Three Fingers
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- John Larson
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Three Fingers
Is there a reason that steel players tend to favor using thumb, index, and middle? Does this descend from Scruggs style banjo playing? Why not use the ring finger to enable 4 note block chords akin to piano?
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- Jerry Overstreet
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There are several players who use 3 finger picks. Of particular note Maurice Anderson IIRC. I have tried them over the years, but never stuck with it long enough to be proficient at it.
I started with the conventional 2 picks method because that's all I knew about and it's hard to overcome the muscle memory and routine already ingrained in my gourd.
I think the 3 picks method has many benefits and I think it would have worked well for me if I had started with it.
I started with the conventional 2 picks method because that's all I knew about and it's hard to overcome the muscle memory and routine already ingrained in my gourd.
I think the 3 picks method has many benefits and I think it would have worked well for me if I had started with it.
- Curt Trisko
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Gary Morse too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSqIfXA4gyA
- keyless Sonny Jenkins laps stay in tune forever!; Carter PSG
- The secret sauce: polyester sweatpants to buff your picks, cheapo Presonus channel strip for preamp/EQ/compress/limiter, Diet Mountain Dew
- The secret sauce: polyester sweatpants to buff your picks, cheapo Presonus channel strip for preamp/EQ/compress/limiter, Diet Mountain Dew
When I started learning C6 I couldn't get the hang of the pick-two-rake-two technique for 4-part chords, so I went for the extra pick. I soon found that it was easier to play grips like 3,5,6 as T-1-3. (I have a strong third finger from playing brass instruments.)
I found it had uses on E9 too, and now I play a uni I'd be lost without it.
I found it had uses on E9 too, and now I play a uni I'd be lost without it.
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
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- richard burton
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- Dennis Montgomery
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While I don't wear picks, I use the thumb and 3 fingers approach on my extended E9 12 string. No way I could play my solo pedal steel chord & melody arrangements with only a thumb & 2 fingersIan Rae wrote:
I found it had uses on E9 too, and now I play a uni I'd be lost without it.
Hear my latest album, "Celestial" featuring a combination of Mullen SD12 and Synthesizers:
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Hear my album, "Armistice" featuring Fender 400 on every song:
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Hear my Pedal Steel Only playlist featuring Mullen G2 SD12 on covers like Candyman, Wild Horses, Across the Universe & more...
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhh6b_x ... Ww493qAouK
Hear my album, "Armistice" featuring Fender 400 on every song:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 7lPEtsplyW
Hear my Pedal Steel Only playlist featuring Mullen G2 SD12 on covers like Candyman, Wild Horses, Across the Universe & more...
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... NrvnJObliA
- Ken Metcalf
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Classical & jazz guitar players use them all, of course.
Before I started the PSG, I played some guitar (mostly nylon classical but a bit of Jazz in my 20s). Fingernails of course.
Tried briefly to use three picks, but was awkward. And the repertoire doesn't usually lend itself to that?
Does anyone know of Youtube videos showing the use of three picks-where we can see it well?
Before I started the PSG, I played some guitar (mostly nylon classical but a bit of Jazz in my 20s). Fingernails of course.
Tried briefly to use three picks, but was awkward. And the repertoire doesn't usually lend itself to that?
Does anyone know of Youtube videos showing the use of three picks-where we can see it well?
- Andrew Frost
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I used three picks for quite a while. Like Ian said the grips are easier in ways.
I play alot of fingerstyle guitar too with three fingers.
I teach guitar and encourage my students to make use of their ring finger.
BUT...steel guitar is a different animal. This year I started really rebuilding right hand technique and sorting out my right hand position a little more.
I've been using 2 fingerpicks and relearning all those grips that I thought would be impossible with just two fingers. ( Having no gigs because of Covid really afforded me the time to explore this. )
I'm finding that 2 picks allows for more agility in ways as it is simplified and lighter.
It also makes palm blocking a little more natural with less metal on the hand I find.
In my experience, the three picks approach puts the hand in a flatter palm down position and the back edge of the hand has alot further to travel to mute the strings.
Ive watched Maurice Anderson's technique and he seemes to palm block pretty naturally with three picks though.
Julian Tharpe also used 3 picks.
I play alot of fingerstyle guitar too with three fingers.
I teach guitar and encourage my students to make use of their ring finger.
BUT...steel guitar is a different animal. This year I started really rebuilding right hand technique and sorting out my right hand position a little more.
I've been using 2 fingerpicks and relearning all those grips that I thought would be impossible with just two fingers. ( Having no gigs because of Covid really afforded me the time to explore this. )
I'm finding that 2 picks allows for more agility in ways as it is simplified and lighter.
It also makes palm blocking a little more natural with less metal on the hand I find.
In my experience, the three picks approach puts the hand in a flatter palm down position and the back edge of the hand has alot further to travel to mute the strings.
Ive watched Maurice Anderson's technique and he seemes to palm block pretty naturally with three picks though.
Julian Tharpe also used 3 picks.
Last edited by Andrew Frost on 13 Jul 2020 7:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
Tom Morrel, Rick Schmidt, Earnest Bovine, Joe Wright.
That’s good company.
