Finger picks or guitar pick ?

[Jerry Recktenwald]

I have been playing the lap steel for a little over a year now. But I have been playing the guitar for over 40 years. I play in a little country band , we play volunteer , a lot more fun ! I play the steel and the reg guitar when we play. People on the forum highly recommended that I use finger picks playing the steel. I find it difficult to switch from one to another. Today while playing at home on my regular guitar I used my guitar pick and to me my lead sounds so much better . I have been using metal finger picks on the lap steel. Has anyone else experience this problem?

[Ron Whitfield]

If that's what allows you to rip, have at it! There are rules, but who says you can't bend or break them?

[Chris Griffin]

There aren't too many that play lap steel with a flat pick or plectrum, but I am one of them. Tut Taylor is another, although he's far more talented than me. Look him up on Youtube. I came from regular guitar too, & used to play with a flat pick.
Chris

[Matt Berg]

I have been playing the lap steel for a little over a year now. But I have been playing the guitar for over 40 years. I play in a little country band , we play volunteer , a lot more fun ! I play the steel and the reg guitar when we play. People on the forum highly recommended that I use finger picks playing the steel. I find it difficult to switch from one to another. Today while playing at home on my regular guitar I used my guitar pick and to me my lead sounds so much better . I have been using metal finger picks on the lap steel. Has anyone else experience this problem?

I'm pretty much in the same boat, except the choice is easy for me 'cause I'm not a very good fingerpicker. Another option of course is to put the pick down and play with your fingertips. Something I tried messing with for a hot minute was using a zookie angled thumbpick and touching my index finger to my thumb trying to fake my hand out into thinking it was holding a flatpick. Anyone else ever try this? Didn't work for you either?

[Jerry Recktenwald]

Well I don't feel like a fish out of the water now , some times you feel all alone. NOT NOW !

[Papa Joe Pollick]

I use flat pick and bare fingers on 6 string, lap, and PSG on gigs..Allthough I do use thumb and finger picks a lot for (practice only)...

[Mike Neer]

Steve Cunningham does, too. I used a flatpick for the first year or 2. I find it very limiting in terms of being able to play wide harmonies and octaves, but one solution could be to put a fingerpick on your ring finger and use it in conjunction with the flatpick. It would certainly solve that problem with a little practice.

[Bill Hatcher]

either is fine...or none is too!

[Stephen Abruzzo]

Steve Cunningham uses a flatpick between thumb/index finger and then uses his middle/ring fingers for fingerpicking. Watch his YouTube vids as he's a fabulous player.

[James Nottage]

A pedal player who also uses a guitar pick and two finger picks is Jan Jonsson. His performance in the St. Louis jazz sessions was a clear demonstration of how personal confidence and effective technique can be counter to what other players do. BOb took a nice picture showing that flat pick held between forefinger and thumb.

James

[Jerry Recktenwald]

Yes I'm going to start using my reg guitar pick to play the lap steel and it will make my lead playing sound so much cleaner and cleaner . when I am playing I have my guitar on with a strap and am sitting behind my lap steel [ which is on legs ] I switch back and forth playing in the band. Can't have too many guitars . I have a Variax 500 that I use but now my new toy! Epiphone Dot flameburst 335. So much fun! What next a tambourine on my foot!

[Andy Volk]

I'm a flat picker on standard guitar but forced myself to move to fingerpicks for lap steel for the reasons Mike outlined. Yet even after 20+ years playing with fingerpicks I still feel more comfortable and free in phrasing and articulation having a flat pick in my hand. My motto is do whatever works to get the music out that feels right, doesn't cause injury, sounds good and let's you articulate what you hear in your head.

[Steve Ahola]

When I had to switch from regular guitar to steel guitar for medical reasons two years ago I was not able to wear metal fingerpicks and was never very good at fingerpicking regular guitar with my bare fingers. Several members here sell metal fingerpicks coated with PlastiDip (typically used to add rubber coating to metal tool handles) and with them I was able to wear the metal fingerpicks and learn how to use them.

When I was able to play regular guitar again I found out that my bare fingerpicking had gotten much better (something that I have desired for a long time). A lot of blues guitarists play with just their fingers- no pick- and they have great control over dynamics. Freddy King was one of the few blues guitarists who used metal fingerpicks which gave him a sharper tone.

I would suggest that if you will be switching back and forth between regular guitar (played with a flat pick) and lap steel in a song that you stash the flat pick and play the lap steel with bare fingers for a chorus or two. If you are going to play an entire song with lap steel I don't see a problem using fingerpicks when you are looking for a brighter sound, or bare fingers for more control over dynamics. IMO if you want a real C&W sound you need to use metal fingerpicks- I consider that to be part of the "steel" in steel guitar (in addition to the steel strings and steel bar). [Some C&W steel players like Bobbe Seymour use their fingernails- if you can do that, great!]

