How the heck do I use fingerpicks?

Justin Lee · From: Georgia, USA

... So I had my first PSG lesson a couple of days ago with Mark van Allen (who's a great teacher, by the way). And he really packed a ton of great information into our lesson that I wouldn't have picked up on my own. Things like proper sitting position, how to roll the bar for vibrato, which sounded far better than my "pencil eraser" bar shaking.

All great stuff, and towards the end of the lesson he asked if I planned to use fingerpicks and a thumbpick. I had been playing with thumb and bare fingers. What I said was something I think he had heard a thousand times, probably most of you who teach have heard it too.

What I said was that I had tried fingerpicks in the past and had never figured out how to use them. I said that I always play guitar with bare fingers.

If I wasn't running late to get home I'm sure he would have been able to answer this next part. That would have been "How the heck do I use them?" I would have gone on to say that all my attempts to use fingerpicks have ended poorly. When I play guitar, I mute the strings I'm not playing with the fingers I'm not using. The flesh is soft and it deadens the strings just fine. When I wear these fingerpicks things go wrong.

I have a couple of problems:

The first is that I'm probably not wearing them right. They stick out about an eighth of an inch past my fingertip, which throws my aim off. My fingers have a memory, and the eighth of an inch throws them off. They clang against the wrong strings when I try to pick, and they click against the strings when I'm trying to mute.

The second problem is that I have never, ever been able to pluck a string with a fingerpick and have it sound clean. More often than not the pick rolls under the string and gets my finger caught up between the strings. Sometimes they get pulled off in the process. Any pluck that doesn't end in the pick twirling around the string is more like the pick striking the string on the curved part and rolling off the edge, hardly making a sound.

I said I had two problems, but there is a third. Maybe its a shortcoming, but I really like using bare fingers. There's something about having skin contact with the strings that feels comfortable. I also anchor constantly with the unused fingers and its easy to grip the strings with bare fingers. They just skate against the strings with fingerpicks.

I've always played electric guitar, and have compensated for the mellower attack by dialing in a little more volume and treble than a pick-only player would use, and I'm used to it.

So to come around to the point, I guess I have two questions:

1) Can someone explain to me how to wear and use fingerpicks?

2) Should I really learn to use them even if I'm really predisposed to play fingerstyle, or fingerstyle plus thumbpick? Can I alter the way I pluck to use more of the fingernail, or am I just trying to bargain my way out of learning something that I really should be doing anyway?

Sorry for the long post, but thanks for reading it. I know a lot of you play differently and that there's most likely not a right or wrong answer. But if any of you care to share your experiences I'm all ears.

Thanks,

Justin Lee
Atlanta, Ga

Justin Lee · From: Georgia, USA

Hey, maybe I should have read Frank's almost exact same question just a few posts down from mine!

Sorry guys, I read it and saw some good responses.

Still, if someone could shed some light on how to actually use the things I might have better luck with them.

Thanks!

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Justin-Why change if yu are doing good without the picks. The Great Bobby Seymour, plays a lot without picks , and it sure don't hurt HIS playing...al. Smile

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Steve Norman · From: Seattle Washington, USA

I have been using them about 4 years,,and there are nights when I struggle with them. After a very painful while you will figure out how you want them bent, and how tight. I curve mine up so that my fingernail touches the pick. I use dunlop brass ones,as they sound duller and less tinny to me. I am using orange hercos,,but recently went through a zookie phase.

I like the sticato and the volume/tone I get from finger picks or I shure would have quit a while ago. I play dobro and a 5 string unmentionable that requires finger picks,,so i dont have a choice really. I think the painful agonising journey of learning the dam things is worth it. I use pick and knuckle blocking in conjunction to get a good mute.Just pick blocking alonesounds to clicky for my tastes.

I think a good thing to do when learning the picks is to not use a volume pedal. Just go straight into the amp. This will sound horrible,but it will teach you good technique that can be made better by the V pedal later.

Another thing is experiment with where on the string you pick, as it will change your tone. Closer to the bar hand/neck will be warmer, closer to the pickup will be brighter/more shrill.
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Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

Are you now using your nails or the flesh to attack the strings?

If you are using the flesh, you can do this...your sound will be very mellow and unlike 99% of what you hear other steelers sound like.

