The Steel Guitar Forum

I'm just wondering if there is a right or wrong way (by the book) to wear you picks? Fo instance I like to wear my fingerpicks as Paul is wearing them in the picture above with about 1/8in overhang that I strike with, but some other players have them bent so far that there nuckles are parallel to the strings and their finger tips are almost faceing back to them.

Both are right. Whatever gets you clean tone.
I suspect, but can't prove, that Paul's method gets you more power. I bend them all the way over, myself.

Thanks!

I just tried getting them real close to the ends of my fingertips as in some of the photos above and I think I like it, thanks , I previously have been bending mine and letting them stick out a little too far I think. On a side note someone on the forum suggested heat shrink around the sides, I tried that and love it.

Dave Magram, that is some impressive work you have done on blade angle.
I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Since the blade is curving, how do you measure an angle? Even the strike zone is not flat.
Maybe you could draw a picture and post it?

That Paul Franklin video is terrific. The cameraman must be a steel guitar player!
As the most high profile pick blocker, it is interesting to see how he holds his hands and strikes the strings. Other pick blockers (Joe Wright, Jay Dee, etc) tend to hold their hand flat suspended above the strings. Paul has fingers dragging, and the flesh of his hand down on the low strings. At least in this video.

It would seem your pick angle would need to adapt relative to how you hold your hand and how your fingers address the strings. And everyone has different hands and technique.

Nice work everyone.

John

John,

Thanks for your nice comments about my “impressive work” measuring fingerpick blade angles. I only decided to trace the angle of my fingerpick blades years ago to make it easier to shape new picks for myself; it's not a research project.

I simply traced the curve of the fingerpick blade on the blank back page of a book. Any book will do; the book has only to be thicker than about 1/4”, the width of the fingerpick band (no, comic-books will not work).
A note-card on a small block of wood will work too—but note-cards are easier to lose than books.

After squaring up the pick-band to the edge of the book, I traced the curve of the pick-blade with a sharp pencil on the blank page.
That is how I traced Bobby Black’s actual fingerpicks.

In answer to your question, I use a protractor to measure the angle from the pick-band to the ~3/16” “strike zone” at the very tip of the blade.
I used the same basic method to measure Paul Franklin’s pick-blade angle in the screenshot, as shown below with Paul’s middle fingerpick. Of course, measuring a photograph of a fingerpick is not as precise as measuring the blade-angle of an actual finger-pick, but it does provide a starting point for shaping one’s fingerpicks.

Paul Franklin’s right hand at 2:48 of “Time Jumpers - Dawn Sears - If you're gonna do me wrong do it right” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cixiEyfeJSg
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I measured Bobby’s pick-blade angle at 35°, and Paul’s at ~26°.
I am not suggesting that one needs to use the same pick-blade angle as one’s musical idols; there are many different ways to hold one’s hands, as you point out.
But now perhaps newer players have some starting points to think about.

-Dave

Those are bent over more than I prefer. But,,,, everybody's different. What works, works. Mine picks are formed to the way my hand addresses the strings.

Georg!
Pretty close to the way mine are. I have a bit more bend in them, but not much. Short blade on the thumbpick. I've tried bending them more, and it just doesn't work for me. Slows me way down, takes away a lot of power, and messes up my pick blocking.

Dave,
I wear my picks just like you show.
I believe the picks in the picture are Dunlops, my favorite kind.
I like lighter gauge picks also, they're easier to shape and easier on the fingers.

Erv,

Paul Franklin's fingerpicks in the screenshot that I posted above look to me like "Jeff Newman" fingerpicks--based on the diamond-shaped holes in the pick-bands.

-Dave

I found this photo or screenshot of Buddy Emmons’ right hand that someone posted on the SGF years ago that I saved.
Using the same measurement method, it appears that Buddy angled his pick-blades around 34°.



