Finger Picks?
Jerry Berrier
I can do okay with a thumb pick, but the only kind of finger picks I've
found are the metal ones used to play the 5 string banjo, and they don't
seem to do so well on the guitar.
My fingertips need to remain sensitive, so I'm hesitant to do a whole lot of
finger picking without some sort of picks.
.
--
Jerry Berrier
Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
jerry....@townisp.com
gozy
pick for decades. I refuse to grow my nails long to just accommodate one
segment of my life, and I've yet to find plastic finger picks I like, so
metal it is. Sometimes record producers grumble, but other than that I get
along just fine.
Ken Cashion
<jerry....@townisp.com> wrote:
Yes, guys, you already know what I am going to say. :o)
Jerry, I would think you were picking banjo with Nationals or
something similar.
I had a similar problem as you and got some picks that are no
longer made today (Stevens), but good ol'John Pearse has some just
like them and I always recommend them. They are called "High Riders"
and are sold by Elderly. Get on the net and look at those.
I have used these for more than 30 years and have never had
any pain but always maintained control.
They do need to be shaped to fit your fingers and I can tell
you how to do this if you would e-mail me...no need to keep boring the
old timers here.
Ken Cashion, who usually gives the same answers to the same
questions. :o)
Chris Mullin
"Jerry Berrier" <jerry....@townisp.com> wrote in message
news:ve2h5t...@corp.supernews.com...
Jerry
A couple of fingerpicks that I have treid and like are ...
Alaska Piks ... these slip on yer finger and under yer nail. Yep ya do need
a little bit of nail. I like 'em.
FingerTones [ProPick] ... more like standard style finger picks 'cept your
fingertips are exposed and can feel the string. A little bit metalis but ...
I like 'em.
I do believe that any type of fingerpick you try out will feel awkward for a
while but if ya keep using them [even part time] they eventually start to
feel betterer.
Good luck
Stay tuned ...
Chris
Steve Comeau
If you want to give fingerpicks a shot, you're best bet is to spend a few $
and sample several brands.
I'm a satisfied user of Pro-Pik Fingertone fingerpicks for several years
now. These picks are cut to allow the flesh of your fingertip to poke
through and feel the string.
I convinced my local music store to stock the Fingertones, but you can find
a great selection of these and most other brands of thumbpicks and
fingerpicks in catalogs like the one from Elderly Music.
That's the short answer. If you want more advice, read on:
I can flatpick as well, but with respect to fingerstyle I first learned to
play classical style - flesh and nail. I migrated to metal picks with a
plastic thumbpick when I began to learn country blues a few years ago. My
favorite contemporary country blues guitar players like Jorma Kaukonen and
Chris Smither use them to great effect. That said, other favorites like Roy
Book Binder do amazing things with just well-callused thumbs and fingertips,
or strong fingernails. It really is a matter of personal taste and style.
Don't be afraid to bend metal fingerpicks, including the wrap, to make them
more comfortable or fit your fingertip better. I use a pair of wire wrapping
pliers - they have rounded tips instead of flat or gnurled - but gentle
prodding with plain needle-nose pliers will do the trick as well.
Another trick with metal fingerpicks is rotate them slightly
counterclockwise (when pointing your finger toward your face) so that they
strike the string more squarely.
Because the Fingertones have an inside edge where your fingertip pokes out,
they are scratchier at first than traditional metal picks. However, with a
little wear and proper angling on your fingertip they smooth out. Recently,
I found that fine sandpaper (320 grit) and steel wool on the inside edges
works as well.
No matter what you do, metal picks are noisier than fingernails, acrylic
nails, plastic picks or Alaska picks. Just the nature of the beast. They
work for me because I play mostly acoustic blues these days. Other folks on
the newsgroup can offer great advice on the alternatives. Good luck and
happy picking.
Finally, it takes awhile to get accustomed to any type of fingerpick. There
are no shortcuts. Just practice and play with them on.
Good luck and happy picking.
All the best,
Steve Comeau
"Jerry Berrier" <jerry....@townisp.com> wrote in message
news:ve2h5t...@corp.supernews.com...
Jurjen
along with a plastic or steel thumbpick.
It doesn't give the feel and precize speed real nails will, also
downstroking with them is impossible. But on a simple guitar and medium
strings they do give a big sound.
Rev. Gary Davids used them 'to protect his fingers' in the days before
amplification. Great stuff to play like this, a little jerky country
blues style you want to check out.
Jurjen
Jerry Berrier wrote:
> I'm curious to know if any of you use finger picks when playing the guitar.
> I can do okay with a thumb pick, but the only kind of finger picks I've
> found are the metal ones used to play the 5 string banjo, and they don't
> seem to do so well on the guitar.
> My fingertips need to remain sensitive, so I'm hesitant to do a whole lot of
> finger picking without some sort of picks.
> .
>
>
--
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one
persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all
progress depends on the unreasonable man.
G.B. Shaw
John Holbrook
"Ken Cashion" <kcas...@datasync.com> wrote in message
news:3ee1bac0...@news.datasync.com...
(Snipped discussion about various brands of metal fingerpicks)
> They do need to be shaped to fit your fingers and I can tell
> you how to do this if you would e-mail me...no need to keep boring the
> old timers here.
>
> Ken Cashion, who usually gives the same answers to the same
> questions. :o)
Ken,
I use the National metal fingerpicks for the banjo, and years ago I carved a
replica of my finger from wood, taking several measurements to assure an
accurate model. To use it, I slide the fingerpick onto the wooden replica,
place it on a hard surface, and tap it with a hammer to shape the pick. It
works like a charm, and doesn't hurt nearly as much as using your finger for
this method!
John
Ken Cashion
But John, as clever as that is (and it is), how can you appear
an ethnic banjo player if you don't keep sticking your fingers in your
mouth and biting down on the picks to make them clamp on the sore
cuticles? :o)
Ken Cashion
John Holbrook
> >
> >I use the National metal fingerpicks for the banjo, and years ago I
carved a
> >replica of my finger from wood, taking several measurements to assure an
> >accurate model. To use it, I slide the fingerpick onto the wooden
replica,
> >place it on a hard surface, and tap it with a hammer to shape the pick.
It
> >works like a charm, and doesn't hurt nearly as much as using your finger
for
> >this method!
>
> But John, as clever as that is (and it is), how can you appear
> an ethnic banjo player if you don't keep sticking your fingers in your
> mouth and biting down on the picks to make them clamp on the sore
> cuticles? :o)
>
> Ken Cashion
Hey, Ken
I've progressed past the ethnic banjo player stage all the way to the
"Banned from EC Gatherings Banjo Player Stage"!
John
Ken Cashion
Wow! A progressive banjo player.
What do they progress to, I wonder. Guitar player. :o)
Ken Cashion
John Holbrook
> >I've progressed past the ethnic banjo player stage all the way to the
> >"Banned from EC Gatherings Banjo Player Stage"!
>
> Wow! A progressive banjo player.
> What do they progress to, I wonder. Guitar player. :o)
>
> Ken Cashion
I think the term would be "revert"! I reverted back to being a guitar
player. <G>
(Sure was fun while it lasted, tho........)