thumpick and fingerpick tone

jim milewski · From: stowe, vermont

what do you think (or know) the best way to get uniform tone from a plastic and metal pick

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

One word. Practice.

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

Uniform picking?

Roger Edgington · From: San Antonio, Texas USA

There are different styles of thumb picks that can give a slightly different attack or warmth, but as already stated, most of it is practice. Everything changes the sound like,how square to the string you pick,how hard,and where you play on the neck.

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

The late Jeff Newman was a master of uniform tone from thumb and fingerpicks. I attended a seminar in El Segundo, California around '77 or '78 and during one of the breaks some of us were asking him some questions while he was seated at his guitar. One question was about uniform tone. Jeff demonstrated how he did it. He did a forward roll, thumb, index, middle, over and over again slow and very fast and all on the 1st string! He said it was critical to get the technique down but not to restrict your playing that way! Getting a different tone also has it's place and sometimes sounds better that a uniform tone. It all depends on the song.....JH in Va.

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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

For me the difference in sound is not from what kind of pick, so much as from where I pick the string. Thumb is further from the end of the string. So finger-picked notes have more high harmonic content than thumb-picked.

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

I think that the difference in tone between thumb and finger picks is very musical. It adds to the separation of notes.

David Doggett · Posted 12 Sep 2005 10:12 am

I use a metal thumbpick. Always used one for finger-pickin' guitar and Dobro, and just never changed when I took up steel. What's the point of using a plastic thumb pick with metal finger picks? I guess I could see all plastic picks for an electric instrument, if you could get use to it; but I don't understand the point of mixing them.

David Wren · From: Placerville, California, USA

And, speaking as the "opposite Dave", I have always used plastic finger picks, with my plastic thumb..... there, something for everyone.
I've heard fantastic tone from all, the practice advice was the best one so far.

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Dave Wren
'95Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Session500; Hilton Pedal
www.ameechapman.com

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Jim, all I can add is that the thickness of a thumb pick (as well as the shape, to a lesser degree), determines the attack. Thin thumb picks will give a sharper sound than thick picks will. Finger picks (the metal variety) have less variation in their attack, though certain styles (the old Nationals and the Keysers) have a "sweeter" sound due to the alloy used to make the pick.

Much of the "sound uniformity" comes from just years of using them, though. My advice would be to select for comfort first, and then the sound. If your picks hurt your fingers, or won't stay on, then the sound they offer is a moot point.

Jim Bates · From: Alvin, Texas, USA

There are differences in 'tone' depending on the plastic used for the pick. I discovered the Dobro clear plastic thumbpick (pointed more than most) 40 years ago and use it on pedal steel and dobros.
Run an experiment: pick an unwound string with the thumbpick and then with the metal finger pick. The clear plastic Dobro pick (and also the Dunlop clear plastic, pointed end pick) have no tone change.

If you can't hear the difference, then don't worry about it, just play with what pick feels good.

Thanx,
Jim

Bob Mainwaring · From: Qualicum Beach Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

I guess I'm like David Doggett in the respect of using a metal thumb pick. I switched years ago for the very same reasoning as the metal one takes so much "hammering' and stays it's shape sooooo much longer.
I also use one on the ol' 5 string too and like the more shaped/pointed end than the plastic types........just a personal thing.

Bob Mainwaring Z.Bs. and other weird things.

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David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

I have a "heavy set" and a "light set", matched to each other for tone as well as feeling. My heavys are National NP2 reissue fingerpicks and either a Kelly regular thumbpick sanded a bit short or a Kelly heavy Slick Pick, always delrin. My light set are Kyser fingerpicks and a Herco blue thumbpick, also a bit shortened. I tend to use the heavy set until my fingers hurt then switch, or I think that the light set gives me a tiny bit more speed (5%?).

I'm really quite obsessive/compulsive/fanatic about bending the fingerpicks just so, and getting the thumbpicks exactly the right length and shape. I'm always trying different stuff too, I have a boxful of these things. I prefer either re-angled Kysers or Dunlop 0.015's for standard guitar, except when I use Jeff Newman's, and so on and on. Cheaper than collecting Ferraris, that's for sure.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

"Pick" as it affects TONE.........

Being olde and often confused, I can't help but wonder about the different "picking techniques" being used by so many players of today.

"Grabbing", "Hammering", (the words of others on this Forum) etc., etc..... What ever happened to "rolling" the strings off of the tips of the picks.... with your picking hand positioned in the richest sounding spot on the neck....for a soft, heart-felt TONE? And is there any other way to pick other than "RAPIDLY"?

As I've gotten older, I've noted a lot of more VIOLENT types of picking, stiff fingered clawing, stiff cramped arm and hand positions, and the like. This can be observed at most any steel jam afair.

Sorta like get an electronic gadget, the more the better of course, to "make good tone" while quite possibly employing an inadvisable or no technique at all, to rip the sound/tone out of the guitar.

Ray Uhl · From: Riverside, Missouri, USA

David, I thought I was the only guy with $14,000

worth of picks, all types. Still enjoy experimenting. I think "tinkering" is a much fun as playing.

Nic du Toit · From: Milnerton, Cape, South Africa

Well, Ray Montee again managed to put into words the things I've been noticing.
On the other hand (???), continue experimenting and try to get your own voice on the steel.
Regards,
Nic

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Nic du Toit
1970 Rosewood P/P Emmons D10 Fatback 8x4
Peavey Session 500 unmodfied

My CD "Nightmare on Emmons Steel"
Click here to E-mail us.

jim milewski · From: stowe, vermont

good replys, thanks to all, great advice, the technique is perhaps the greatest effect overall, on a Zane Beck album it seemed he "massaged" the strings, very soft touch, on the other hand when seeing Robt Randolf his fingers looked like "dive bombers" on some more aggresive tunes.
I went as far as adding solder behind the blade of the finger pick to get a heavier and fuller sound, experimentation is interesting.

Rick Nicklas · From: Verona, Mo. (deceased)

And then, if you want a real interesting tone, just pinch the thumb and index off the string at the same time (like snapping your fingers) while pushing or letting off your pedals. This is a very nice unusual tone especially at the 12th fret when just touching and releasing the bar off the string while doing this.

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Rick
Williams & Kline U-12's, Session 500

[This message was edited by Rick Nicklas on 24 September 2005 at 05:18 AM.]

Michael Breid · From: Eureka Springs, Arkansas, USA

There are some new Nationals and other brands out there that have a cobalt treatment on them that is supposed to be really good for "the tone". They are twice as high in price as a regular set. I'm afraid I couldn't tell the difference(other than the higher price). I got a pair of Newman's fingerpicks a few years ago and use them and Kysers. They work the best for me. Some people will use a Newman on the index finger and a Kyser or National on the middle finger or vice versa. It's whatever floats your boat I reckon.

Michael

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