple decade classical player. I grow my own finger picks.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 17 Jul 2015 6:40 am

There's alway the harmonica.

Wayne Shriver · Post by **Wayne Shriver** » 17 Jul 2015 6:47 am

Thanks for the advice, guys. Except for you, Erv. I reached out for advice because I am struggling and have a terrible handicap in trying to play. But your comment is a bit childish! If you can't offer someone with positive comments, don't bother to make wisecracks! You know what you can do with your harmonica!@#$#@!^^%#@!

Larry Carlson · Post by **Larry Carlson** » 17 Jul 2015 7:06 am

One more vote for trying just using fingers.
I was a fingerpicker on acoustic guitar for years and never used a pick of any kind. I developed arthritis and it slowed me down a lot.
So I ventured over to the lap steel and for some odd reason I really really REALLY like it.
But I can't use fingerpicks. I have tried. They feel like clubs on the ends of my fingers.
So I have continued to use my fingernails for picking and everything seems to be doing just fine for me.
However I do now use a thumbpick which wasn't that hard to get used to.
I don't know if it is the angle of attack for the thumb but using a pick gives me the desired tone.
My fingernails work just fine though.
Hope everything comes together for you. It's a fun instrument.........

Rick Barnhart · Post by **Rick Barnhart** » 17 Jul 2015 7:09 am

Wayne Shriver wrote:Thanks for the advice, guys. Except for you, Erv. I reached out for advice because I am struggling and have a terrible handicap in trying to play. But your comment is a bit childish! If you can't offer someone with positive comments, don't bother to make wisecracks! You know what you can do with your harmonica!@#$#@!^^%#@!

Easy now, Wayne. I'm certain Erv was only teasing. Attempts at humor are very common here.

George Piburn · Post by **George Piburn** » 17 Jul 2015 7:10 am

Dear Wayne , try to shrug off the peanut galley type comments - they tend to abound on this forum, Erv Means you no Harm.
Responding in muted swear words with bitter intension is a turn off too.

Back to your issues.

1. Can you hold your picking hand sort of like making a fist, while holding a paper towel tube?

2. If so place the flat edge nearest to your little finger -- on a counter top or other flat surface your hand shaped kinda like pounding on the table.
You thumb and 1st knuckle should be on top.Your fingers should be rounded as if you are holding a paper towel tube.

3. Now your hand should be round with the thumb touching the 1st finger tip.

4. Lift your hand - wrist as a unit from the Elbow and Axe it up and down touching the flat each time you come down to the flat surface.
Later when we get you to the picking part , - this will be your primary means of Muting the strings also called Blocking.
Yes there are numerous other means to mute , but for now concentrate on the primary method.

5. Now go to your lap steel and try to get this going to the strings.
Until you can bring your hand up and down to the strings cleanly , there is no point in trying to actually pick the strings.

6.On to the picking --- Youtube Video Explanation <<CLICK<<

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 17 Jul 2015 7:11 am

Wayne Shriver wrote:Thanks for the advice, guys. Except for you, Erv. I reached out for advice because I am struggling and have a terrible handicap in trying to play. But your comment is a bit childish! If you can't offer someone with positive comments, don't bother to make wisecracks! You know what you can do with your harmonica!@#$#@!^^%#@!

hey! you are new here...we dont use that kind of crap on fellow forumites like some of the other forums you might frequent. humor done in good spirit is just humor. dont smack down on someone like that who is just making a joke. you are the only person i can remember here in a long time with that tone and it is unacceptable.

your issue. there are only a couple types of finger picks. the banjo/steel guitar type that come up from the pad of your finger. these are such that you have to have more of a "claw" shape to your hand to use. i can see that bending your fingers into that claw shape will not work if you have arthritis, so forget those.

the alaska pik is another choice. i use those. two ways you can get those to work. you hook them under your existing nail or if you do not have a good nail then you put them on and put a piece of tape or a band aid around them to hold them on. you dont have to bend the finger as much to use them and you have the pad of your finger exposed to dampen strings. you can trim them to suit also. i highly recommend them.

if you cant use either of these, then you will only be left to use your bare fingers. if you have nails, they will quickly be eaten up by the strings so pretty soon you wont have them. the flesh of your finger can be used. it will harden up a bit over time. you wont have to form the "claw" thing as much with the flesh, but you will still have to bend them.

i hope you have success with whatever you try and also learn to chill out some.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 17 Jul 2015 7:18 am

I seems that some people just don't have a sense of humor.
Bless his heart.

Don Barnhardt · Post by **Don Barnhardt** » 17 Jul 2015 8:35 am

Wayne.....No joking you have four options, finger/thumb picks, flat pick, bare fingers or a combination. They will all work. Develop a style that fits you and your limitations; you are not obligated to play like everyone else. The object is to play music and enjoy it.

Erv you are a gentleman and I've enjoyed your comments ever since I started reading this forum.

