mikekefr Posted March 4, 2012 Posted March 4, 2012 Warmin up in my front yard at 7am a few weeks before the last gig i did last fall. http://s1164.photobucket.com/albums/q561/mikekefr/?action=view¤t=004.mp4
rocketman Posted March 4, 2012 Posted March 4, 2012 Hmm, can't think of anyone that plays your style without a pick. Sounds good though.
Lazerface Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 I do fingerpick or strum pickless sometimes, i am also working on chicken picking and using thumbpicks. If i am flatpicking and drop a pick, i usually just finish the song pickless instead of picking one up. I dont need to use a pick, but i feel i get more attack and a more desirable sound when i use it
Nightspore68 Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 7 in the morning? And you want to be a rock star... I believe Lindsey Buckingham and Mark Knopfler both play electric without picks.
Guest farnsbarns Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 Interesting. I've been playing without a pick for years, I position my thumb and index finger as if there were a pick there but the tip of my index finger is doing the picking. It's a habit I picked up when I was young through living miles from a music shop before the internet existed. For about a year I've been telling myself I'll start using a pick again as I do feel I have more tonal control but I still rarely do.
Californiaman Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 I don't use a pick. At least not often. My fingers work just fine. And my thumb nail sounds great across the strings for chords. I've been known to use my pinky at times as needed too.
rocketman Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 Wow I guess I'm the rare one who uses a pick. I feel lonely.
cookieman15061 Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 Depends of course. Whatever the song calls for I'll do. Just fingers a lot for tele picking using both thumb and index finger. Rarely use a pick for acoustic work. (more of a Paul Simon/ Paul McCartney style)
Rich W Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 I don’t use a pick. It’s still a work in progress, but my right-hand technique is Derek Trucks style with a lot of thumb muting. It’s a clean style ... but I have to do a lot of slurring, bending, and hammers to play faster solos.
Rich W Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 Interesting. I've been playing without a pick for years, I position my thumb and index finger as if there were a pick there but the tip of my index finger is doing the picking. Do you ever use your finger tip for downstrokes as well? I'm starting to experiment with that, and hoping I can get the same effect as rapid alternate picking with a pick. Wes Montgomery played only with the fleshy part of his thumb, and somehow he was able to use it for beautiful upstrokes as well as downstrokes.
mikekefr Posted March 5, 2012 Author Posted March 5, 2012 Do you ever use your finger tip for downstrokes as well? I'm starting to experiment with that, and hoping I can get the same effect as rapid alternate picking with a pick. Wes Montgomery played only with the fleshy part of his thumb, and somehow he was able to use it for beautiful upstrokes as well as downstrokes. I use the fingertip AS my pick,pinching the 2 fingers as if im holding a pick but letting the top left 1/4 of the index nail hit as well as that portion of the thumb that is touching where a pick would be,so an upstroke <for me> would be the top 1/4 of the index fingerprint,i keep THAT nail short enough where it never catches the string.If im understanding the rapid alternate picking,its ideal w/out a pick due to the fact theres no pick to tuck away.Hope that helps.
Rich W Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 I use the fingertip AS my pick,pinching the 2 fingers as if im holding a pick but letting the top left 1/4 of the index nail hit as well as that portion of the thumb that is touching where a pick would be,so an upstroke <for me> would be the top 1/4 of the index fingerprint,i keep THAT nail short enough where it never catches the string.If im understanding the rapid alternate picking,its ideal w/out a pick due to the fact theres no pick to tuck away.Hope that helps. Very cool
Harmonics101 Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 Here are some reasons why I don't use a pick when playing my acoustic. 1) Change my tone with the way i pluck the strings with my right hand 2) Less pick noise 3) Better accuracy without a pick 4) Change my style of playing quicker and have more styles to play without a pick 5) No losing picks 6) No looking for picks For me, there are NO downsides to playing without a pick, Harmonics101
surfpup Posted March 5, 2012 Posted March 5, 2012 I generally use a pick, except for... finger picking parts (usually on acoustic) some slide on electric or acoustic (pick use or not depends on the song) Bass - no pick ever However, I always use my third and fourth fingers even when using a pick. It's become second nature - don't even think about it.
DAS44 Posted March 6, 2012 Posted March 6, 2012 Generally it depends on what I'm going for. If I'm going for a round, soft, perhaps jazzy sound. I'll toss the pick, thumbpad will do me well. This also goes with most cleans, when I'm looking for something muted and yet sparkling. I use my thumb for a very wide range of tones, you get the idea though. Of course if I'm playing slide, or doing something else finger intensive then I go without. But that is almost implied ain't it? If I want something sharper I generally go with a pick. If I'm doing something more gainy/distorted I usually fiddle with the tone knobs rather than ditching the pick. if I'm doing some strange shreddy wankery (which is rare) I'll be using a pick. I really call it by ear, whatever sounds better for what I'm doing.
flyingarmadillo Posted March 6, 2012 Posted March 6, 2012 It depends on what I'm doing. Usually not, and almost never with the acoustics. But if the tune needs the sound then the pick comes out.
Morkolo Posted March 6, 2012 Posted March 6, 2012 I like to mix it up, it really depends on what I'm in the mood for when I play. Sometimes I'll play without a pick, sometimes I'll use one. I'm more comfortable without one though as I have more control over my playing, I never did get a solid grasp on alternate picking.
Elmer Posted March 6, 2012 Posted March 6, 2012 Same here, I NEVER use a pick. If I go more heavy I just slam my nail against the string I need, not long nails just the flat of the nail. Ot you can pick up the string pull it away from the fret board and let loose, BAM...nice sound, realy. Never use a pick, picks are for woosies...HAHAHA (joking of course, still...)
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