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Topic: Speed picking dilemma.. opinions... |
Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 1:11 pm |
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Just upstairs making believe I was Buddy, Paul and Curly rolled into one... While fooling around with some two finger speed picking [I use thumb and forefinger],for some reason my body started wanting to use thumb and middle... NOW it seems,that I may have been missing something for the last 28-29 years.. I am not sure I am faster/cleaner yet with thumb/middle, but its almost felt more natural,and I'll bet if I work with it, in two weeks it WILL be faster and cleaner... I am almost unsure which way to go now.. Change what I have been doing forever, or go with something new and untried?...
That first finger up in the air out of the way looks odd to me, but the thumb/middle may be the right way to go... I'm not sure .. What works for you guys/??? ... bob |
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 1:14 pm
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Bob I've always used thumb and middle, it works well for me - but I don't think there is a hard and fast rule. Just use what works best for you mate !
Except for banjo rolls of course where 3 fingers rule. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 1:20 pm
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"Better" is a relative term. Nothing's written in stone when it comes to technique. Everybody's physiology and mindset is different. Jeff Newman (our best, most famous, and most outspoken teacher) said a lot of things that I still disagree with. He played his way, and I play mine.
I say, "do what works for you"! |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 2:11 pm
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I play electric guitar single-note runs with thumb and middle - that's easily more comfortable for me - yet I use thumb and first for steel guitar.
I've no idea why there's this discrepancy, but I suppose it's dictated by the different hand-position on each instrument.
I guess it all comes down to whether or not you can play what you want to play using your preferred method. No other criteria really matter.
RR |
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Tim Bridges
From:
Hoover, Alabama, USA
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 2:58 pm
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The only thing that I would suggest, Bob, is to consider something Joe Wright proposes: You get a different voicing from each finger. Now I'm paraphrasing what I think he said, so this may be totally off base. However, I was trying to get a certain sound on a tune and just couldn't get it to sound right.I adjusted the EQ on the amp, but I couldn't get that sound ("TONE"). So, when I changed from using T and M finger to T and I finger, it was there; it sounded different. So, FWIW, check it out. It has convinced me to work on forward AND backwards rolls, alternating the finger that initiates the lick.
I'm far from one who needs to be offering advice, but this came from a GREAT source. Let's call it a tip from a student.  |
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Frank Parish
From:
Nashville,Tn. USA
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 3:01 pm
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| I believe the Big E uses the thumb and middle. I've seen Hal Rugg use the first finger as well as Doug Jernigan so who knows? Jernigan has the most awkward looking right hand to me I've seen. I use the thumb and middle but have noticed that sometimes the first finger gets in there too. I can't remember where I read it but it said to use the thumb and middle finger for single line playing. |
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Larry Robbins
From:
Fort Edward, New York
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 3:18 pm
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Bob,
I think you are in good company....I believe that Tommy White plays speed riffs with his thumb and middle finger.And he seems to do ok!  I seem to us the thumb and wichever finger(index or middle) is closer to the desired string, kind of without thinking...unfortunatly like most of the other things I do |
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 3:59 pm
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| Bob, if you use thumb and index finger, that means the MIDDLE finger will be sticking up in the air .... could get you in trouble .... |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Tom Olson
From:
Spokane, WA
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 4:22 pm
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| Quote: |
| I was Buddy, Paul and Curly rolled into one... |
In regard to speed picking, I'm more like Larry, Moe and Curly rolled into one...[This message was edited by Tom Olson on 23 August 2005 at 05:58 PM.] |
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Larry Strawn
From:
Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 5:09 pm
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Yeah,,, Me to,,
Lary, Moe, and Curly,,,,,Uh oh,, I am Larry!!!
Bob, I guess T/M came natural to me, so for better or worse, that's me..