Deirdre Higgins · Post by **Deirdre Higgins** » 17 Jul 2015 8:48 am

Hi Wayne,
I haven't been playing all that long a little over a year, so I don't know if I have the right to offer any tips, that said, I personally use the National NP2 finger picks and just the way they come. I do not bend them. The claw shaped fist is mostly from the picks being bent upwards, and is a personal preference. If you get used to the picks just the way they are, your hand will only have a slight arch; fingers won't be tucked way under.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 17 Jul 2015 9:07 am

Don,
Thanks you!
I believe in turning the other cheek but, after that, watch out!

John Mulligan · Post by **John Mulligan** » 17 Jul 2015 10:24 am

Hi Wayne; I'm sorry to hear you are having trouble with finger picks. If you are able to grasp a flat pick you can develop a style of playing that way. You will have to play more single-note stuff but you can also do some strumming. I have experimented with it and it seems to work fine. It just depends on how difficult finger picking is for you. If it is a matter of finger flexibility then maybe this alternative could be for you.

Michael James · Post by **Michael James** » 18 Jul 2015 6:10 pm

I don't use finger picks for several reasons. I play hybrd with pick and 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers mostly, and open hand where I use all five fingers. Watch Steve Cunningham's vids. He has showed me that you can train you hands to do anything. Here is a great video to see Steves right hand technique. https://youtu.be/a2jLPfsZ-Ws I hope someday Steve posts a video where he talk about his right hand technique. "hint hint".

Michael James

Bill Brunt · Post by **Bill Brunt** » 18 Jul 2015 7:21 pm

Now I know why I'll never be a real steel player.
I enjoy playing my harmonicas way too much!

Watch Cindy play her dobro and lap steels.
She doesn't necessarily use the mandated, tightly curled finger approach.
Bishop Hall uses only two and gets by pretty well.

There arent too many hard and fast rules.

I say play it however you can.

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 18 Jul 2015 11:20 pm

I gave up on fingerpicks again. I will always sound bad, so why not be comfortable.

Mark Roeder · Post by **Mark Roeder** » 20 Jul 2015 11:33 am

I know players that don't use picks and they all sound great, just add a little more treble......

The steel is a cool instrument partially because of the different approaches that you can use on it....

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 20 Jul 2015 2:46 pm

If there's to be any hope at all for picks, the "Acri" picks might be it:

http://s100.photobucket.com/user/stubhe ... 1.jpg.html

Elderly Music and Janet Davis have them. The reason I bring it back up is that a HUGE percentage of people initially hate fingerpicks, it won't, they can't, it doesn't work etc... but then they figure out that it really is a lot easier to dig in with some protection and it really does make "that" sound. It's fundamentally physically EASIER to wake up a string with a harder material. I like to play naked too, but between the fretless bass & steel guitar & a bit (umm...) of enthusiasm I can tear myself up pretty easily. I still have to trim the ACRI picks and bend them around some, in fact I just picked up a sheet of 0.024" brass to see what the ol' Wiss sheetmetal shears might feel like doing....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRASS-SHEET-24G ... 417081194d

A couple of the kinds of plastic that picks are made from bend easily in very hot water... if that sounds plausible drop me a line and I'll lop off a piece and send it, though it's actually harder to cut it without cracking than it is to bend it - drill holes, connect them with a keyhole saw, them file them down past that stage. Whatever arrangement you could come up with that hits a string is a step, I mean, when there's a will there's a way -
https://www.taylorguitars.com/community ... rward/jake
My. I don't think I could do that.

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 20 Jul 2015 3:43 pm

Wayne,
Perhaps you need to shape them. Needle nose pliers work to lift the back edge of the part that wraps around the finger so it doesn't dig in.

Wayne Shriver · Post by **Wayne Shriver** » 20 Jul 2015 7:48 pm

To all those who responded in very professional manner to my post where I objected to Erv's comment regarding my using a harmonica during my struggles - I apologize. Erv and George, I sent you each a PM. I just joined this forum, which was pointed out to me in some post, and I did not realize Erv's comment was meant as humorous. My post was not intended to be muted swear words with bitter intension. I have enjoyed what has been my short membership to this forum and will be cancelling my membership immediately. Not only because this has been embarrassing to me, but as I was totally wrong by my comments to Erv (Don you are right - Erv is a complete gentleman I and so are most of you - but as much as I was wrong in my "Smack Down" of Erv, as Bill Hatcher putit, it is equally wrong to make try to make a guy, who you don't even know, feel as bad as I feel by being called out as "a new guy, and the only person here in a long time with that tone and it is unacceptable". Two wrongs don't make a right.

The Steel Guitar Forum

My Fingers Can't Handle Finger Picks - HELP!!!!!!!!!!

My Fingers Can't Handle Finger Picks - HELP!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the help!

Re: Thanks for the help!

Some quick questions

Re: Thanks for the help!

Sorry Guys!!!