picks or fingers?

Darrell Owens · Post by **Darrell Owens** » 27 Mar 2006 2:03 pm

Chris, A lot of fingerstyle guitar players as well as classical players use acrylic nails. The are not actually fake nails. It is an acrylic applied to your own natural nails. It becomes extremely hard and can be filed to the exact length and thickness you want. Lana is right - if you break one off, it can be bad, but so is hitting your finger with a hammer. we try not to do that. I have had them for several years with no problems. The worst part is the dreaded trip to the nail shop and explaining WHY you only want three nails done in acrylic. I can use fingerpicks on the steel, but I play better without them. Blocking and harmonics are the noticable differences. You would not hear a noticable difference in the tone between my playing with picks or nails. I am sure acrylics are not the answer for everyone, but it certainly has worked for me.

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Darrell Owens
www.darrellowens.com

Neil Harms · Post by **Neil Harms** » 27 Mar 2006 5:28 pm

Hey Jerry. Kinda fun being the odd man out. Around here just playing steel makes one the odd man out most of the time.... I should also note that harmonics are tough when you play using a flat pick like I do. Not impossible, but pretty challenging. One of the many things about my playing that needs more woodshed time.... I'm pretty much in the camp of "do what works for you". I like the "why make it harder" post. Nice. On a side note (and in response to the volume pedal comment earlier), I played my first 4 years or so without one. Had an MXR compressor after my Fender 400. Awesome tone and I could still hook my pinky on the volume knob for swells. As many people have noted previously on the Forum, one really learns how to use one's picking to control volume if one practices without the pedal plugged in. I'm really enjoying this post.... N.

Darryl Hattenhauer · Post by **Darryl Hattenhauer** » 29 Mar 2006 8:54 am

Folks,

Thanks for the info on acrylics.

Lana,

What kind of bar are you using in that photo?

As for picks, it's interesting to know that some people use a flat pick. I use fingerpicks and a Herco thumbpick on everything: steel, banjo, mando, and guitar. (And I'm equally bad on each.) You can switch from fingerpicking to flat picking by holding your index finger to the back of the thumbpick.

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"Drinking up the future, and living down the past"--unknown singer in Phoenix

Dr. Hugh Jeffreys · Post by **Dr. Hugh Jeffreys** » 29 Mar 2006 4:09 pm

When I returned to the steel c. 1979, I decided to do it without finger picks, consequently, I began practicing with 4 bare fingers and a thumb pick. It actually developed into a unique style: 5 part harmony both closed position and open by spreading my fingers.Rapid technique is also greatly enhanced. (I also play classical nylon string guitar). sample album at www.steelguitarbyhughjeffreys.com --for what it's worth -----good luck, have fun. ----j----

Don Powalka · Post by **Don Powalka** » 29 Mar 2006 8:04 pm

I found this disscussion so interesting I tried a little bare finger work myself tonite. I can see how playing this way could help in the speed department, but I don't have long finger nails so I roll the strings off the tips of my fingers. I prefer the snap I get with the picks but either way works fine for me. When I play 6 string I pick with my 2nd and 3rd fingers bare while holding a flat pick. I say use whatever works in the particular situation you're in.

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Fender Strat Fender Tele Gibson Les Paul ShoBud U12 Genuine Dobro Washburn B16 banjo for aggravation

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 29 Mar 2006 8:23 pm

I use both picks and no picks,
On C6 I always perfer no picks, but thumb pick is cool.
I like big voicings, and sometimes 3-4 fingers + thumb. And I can finger block bigger blocks cleaner, quieter and faster without picks.

E9 I use picks more, but not infalably.

The big difference is the type of attack sound.
I am happy with the no pick attack,
but I still practice with picks too.
if you CAN do it, then it's available to you,
If not well it's one more technique you can't use.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 30 Mar 2006 2:05 am

I must say, if you're going to put in the 5 or 6 (or more) hours a day it will take to get good on this thing, your fingers are going to hurt either way - the picks will hurt after a while, the bare fingers will too. It's another good reason to learn to do both, and to have at least a few different sets of picks bent up. This thread might be helpful, it gets thrashed over here periodically: http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/010675.html

Lana Rosselli · Post by **Lana Rosselli** » 30 Mar 2006 7:30 am

Hey Darryl - That picture of Joe was taken at the Friday Frolic in Gulfport, MS back in February. Joe is playing Bill Stafford's Excel and using his bar. (Not sure what kind it is - Bill has everything customized!). I think Joe really just showed up for the food and decided he wanted to play a little. HA!

Miss Lana

Chris Latta · Post by **Chris Latta** » 30 Mar 2006 12:58 pm

Wow,

This thread is bigger and better than I would have imagined. I figured on a bunch of folks just telling me to tough it out with the picks. I've gotten that but I've also seen there are a lot more that use bare fingers than I thought.

In terms of Joe Wright's pick blocking technique, I find that when I try muting a vibrating string with a pick, I always get that little "clink" sound and sometimes I miss completely. With bare fingers, that technique is effortless. Maybe that's the key, effortless. Instant gratification!

Perhaps the palm blocking technique is less "bare finger friendly" because of the angle of the hand. With the (W)right hand flat (palm down...see pic above) it's easy to get under the strings with your fingers and give 'em a good pluck. However, with the right hand at a 45 degree angle for palm blocking, the fingers are not in position to attack the strings with the same force unlees picks are used.Know what I mean?

As I stated earlier, I will tough it out with the picks. But, I will also give some time to bare fingers and if I find it works better for me after a time, I'll chuck the picks in the river! And as Mr. Seymour says, save myself $3.

Has anyone used the Jeff Newman comfort picks?

Thanks for all the great posts and keep em comin'. There must be more finger players out there. Where you at?

Cheers!

Chris

Lana Rosselli · Post by **Lana Rosselli** » 30 Mar 2006 9:15 pm

Hey Chris - I've tried on a pair! Seriously, I have heard from those who use JN picks that there are no comparisons. But again, preference is preference.

Gerald Menke · Post by **Gerald Menke** » 31 Mar 2006 6:37 am

If I only have a few minutes to pick before I leave for work in the early hours,for example, I will play with just a thumbpick and my fingers. But for any serious playing, practicing or recording I wouldn't think of not using my Dunlop .025s, I think the steel sounds a lot better with the picks even if they do take some getting used to. Just get out your metronome and practice your grips for a few hours, soon you won't even notice you're wearing them.