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Post by Marc on Jan 12, 2014 7:46:16 GMT -6
Hey all
I wanted to see what people used mostly in their blues playing finger or picks. I've always been a pick player, but recently started playing with my fingers and found it made me sound a bit more expressive. I just wanted to see what others used and if they feel the same way.
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Post by GnLguy on Jan 12, 2014 8:28:32 GMT -6
Hey all I wanted to see what people used mostly in their blues playing finger or picks. I've always been a pick player, but recently started playing with my fingers and found it made me sound a bit more expressive. I just wanted to see what others used and if they feel the same way. For acoustic, I am playing strictly fingerstyle, its difficult to play a steady bass with a pick. With electric, I use a pick but have been developing hybrid picking to help with playing double stops.
At one point, I was trying to play electric only fingerstyle. I used my thumb as a downstroke and index finger for the upstroke. It was going OK but I found that I did better with a pick.
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Post by bluesbruce on Jan 12, 2014 14:27:03 GMT -6
If anyone asked me (and, yes, I realize no one did!), I would encourage everyone to learn to play ALL of these ways (fingers, pick, hybrid) - you'll find what works best for you in a particular setting. There are many great players who have played each of these ways.
Bruce : )
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Post by TommyD on Jan 12, 2014 15:09:24 GMT -6
On the electric guitar I play with a pick, although like many here I try to play finger style as well. With an acoustic guitar I finger pick, but it is a different style of music.
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JohnG
Full Member
Posts: 193
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Post by JohnG on Jan 13, 2014 22:47:34 GMT -6
I like to use a flat pick, my thumb, or thumb and fingers (no finger or thumbpicks). I use a pick for brighter tone and faster playing. Thumb for a warmer, fatter Wes Montgomery tone. I add fingers for upstrokes. Of course for Travis picking or thumping the bass on a down home, country blues, I use a fingerstyle method, involving most of my fingers at one point or another. Same with pseudo-classical, contrapuntal tunes and improv.
I agree that you should ultimately try them all. Of course, all in good time. Don't spread yourself too thin. Focus on a few things.
JG
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Post by TommyD on Jan 17, 2014 17:48:11 GMT -6
When I started to learn finger picking I anchored my pinky finger on the guitar. I was told that the correct way is to not anchor your finger like that. However I have seen videos of very fine guitar players that keep a finger, or two, on the guitar while finger picking, so it looks like it's a matter of choice. What do most players do? Is there an advantage to one way over the other?
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Post by GnLguy on Jan 17, 2014 18:40:48 GMT -6
When I started to learn finger picking I anchored my pinky finger on the guitar. I was told that the correct way is to not anchor your finger like that. However I have seen videos of very fine guitar players that keep a finger, or two, on the guitar while finger picking, so it looks like it's a matter of choice. What do most players do? Is there an advantage to one way over the other? Thanks to genetics, the only way that I can anchor my pinky while fingerpicking is if the guitar has a pickguard like a Les Paul or ES335. My little finger is much shorter than most so.....
The theory behind anchoring the little finger is to ensure that the index, middle and ring finger are in place for the treble strings. I understand that but I can't make it happen and I've learned to play pretty well
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Post by Marc on Jan 18, 2014 21:19:07 GMT -6
When I started to learn finger picking I anchored my pinky finger on the guitar. I was told that the correct way is to not anchor your finger like that. However I have seen videos of very fine guitar players that keep a finger, or two, on the guitar while finger picking, so it looks like it's a matter of choice. What do most players do? Is there an advantage to one way over the other? not sure if this will help. how i finger pick is different depending on what I'm playing, more the pattern than style. if i play a travis pick i always anchoring my pinky and ring finger on the guitar/pick guard but other types of pick i find that i anchor my palm behind the bridge. I have a gretsch and les paul so so i have a bridge to rest my hand on. |
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Post by grampalerxst on Jan 19, 2014 6:02:10 GMT -6
On electric I play almost exclusively with a pick, but somewhere down the road would like to branch out from that.
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