If you want to develop your own technique of flatpicking on lap steel, go for it! But I think that do you want to be able to play with your fingers as well (with or without picks.)

Just my own opinions here as always...

Steve Ahola

EDIT: I think that it is worth the effort to try to learn how to play the "right" way, but if that doesn't work for you then do it your own way.

[Jerry Hayes]

One of the best lapsteel players out there by the name of "Junior Brown" plays both the standard guitar and lapsteel parts of his famous "Guitsteel" with a flat pick and metal fingerpicks on his middle and ring fingers and goes effortlessly from one to the other. I've always played guitar with a thumbpick and fingerpicks and when playing lapsteel just leave the guitar strapped on........JH in Va.

[Jerry Recktenwald]

Both methods have there advantage when playing lead on the steel. I guess that I need to give it a little time experimenting using both types of picks together[reg and the finger picks] meet in the middle and make the best of both style of picking. I should look at it that it's not a problem , it's a opportunity to take my playing to a new level.

[Chris Walke]

Best of both worlds?
Dunlop Herco combo thumbpick/flatpick.

[Matt Berg]

Of course there are a lot of "regular" guitar players who use 2 fingers and a flatpick, Richard Thompson for one.

I have tried to work this into my guitar playing with limited success, but this thread is making me think about putting finger picks back on those fingers, and using them on guitar, and if I can get comfortable with that, trying to move that technique over to lapsteel.

[Steve Ahola]

Just wondering if anyone here is using plastic fingerpicks for either regular electric or steel guitar? I remember them being very popular with folk guitarists back in the day. It seems like it was the banjo and dobro players who were the big users of the metal fingerpicks. And the steel guitarists as I later learned.

There are a lot of regular guitarists who use their other fingers along with a flat pick but I think it is usually just bare fingers and not fingerpicks.

I think that one reason Freddy King used metal fingerpicks instead of bare fingertips was that guitarists were using very heavy strings in the 50's. (Only a very few of them knew about using a banjo string for the high E string and then moving a set of light strings down one position.) The reason he cited was to save wear and tear on his fingers. With light gauges (.009 or .010) I don't think that is a factor. One advantage that metal fingerpicks have over bare fingers or plastic fingerpicks is the percussive quality.

V-picks has come out with a thumbpick that looks very interesting. However for $25 I would need to know that it would fit my thumb properly!



http://v-picks.com/productdetails.php?q=173&page=pick

Steve

[Chris Walke]

Not trying to re-start a tired old battle, but it's interesting to me how flexible everyone seems to be regarding the whole fingerpick vs bare fingers question. Change the variables to stevens style (sharp cut or bullet end) vs traditional bullet bar and the gloves come off. I mean, my goodness, what would Jerry Byrd have to say about fingerpicks?

...ok, that was a bit of a dig, but my point is I like that the answers to the pick question are more about personal preference. Refreshing.

[Jerry Recktenwald]

Hi Chris ! I'll have to look into your idea of the flat thumb pick . And Steve ,yes I agree that I would need to try the pick in your picture out before shelling out $25.00 for only one pick.

[Paul E. Miller]

I started out playing steel. Then I went to guitar and learned how to finger pick. Somewhere along the way I started to hit downstrokes with the top side of my fingers. Now I've come back to steel and can't stop this style of picking, so I use a thumb pick and bare fingers in the same style. I can also pick chords and octaves, or whatever is needed. I just decided to do what works for me. So I'd suggest you do what works for you and don't worry about what's right or wrong. Music as art, not science.

[Matt Berg]

Not trying to re-start a tired old battle, but it's interesting to me how flexible everyone seems to be regarding the whole fingerpick vs bare fingers question. Change the variables to stevens style (sharp cut or bullet end) vs traditional bullet bar and the gloves come off. I mean, my goodness, what would Jerry Byrd have to say about fingerpicks?

...ok, that was a bit of a dig, but my point is I like that the answers to the pick question are more about personal preference. Refreshing.

Interesting point.

And I'd agree with Mike Neer that there are limitations to playing flat pick, and also the post which states to learn what the right way is and then do what's best for you. Thing is, I can put together enough decent stuff to play out flatpicking while I'd need to shed with the fingerpicks for years before I got adequate enough, so it's a no brainer for me. Other folks are way more dedicated to practicing, I wish I was one, but I am not!

[AJ Azure]

Try this it seems similar to the v-pick and cheaper. I've been using it, decent results.


http://fredkellypicks.com/bumble-bee.html

[George Piburn]

Hello from GeorgeBoards

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[George Rout]

Just one comment on this thread!!!!!

Folks that play without finger picks cannot possibly be nail biters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Geo