I sometimes sit down to try something with out picks, and end up playing with 3 fingers and thumb. Blocking is easier. I like 4 note chords.
Since the pandemic, I lost my acrylic nails when the salons closed. The nails actually got a nice sound, but I don’t think they would last on the fatter C6 strings I’m attempting to learn of late.
I may go for an extra pick someday. I prefer it to the rake.
John
That’s good company.
I sometimes sit down to try something with out picks, and end up playing with 3 fingers and thumb. Blocking is easier. I like 4 note chords.
Since the pandemic, I lost my acrylic nails when the salons closed. The nails actually got a nice sound, but I don’t think they would last on the fatter C6 strings I’m attempting to learn of late.
I may go for an extra pick someday. I prefer it to the rake.
John
That isn't my experience at all, but everyone's hands are different shapes and sizes so it's fruitless to generaliseAndrew Frost wrote:In my experience, the three picks approach puts the hand in a flatter palm down position and the back edge of the hand has alot further to travel to mute the strings.
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
- Brandon Schafer
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I think that whatever suits the sound you're after is what's right for you. I started playing with bare fingers because finger picks felt so foreign to me. When I started committing to the use of finger picks (because I value the tone it provides), I included my ring finger because I figured more was always better.
It didn't take long for me to realize that if I took my ring finger out of the picture, I got "clearer" sounding results by allowing no more than three notes to be plucked at a time.
I fully appreciate that some want more options and most are smarter than me when it comes to constructing chord voicings. However, I came to realize that for what I really want to hear, "less is more".
It didn't take long for me to realize that if I took my ring finger out of the picture, I got "clearer" sounding results by allowing no more than three notes to be plucked at a time.
I fully appreciate that some want more options and most are smarter than me when it comes to constructing chord voicings. However, I came to realize that for what I really want to hear, "less is more".
- Jerry Overstreet
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I see Andrew's point. I was taught the JF right hand curl so that does position the ring finger differently than does the eagle claw. The R & P fingers needs to move forward a bit to clear a tad of space for the way I play.
I agree that it depends on your style and what you want to do with it. For single string runs, T, M, I is enough to get me in trouble with "gun jamming" sometimes. For big full orchestral grips and some other things, I think the 3 finger pick can be very useful.
I always try to encourage people to try sensible alternative ideas even though the tried and true is sometimes the safer. Best to try and fail than not know.
I agree that it depends on your style and what you want to do with it. For single string runs, T, M, I is enough to get me in trouble with "gun jamming" sometimes. For big full orchestral grips and some other things, I think the 3 finger pick can be very useful.
I always try to encourage people to try sensible alternative ideas even though the tried and true is sometimes the safer. Best to try and fail than not know.
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I started from the very beginning with Reece and he put me in three fingerpicks and thumb. His explanation if I remember correctly was the ability to claw big chords, such as he was remembered for on a U-12.
Over the years, I played that way but never could make full use of the third finger except to use it to pick the top F# and occasionally the D# chromatic. I couldn't make it work for me pulling four strings at the same time.
I have moved to a D-10 now and in the last two weeks, am working to dispose of the third fingerpick and it seems to help me a bit more with blocking near the changer...perhaps due to an altered curve of the hand.
Over the years, I played that way but never could make full use of the third finger except to use it to pick the top F# and occasionally the D# chromatic. I couldn't make it work for me pulling four strings at the same time.
I have moved to a D-10 now and in the last two weeks, am working to dispose of the third fingerpick and it seems to help me a bit more with blocking near the changer...perhaps due to an altered curve of the hand.
Patrick "Dean" Smith
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- Jeffrey Beers
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- Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Should I just start with three picks plus thumb?
Hello all. Here’s a newbie question about thumb picks: I’m wondering how many of you, if you were starting over, would start out using three picks plus thumb? Or would you focus on the two and maybe add the third later? (I’m sixty-five years old. I just want to shut my eyes and play)
When I play acoustic or nylon I pick with three and sometimes my pinky, too. I use two on the square neck.
Also, does anyone use plastic finger picks? I use them on my squareneck because I like the mellower attack. I trimmed them back.
I realize that this is all a matter of personal preference and there’s no Wright answer. But, I’m just wondering what you guys who know….know.
When I play acoustic or nylon I pick with three and sometimes my pinky, too. I use two on the square neck.
Also, does anyone use plastic finger picks? I use them on my squareneck because I like the mellower attack. I trimmed them back.
I realize that this is all a matter of personal preference and there’s no Wright answer. But, I’m just wondering what you guys who know….know.
- Bob Hoffnar
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My first teacher in LA, John Bidasio, got me started with 3 finger picks. And I had played some classical guitar so that made sense, as Jon points out. Finger 3 is long; why not use it?
Like Richard, I curl my little finger under.
Three finger picks allow nice open chord voicings (I play Extended E9); and like Dean, I use finger 3 (the a in the classical terms of p, i, m, a ) to catch the F# and D# strings.
Like Richard, I curl my little finger under.
Three finger picks allow nice open chord voicings (I play Extended E9); and like Dean, I use finger 3 (the a in the classical terms of p, i, m, a ) to catch the F# and D# strings.