If you are using your nails, you will eat them up very quickly and then you will be frustrated in getting a good tone on the steel AND on the guitar.
There is a pic I use with my nails called the ALASKA Pik. It clips under your existing nail. Works nicely for me. Here is a link. You have to trim these with nail clippers and then file them to your specs.

http://www.alaskapik.com/

They carry these over at Maple Street Guitars in Buckhead. I see you are in the Atlanta area.

A. J. Schobert · From: Cincinnati, Ohio,

JL yes you should wear finger picks.

I tried it booth ways myself and I get alot of better tone, I think you will find this out.

I like JN brand picks I get them from Billy Coopers, they are already bent.

If I have a different pair of picks I model them off the JN picks they sit onto my finger nail and extend outward and bend back, thus preventing my nail to catch a string, also this helps as the strings are flat.

Just wait for your next lesson and ask, once you see how they are done I think you will want to wear them.

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Justin-A lot of good advice from fellow Forum members. As mentioned 99% of the players use picks...al. Smile

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Tom Buur · From: Denmark

I have just started steel too after many years of guitar playing using mainly my fingers (nails, but sometimes flesh). I too felt more comfortable playing with just my fingers as usual. But since most steelers recommend using picks I have decided to use picks.

I think it works reasonably for me. It is mainly the first few minutes I feel uncomfortable. Yes, I would feel better using my fingers still. But I also think it sounds better with picks.

I found that National vintage suited me best for the fingers. It has been a lot harder to find a suitable thumbpick. Some picks just start rotating around my thumb.

Since no local dealer had but a single variety of thumbpicks, I searched eBay and this came up:

http://stores.ebay.com/Tickle-Music-Store

I asked them to send me a selection of about 10 large size thumbpicks. And they did. I actually got 12 for my 11 dollars, nicely wrapped in shrink with little handwritten labels telling what make they were.

A little more than half of them did the rotation trick when put on my thumb. But something like five are left for me to test in actual playing. I probably end with a National here too, mainly because they are easier to get than some of the others that may work for too. Anyway, I will, of course, order from the same eBay store again once I have made my choice.

Jim Manley · From: bremerton Washington, USA

I would recommend taking a look at Jeff Newmans right hand alpha video.it not only covers wearing picks but a lot of good advise on blocking and crosss over picking as well.His courses can be found thru a lot of steel guitar sites but i buy directly from Fran at jeffran college.
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Alan Faulkner · From: Ontario, Canada

Ron Randall · From: Dallas, Texas, USA

Welcome to the steel world.

Finger pics are a pain. I now find myself using finger picks and thumb picks on six string acoustic and 12 string acoustic guitars.
If you are like many of us, you will soon have a box full of varieties.

A couple of tricks for comfort and control:
I like Elmer's Glue Stick. School supplies for sticking paper together. Apply to finger tips.
It kinda lubes the finger picks and then makes them sticky. No residue. Works well on thumb pick to stop rotation. Heat thumb picks in hot water, and then reshape.

Try thinner finger picks. Dunlop makes different thickness picks. Experiment. Just a few mils thinner makes a difference in comfort and feel.

Thumb pics, I like Golden Gate brand. Zookies are good esp for dobro. You might try the wimpy Herco's. This promotes a softer and crisper attack all around. (not good for dobro).

Consider wearing three finger picks. Just put one on your ring finger, make it comfortable and then forget about it. Tuck it under against the palm for awhile to keep it out of the way.
Some teachers recommend a flat back of hand with only the finger tips pointing down to the strings. Other teachers recommend a curved hand.
A good place to pick is to split the 24th fret. Thumb on one side and fingers on the other side.

YMMV

Good luck with taming the beast

Ron

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

Justin, the fingers go inside a little part of the pick known as a "blade". The blade is the part of the pick where you slip your fingers into and that's how you pick the strings.A lot of steel players use three picks-for thumb, middle, and index finger on the right hand.

Brett

Tom Buur · From: Denmark

Hey I feel tempted to try Alaska Pik, not for steel but for 6-string.

However, I have one problem with this, pik is the exact spelling of the most commonly used vulgar word for penis in my native language (Danish). If I had a box saying Alaska Pik on the cover lying around people who see it might get a wrong idea about what is going on in my home.

robert kramer · From: Nashville TN

Whenever possible, wear your fingerpicks when you're not playing - like in the car on the way to your gig, etc. The more the fingers can get used to the picks, the more comfortable they will and the more you can dig in. This is an old tip from Bobby Osborne.

