Fingers vs. Fingerpicks

Scotty Wenzel · Post by **Scotty Wenzel** » 27 Apr 2004 12:57 pm

Hey Dwayne,

Maybe all those girls dig the "shiny metal' thing cause it makes them think of rings....

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 27 Apr 2004 2:57 pm

Chicks really dig these picks, and they're great for scratchin' whatever needs scratched, as well as for playing the pedal steel guitar.

http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/PK7.htm

Don't put an eye out!

[This message was edited by Pete Burak on 27 April 2004 at 03:58 PM.]

Jim West · Post by **Jim West** » 27 Apr 2004 3:01 pm

But now, there's something extremely satisfying about sliding on those picks and sitting down behind the steel--it's like suiting up and going to work (with more fun, less pay). Plus girls seem to dig the sight of all that shiny metal.

+1

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 27 Apr 2004 11:09 pm

It's really hard to get used to playing with no picks, but I love it. You really get a different sound, and it slows me way down, which for me is good. It's great for jazz, for getting a really mellow sound (especially from a dobro), and also for that Albert King sound (where you wack the hell out the string to get the tone to pop out).

I did a bluegrass gig a few weeks ago where I played pickless not by design (I left my picks at the house). It was definitely the most creative I have ever played in that environment. But man were my fingers aching...

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www.tyack.com

Jennings Ward · Post by **Jennings Ward** » 28 Apr 2004 4:17 pm

SAY I AGREE WITH BUDDY, THE ONLY REASON I USE PICKS OF ANY KIND IS BECAUSE MY FINGERNAULS ARE SOFT AND THEY TARE EASLY... NEXT, THE PICKS WITH THE BIG HOLES IN THEM SUIT ME GREAT BECAUSE I CAN CONTROL MY TONE BETTER, BLOCKING BETTER, AND IT FEEL MORE NATURAL, LESS PICK TO CHATTER AND MAKE NOISE. AGREED IT TAKES SOME GETTING USED TO BUT AFTER 50+ YRS. OF TRYING, ITS THE BEST I HAVE FOUND YET.. i DETEST SUPER GLUE UNDER MY FINGERNAILS LIKE CHET USED,,IT TOOK HIDE AND ALL OFF WHEN i TRIED TO REMOVE IT. NEVER COULD GET THE RIGHT AMT. ON. IF YOU WILL TRY TO UNDERSTAND HOW A FIDDLE BOW IS USED, YOU WII UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE PICKS. CANT PLAY FIDDLE WITHOUT BOW......ITS ALL IN THE TOUCH AND FEEL. SWEET MUSIC REQUIRES A LIGHT TOUCH AND DANCE OR FAST MUSIC IS MUCH HARDER.. GREAT PLAYERS WORK HARD TRYING TO DEVELOPE THIS TECHNIEKE. SP. DID YOU EVER LISTEN TO SOMEONE LEARNING TO PLAY FIDDLE FOR THE FIRST TIME? AND THEN LISTEN TO A MASTER. YOU GET THE POINT I AM SURE.. I HOPE THI HELP YOU. E-MAIL ME IF I CAN BE OF FURTHER HELP......JENNINGS INCAPS AGAIN.

Bill Bosler · Post by **Bill Bosler** » 28 Apr 2004 6:17 pm

Here's something I've been doing for years. When I've finally gotten a set of finger picks formed up to fit, I take a file a cut a small notch in the band of the pick that goes on my index finger. That way I always get the same picks on the same fingers and even on a dark stage I can tell which pick is which.

Dylan Schorer · Post by **Dylan Schorer** » 29 Apr 2004 2:42 am

I've been playing fingerstyle guitar for 20 years, but I'm just getting started on the pedal steel. I've been playing both with the picks and without and am trying to commit to an approach.

I'm used to wearing fingerpicks while playing the dobro. Though, when I play lapsteel and acoustic fingerstyle guitar I always use fingernails and a thumbpick. I have a girly routine for keeping my nails in shape. I like using my fingertips/nails/thumbpick on the lapsteel, because I have a lot of control over muting individual strings with my fingertips--like pick blocking, without the picks. I also feel like I have more control when using my fingers on the pedalsteel. Using nails as opposed to just bare fingers helps with the tone, I think, but I wonder if I'm just not tuned into tone of pedal steel enough to recognize whether I'm getting a decent sound or not. I'm worried that it may be like when I started fingerpicking guitar and initially used fingerpicks--it took me a few years to get tuned into the sound enough to recognize that my tone was immensely better using my fingernails. I'm worried that I may have the opposite revelation about my pickless tone on the pedal steel.

Any comments or suggestions?[This message was edited by Dylan Schorer on 30 April 2004 at 05:24 AM.]

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 30 Apr 2004 8:59 pm

Congratulations b0b.
Picks or no Picks, nice playing Bobby, I just heard the clip.It sounds like one of the classical pieces, but I can't quite recall......al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 1 May 2004 9:06 am

Thanks Al. I wrote that one.

Bruno Rasmussen · Post by **Bruno Rasmussen** » 3 May 2004 1:02 am

Playing without fingerpicks!
You can strengthen your nails a lot by only trimming and shaping them with diamond-files and then smooth and polish the edge with very fine sandpaper (1200). Like e.g. shale, many layers form nails and cutting them causes these layers to separate right on the edge where they need to be strongest.
One of the things I learned when I was studying classical guitar.
(No - I don’t wear skirts

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Jennings Ward · Post by **Jennings Ward** » 3 May 2004 9:05 am

bOb, The best compliment I know how to give you is, I am doing my best to commit your music to memory, so that I can replay it any time the opurtinity presents itself: Sincerly Appreciatevive...... Jennings Ward