Larry
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Emmons S/D-10, 3/5, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"
[This message was edited by Larry Strawn on 23 August 2005 at 06:10 PM.] [This message was edited by Larry Strawn on 23 August 2005 at 06:14 PM.] |
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Jim Bob Sedgwick
From:
Clinton, Missouri USA
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 5:55 pm
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| I don't think it matters. Whatever is comfortable for you. Jay Dee Maness, and Doug Jernigan both use thumb and first finger. I don't think too many people would say either of these guys are slow pickers. JMO |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 6:29 pm
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Bob. Good to see that you are after this long period of time still working and practicing and learning on the guitar.
I use the thumb and middle for fast stuff on the "underarm" guitar. I can't play anything fast on the steel anyway so it does not matter there for me! 8-)
Since you already have good facility with the thumb and first, I would work on some fancy combinations of the three together in addition to the thumb and first or thumb and middle. That is what the cool underarm players like Scotty Anderson, Lenny Breau and Atkins do. Pretty soon you will buy another pick and add the third finger in there unless you already do! |
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John Ummel
From:
Arlington, WA.
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 8:32 pm
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| I remember an article by Jeff Newman years ago in which he advocated thumb & middle. Obviously, as has been pointed out, some fabulous players use thumb & index. Maybe what's more important is to stay relaxed. There's a very natural tendancy when trying to play fast to tense up. |
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Olli Haavisto
From:
Jarvenpaa,Finland
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 8:59 pm
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Quote: "if you use thumb and index finger, that means the MIDDLE finger will be sticking up in the air .... could get you in trouble ...."
I think that the middle finger is ready to pick the first or second string if you use thumb and first. JMO |
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Dennis Detweiler
From:
Solon, Iowa, US
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Posted 23 Aug 2005 9:37 pm
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A few years ago I asked Buddy Emmons (a dumb question) why do you use the crossover technique. He answered (in kind), "so I don't run out of fingers".
DD |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 24 Aug 2005 1:30 am
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The phrase may dictate which finger (s) to use.
If it is an extended phrase across several strings then only seat time will reveal which fingers would be best suited to play the phrase smooth and comfortable.
There is no right or wrong....
I have been working on a phrase where I strike strings 6,5 and 4 with the thumb and then grab 2 with the 3rd and then 3 with the 2nd...and then 4,5 and 6 again. All of this with a bunch of A and B pedal..
Very awkward out of the box phrase for me but after fooling with it several ways it finds it's way home...
the key with these types of phrases is to setup the phrase and timing..if you get that right the fingers will flow naturally..
then play it everyday..many many times..and it becomes natural...
Driving a Bus would be much easier...
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Ernie Pollock
From:
Mt Savage, Md USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2005 4:16 am
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Donny Hinson could not have said it better, its what works for you that counts, I have seen some mighty unusual ways with the right hand that worked for that person - you have to find what works for you & 'Do it'.
Ernie Pollock http://www.hereintown.net/~shobud75/stock.htm
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Scott Henderson
From:
Camdenton, Missouri, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2005 5:44 am
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ok...larry sasser curly chalker but who is this Moe guy?????????
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Steelin' away in the ozarks and life,
Scott
www.scottyhenderson.com
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 24 Aug 2005 5:53 am
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If you look at a closeup video shot of D.Jernigan, P.Franklin, or Jay Dee, they all use both the index and middle fingers almost equally along with the thumb. Jeff Newman was a proponent of using the thumb and middle finger for the "crossover" style of single note playing. I've always played lead guitar with finger picks and got used to using the thumb and both index and middle fingers so I do that on steel too....JH in va.
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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2005 7:18 am
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Buddy Emmons and Jeff Newman say in essence, "Figure out what works for you, and stick with it." Newman in particular said that offering yourself too many choices would slow you down because you'd get confused at speed. Paul Franklin and Joe Wright seem to say exactly the opposite, "Practice and know all the combinations."
I'm convinced that the fastest player in the world, Debashish Bhattacharya, uses T-I-M-T-I-M etc. to go up and down single strings, and the next available finger to switch strings - it's like a little "T-I-M machine", that hiccups and restarts on string changes. |
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