Bryan Daste · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

I had a lot of the same problems when I started, and I did consider not using picks at all...but I decided the tone was worth it. I will say that over time, if you practice and pay attention to your tone and technique, a lot of these problems will work themselves out. Beyond that, try several different types of picks, and experiment with the bend and tightness until you find something that feels right. One trick I like is to use heat shrink tubing over the part of the pick that wraps around your finger... you can get this at most hardware stores (it's used for dressing electrical wires). Get a piece that fits over the pick with a little room to spare, then use a lighter to heat the tubing up. It will shrink into place and keep the picks from sliding around.

Jeff Garden · From: Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, USA

Justin, I'll second what Jim Manley said. Check out the right hand alpha course on www.jeffran.com You won't be learning how to play tunes on this course...lots of repetition of right hand exercises to get you comfortable with right hand technique, using fingerpicks, and blocking. Don't worry about what it sounds like when you're first starting with picks - you're going to hit the wrong string, have a pick grab on the wrong string, and your timing will be off on the whole blocking thing but if you put the time into it, the rewards will really be worth it. There's got to be a reason so many steelers use fingerpicks and once you get that real snappy pop with the picks on a string you'll see (hear) it for yourself. Good luck!

Twayn Williams · From: Portland, OR

I highly recommend ProPik Fingertones. (Sorry about how it's spelled, but that's how it's spelled!)
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Bill Ford · From: Graniteville SC Aiken

For goodness sake....Two ways(maybe more) to wear them, I wear mine close, like the top. It's whatever you get used to. [url]A picture worth a thousand words.[/url]
Bill

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David Doggett · Posted 13 Jul 2008 7:09 pm

Yes, there are many opinions on how much to bend the picks to curve over the finger tip. Some people bend them over until they touch or almost touch the nail, as shown in the top picture above. The most extreme case I have seen in the other direction was Reece Anderson, who has his sticking almost straight out, with little or no curve. Some people believe that helps them pick one string cleanly while letting others ring. I use to have mine curved over a lot, but I found they snag when I want to strum with my fingers going backwards and forwards - framming as the Sacred Steelers call it. So I straightened them out a little (not as straight as Reece's), and after I got use to that, I could fram better. And I found that also helps me pick cleanly without unwanted finger blocking.

Fred Bova · From: Connecticut, USA

No picks at all. I just use the flesh of my thumb and fingers. I prefer the sound, no "clack" when I mute with my fingers. I have tried many times, and when I get to the point that I can sort of play with them on I find I do not like the sound. I play a Tele with just my fingers at times and NO ONE ever says it sounds "dull". It is in the way you attack the string and set it into motion that affects the initial transient. A lot of guitar players who play slide guitar play without any picks and use the flesh of the fingers to mute the strings that they do not want to hear. Whatever works for you and feels right is what I would stick with.

Fred

Bob Simons · From: Kansas City, Mo, USA

I had the same issue when I took up steel. I had played finger style acoustic guitar and classical guitar for years and had a very advanced right hand technique. Not only did finger picks destroy my "touch" for a while, but the convoluted cramped right hand of a steel player required by blocking pretty well ruined my guitar technique-HOWEVER- it was worth the struggle for the crispness and side-hand blocking ability (in addition to finger blocking that I mostly rely upon.) Took me a few YEARS to get really comfortable withthe picks.

If you're a flat-picker on guitar, try a Herco thumbpick- it's like having a Fender flat pick stuck on your thumb- feels almost natural...
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Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

Picks? Can't afford them, Shocked

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Jeff Newman fingerpicks and Golden Gate Thumbpick

James Collett · From: San Dimas, CA

Yeah Bobbe, I heard how you just cashed in your life insurance policy to buy that shiney GT! Now all you've got's that car and a few rooms full of some junk red neck instruments- whatd'ya call 'em, slide pedal guitars!? Laughing

On a serious note, I wear my picks somewhere between Bill's top picture and Richard's picture, after trying everything, this seems to be the best way to keep the "blade" of my palm down, and my knuckle up. When they stick out too far, they make me do the "claw." When they're too tight, the heighth I have my thunbpick makes me scrunch up my hand. Everyone is different though, just find what works best for you. Just MHO.
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Fred Bova · From: Connecticut, USA

Wow, it hurts just to look at those pictures of wearing finger picks.

I only know of one other thing that I have tried that hurt more; Sitar Finger picks.

They are pure torture after you have had them on for any extended amount of time. They make steel guitar finger picks feel like fuzzy wool mittens.

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