The Steel Guitar Forum

I was wondering how others approach picking the same note more than once in a fast run. Do you use alternating thumb /fingers or use the thumb like a flat pick? Ed

Personally,I use an alternating action between thumb and index and I start with which ever one makes me come out right at the end of the figure.In the band I'm playing in at the moment,Cody Bryant does a bluegrass fiddle version of "Pipeline"(the old surf instrumental)and in that tune I get to do the staccato double picking descending chromatic figure on steel.I do it by slightly shifting and re-gripping the thumbpick like a flatpick while tucking the index & middle fingerpicks up and away from the strings and pick up-and-down strokes w/the thumbpick back by the bridge on the low E string of my universal.To get the correct angle of approach,you also have to shift your right elbow out to the right almost in line w/the strings - kind of like how some guys line up for fingertip harmonics.That takes a second to set up for and recover from so it's not a real handy technique for me in my normal spur-of-the-moment playing. -MJ-

Thumb/index most of the time -- sometimes Thumb/middle. I seem to be able to do that about the same speed as I could with a flatpick or using a thumbpick like one -- which I never do because my index fingerpick feels awkward up against the thumbpick.

Do what works for you.

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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Emmons D-10 9x9, 1971 Dobro