To pick or not to pick

Russell Adkins · From: Louisiana, USA

how many of you steel players are there that don't use the metal finger picks? I tried them and have got them caught under strings and fell off , they just don't seem to work for me very well , I use bare fingers , am I going in the wrong direction or continue with just fingers alone? I do play 6 string guitar with just my fingers no pick at all .

John Scanlon · From: Jackson, Mississippi, USA

Look at what Bobbe Seymour was able to accomplish without them.
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Herb Steiner · From: Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064

Bare fingertips give a softer sound, less brittle. I frequently play without finger picks at the house, though I always use a thumb pick due to the angle of attack by the thumb. Ditto on the finger pick occasionally flying off, most frequently from my index finger.

Onstage, I always use finger picks, but I have seen Buddy E very occasionally play w/o them onstage.
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Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Herb, I've found I can get just about the same tone bare-fingered, but you have to have fairly short nails, and the fleshy bit just under the nail will grip and snap the string to give the same bright attack. But I find it gets uncomfortable after just a few minutes.
If you want the bright crisp tone people associate with the pedal steel, learn the picks.
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Larry Carlson · From: My Computer

I don't use finger picks but that is because I have been finger picking 6 string acoustics for years.
I tried using picks when I started steel but I didn't like it at all. I prefer being able to "feel" the strings with my fingers.
I have, however, started using a thumb pick just because the picking angle is so different from my acoustics and it is much easier to get a good tone.

Different strokes for different folks.
I was always told there is no right or wrong way just as long as music comes out.
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Russell Adkins · From: Louisiana, USA

Thanks for the comments , I will continue without the metal picks , it seems to please my ears I play for myself anyway although the thumb pick ill give a try thanks again Russ

Jeff Metz Jr. · From: York, Pennsylvania, USA

I highly recommend making friends with finger picks!
I too had trouble getting used to them, but I forced myself to use them on dobro one day and I had them down in about an hour. NO way I would even think about going back now.
But that's just it, once your comfortable with them, you can choose to use them or not. At least you know you can should they prove useful in a situation.
Think of them as part of learning the instrument.
Good luck!
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Bob Mainwaring · From: Qualicum Beach Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

Similar topics have been up before re' metal picks.
I`ve used them for many many years on my ol`Z.B. plus my ol`5 string and more recently my Dobro.
This also includes a metal thumb pick too as my big thumb doesn`t want to hold on to a plastic one .......the tone for me is way better with being all metal, plus the holes in them tend to want to stay on. Very Happy

All Z.B.est.
Bob.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

When I started to picking around on a lap steel years ago I learned one thing very quickly. Don't try to just bend them quickly. Take a round steel rod slightly smaller than your finger clamped in a vice and a small hammer and smoothly bend the picks round to fit your finger, or slightly oval for a perfect fit. If you just kink them in the holes on most picks they catch on each other and you pull them loose as your fingers pass each other picking. Slightly flaring the edges of the wings will help keep them comfortable to. If you bend the tip to line up with your fingernail makes the pick become natural part of your finger. Happy Steelin

Steve Collins · From: Alaska, USA

I have never got the hang myself. I am only 2+ years in, and I have a constant nag in my head "use the picks, every one else says use the picks" but I am so much happier and when I don't, and my sound suits me fine, so for now, I just do my thing, naked fingertips. I am also finding so much more of a voice nowadays with just fingers on electric six string, maybe the two are related.

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

A) Learn them. There's reasons 93.5% of all the steel music you like was made with them. You can make only an intelligent choice based on musical needs when you know both ways. I mean, that's not a complicated idea... Question

B) Have at least three sets: the ones you practice with, and the ones you fiddle with to make them fit better WHEN you're watching TV, in bed, in the bath, driving etc. And when one set gets better than the other set, they switch places. Use at least two sets of pliers, the little roundnose wire-bending jewelry pliers are especially non-marking.

~ Spending all your practice time trying to make the g@d d@mn picks "fit better" is not really advancing towards your musical goals, like. At ALL. ~

And the third set is to answer the "long tips poking out vs. short tips curled under" question. Which doesn't have two right answers like "A" above, but it is different for different people. Curl them up, straighten them out, angle them, clip them short, round them, flatten them, sand, buff, polish etc. How the heck else is anyo... well OK. There are people who change stuff around after 20 years of playing, and they get better from it. So... dick with it, that's all.

C) National NP2's, Kysers, Showtime 41's, and "valuable vintage" Nationals all act exactly the same. As do .025"s and .0225"s. Dunlops are somewhat different, and you will want to try some .018"s at some point. I still occasionally use that (.018", .015") on electric guitar when too much nude thrashing about has left me bereft of skin. And the double-band Propiks are different from all those. But these are the best:
http://elderly.com/accessories/names/acri-fingerpick--ACFP.htm

I need a medium on my ring finger, large on the middle, and either can do my index. I have to shorten the tips 3/32" and round them up quite a bit. B@njo players....
http://jdmc.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SEARCH&Store_Code=JDM&Sort=&q=acri

The pointy ones are new, and look pre-shortened at least. When these are set up right they are so much more comfortable than anything else most people don't like them, they need to feel the pain to feel like a "real" steel player, "Well if it was good enough for Buddy in 1962, well it's a-good enough for me." cackle cackle etc.

There's a whole BUNCH of stuff that can be put on the bands of the painful ones, makes for abundant search fun ->

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