-Dave

I use Saddle finger picks for my fingers long fingers and a dunlop plastic thumbpick. I like them because the hold the pick on my finger without it sliding off. When you bend your finger to play the steel there is a natural "bulge" which occurs and that is what is trying to constantly push the pick off your fingers. The Saddle fingerpicks have a slot which comfortably accommodates the "bulge" comfortably. Trade off: They are a little longer and harder than I like (I prefer a softer brass) but I love the fact that I can concentrate more on practicing than constantly adjusting the finger picks as they slide off. I suppose when you get real good you csn adjust them quickly without having to stop your playing but I am just a beginner.
They also make a thumbpick but I don't care for it.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... nger+picks


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Here is the way I wear mine. I like the string to strike on the edge, right next to the tip. Seems I get my best tone that way.



Note, I don't play with my hands up in the air. The photographer just wanted to be able to see both hands.

Dave,
I believe you're right.

Jordan Beyer wrote:I'm just wondering if there is a right or wrong way (by the book) to wear you picks? Fo instance I like to wear my fingerpicks as Paul is wearing them in the picture above with about 1/8in overhang that I strike with, but some other players have them bent so far that there nuckles are parallel to the strings and their finger tips are almost faceing back to them.

Hi Jordan,

I believe the differences in pick-blade curve you have noticed are the result of how the player approaches "blocking" of the strings to mute them after striking them.

Keep in mind that Paul Franklin uses pick-blocking exclusively. I learned how to pick-block from Joe Wright's instructional material, and in Joe's approach, many of the notes are blocked with the pads of one's index and middle fingertips.

With Joe's approach to pick-blocking, I realized that there needs to be a very precisely aligned gap between the pick-blade and one's fingertip to allow this blocking action to take place. Assuming that Paul pick-blocks the same way as Joe, this would explain the narrower pick-blade angle that Paul uses.

However, if you watch videos of Buddy Emmons, you will see that he held his hand much higher above the strings than Paul does, and did a lot of blocking with the tip of his right hand ring-finger. (Buddy confirmed this blocking technique in a long-ago column he wrote in Guitar Player magazine.)

This might explain why Buddy's pick-blade angle is wider than Paul's.

I couldn't find a closeup of how Doug Jernigan shapes his fingerpicks, but judging from how he flattens his hand and keeps it very close to the strings, I suspect that he curls his pick-blades around his fingertips, as you describe. From what I've heard, Doug spent a lot of time perfecting his unique style of blocking to be able to play as fast as he does.

-Dave

I'm a bit of a weirdo in this regard. I get acrylic overlays (not tips) done at a nail salon. I started doing this when I took classical guitar lessons, and I love it. I use a thumbpick for my thumb, which I can keep a couple of in my pocket. That way I'm always prepared!

James Taylor has a video with instructions for a different method/material than what I use, but a similar end result: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BqISqpMRo8

A couple of photos in this post show finger picks that have little diamond shaped holes in them, as opposed to the round holes you normally see in a Dunlop style finger pick.
Does anyone know the brand of the picks that have the diamond shapped holes? Herb Remington gave me some years ago and those were the only picks I use. But now I can't seem to find them anywhere. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jonathan

These the ones? JF's. Available from www.jeffran.com

I've used these for about 30 yrs and this is an old photo with an old address on the pkg. These are nickel silver. At one time, they offered these w/chrome plating, but not for several years now.

This song by Dawn Sears is beautiful. So sorry we lost her. Paul Franklin was very good on his part, but just for difference, if you really want to hear this played, try and get Jeff Newman's Woodshed Workshop of it. I can assure you there is none better.

I have been using the JF picks for years. They are the best for tone. I am teaching a couple guys right now and they don't like the picks either. I told them to buckle down and force themselves to use the JF picks I got for them. They will never get themselves a signature tone without the picks........ My finger picks bend around the tip of my fingers. Good for speed picking also.

Kevin, where did you get the JF pick? Did Fran start having them made? I would love to have some more, the close as I can come is National. Dunlaps are out

The JF picks are great sounding - you can even get them over here (Gerry Hogan imports them). I got some to go with the Right Hand Alpha video, although I've since discovered Nationals which I find stay on better. But remember everyone's fingers are different and this is truly what-works-for-you territory. I used 0.0225" Dunlops when I started out (they were all I could find) and they got me going just fine.

I was thinking of the Newman thumb pick. The JF can still be gotten from Fran Newman, but the thumb pick you can't. I really like them, they were the best I ever used. I now use Nationals.