ParlourMan Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Always a bit difficult I know... but thought I'd offer my first ventures in to trying to use the thumbpick for songs that have quite a bit of strumming. I'm going for a holding the bottom section of a thumbpick like it was a normal pick type of approach. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN-IX-FEx-Q and another http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocPpCEfLF-E #workInProgress 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Always a bit difficult I know... but thought I'd offer my first ventures in to trying to use the thumbpick for songs that have quite a bit of strumming. I'm going for a holding the bottom section of a thumbpick like it was a normal pick type of approach. and another #workInProgress I like it! What's that guitar you are playing? You know there are thumbpicks that look exactly like a flatpick with a metal fingerloop rivited to it, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatbaroque Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 The end result sounds brilliant- both songs.......was the second song just standard tuning? Nice to have that flexibility of using the thumbpick in that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 I like it! What's that guitar you are playing? Cheers Nick, I'm using a Recording King ROS-627 there. The end result sounds brilliant- both songs.......was the second song just standard tuning? Nice to have that flexibility of using the thumbpick in that way. Cheers FB, yes all standard tuning... There was a third track, here it's here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gGLZQOyo0s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 I like it! What's that guitar you are playing? You know there are thumbpicks that look exactly like a flatpick with a metal fingerloop rivited to it, right? Where do you get those? I had one and used it a lot, but it's long gone. Thing is, with the metal strap-thingy, it adjust to the shape of your thumb, and it's way more comfortable than that tight plastic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Where do you get those? I had one and used it a lot, but it's long gone. Thing is, with the metal strap-thingy, it adjust to the shape of your thumb, and it's way more comfortable than that tight plastic. Someone here recently had a link in one of the thumbpick threads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Sounds good here ! That little guitar sure is taking a beating, I kept waiting for it to blow up ! Great delivery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 I've never been able to strum with a thumb pick......one of my great disappointments. Always comes off harsh...sigh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 It does sound solid and good PM, however just looking it appears you were only strumming rather than than doing the hybrid strumming / fingerpickin thang - is that correct ? And if thats the case, then what the point of using the thumbpick when you can use a normal pick ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 It does sound solid and good PM, however just looking it appears you were only strumming rather than than doing the hybrid strumming / fingerpickin thang - is that correct ? And if thats the case, then what the point of using the thumbpick when you can use a normal pick ? Yes on those tunes, that's correct, the point was just to improve thumbpick skills, it's not too easy to get some strumming together with them. I'd normally use a normal pick on these but I'm trying to get the thumbpick strumming improved. Switching between the strumming to normal operation for a thumbpick isn't too clever yet, I kind of hold the thumbpick like it was a normal pick, it's a weird feeling... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livemusic Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Odd, I was thinking of this exact thing just yesterday. After sessions in a high qualify studio, I am mortified by pick noise on recordings and have surmised that, yes, type of pick makes a difference but most important, it's primarily due to my grip on the pick. For over 40 years, I have held the pick a bit too lightly, it seems. But if I hold it tighter (to reduce pick slap), I am not as free. So, I figured a thumbpick shaped like a plectrum would be an easy solution. Yet, trying one in a store, it didn't. I want to try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherofpearl Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Where do you get those? I had one and used it a lot, but it's long gone. Thing is, with the metal strap-thingy, it adjust to the shape of your thumb, and it's way more comfortable than that tight plastic. http://shop.bluechippick.net/categories/Thumb-Pick/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del Nilppeznaf Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 http://shop.bluechip...ies/Thumb-Pick/ Missed this thread before Nifty tunes there PM...are you attempting up strokes when strumming with the thumb pick I also am bringing strumming into my technique ... but find upstrokes not working too well..am starting to hybryd using finger for up strokes and tb for down..sounds poretty good those Blue Chip picks could be good..but $40 feck that ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Missed this thread before Nifty tunes there PM...are you attempting up strokes when strumming with the thumb pick I also am bringing strumming into my technique ... but find upstrokes not working too well..am starting to hybryd using finger for up strokes and tb for down..sounds poretty good those Blue Chip picks could be good..but $40 feck that ! Cheers Del, Yeah there is some upstroke fumbling there masked by the sounds of the 2nd guitar and the cajon. What I've found works best for me... it's difficult to explain but I'll try.. thus far I've found the most success by holding the thumbpick differently than when I play a more usual thumbpick style, ie, hybrid.. I'm holding it almost like it was a normal pick, so I'm supporting the bottom of it too, I suppose I'm pretending that it isn't looped over my thumb. From there it's stiffer than a normal pick but I can get a almost normal pick style usage from it. it's hard and it's like a new technique for me, but with the hand in a hybrid pose, the upstrokes don't work and and some strums leave the pick a bit wonky, like it was slightly yanked off... by supporting it like a normal pick I can get the upstrokes without messing with the thumpicks position on the thumb but obviously the thumb is a little less free feeling as it's covered by the loop of plastic. I'd normally play those tunes with a standard flat pick, but used the rehearsal as a practice session with the thumbpick, I'm quite happy with the results in terms of increasing the time with the thumbpick, but I do notice moments where it's not as free as a normal rendition with the flatpick... practice makes perfect though. I'll persist with it hoping the longer I use it the better the technique will get, it'll loosen up and be a bit more free sounding. Thus far I've only played the rinky-dink style tunes with the thumbpick like the gary davis stuff I posted before etc... so this was a wee dip into something slightly different. hopefully I'll be able to blend the two styles soon, as moving from the strumming positions to the hybrid positions was tricky and those clips I didn't bother posting, haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 those Blue Chip picks could be good..but $40 feck that ! oh... and couldn't agree with the above more... 40 notes for a pick is not for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 oh... and couldn't agree with the above more... 40 notes for a pick is not for me. There are other picks with this general configuration that look more like a regular flatpick with a thumb loop on the back. I would think you could grab that like a regular flat pick for strumming if you wanted, just by adding your index finger to the grip instead of relying on the thumb alone. After you started this dicussion, I dug out my thumb and finger picks for the first time in almsost 40 years. It's actually how I started playing way back when, and I was astonished at how quickly it came back, how natural it felt, and how good it made my guitars sound, with the notes standing out in a way I haven't been able to get yet with fingers alone. Not sure how much I'm going to use them, as I can see a real risk for tearing up the tops of my guitars with them while I'm re-learning. You can strum with a thumbpick, but probably not as aggressively as with a flat pick without risking the pick hanging on the upstroke or the back of the thumb loop catching. Getting the pick the right length and fit, and a lot of practice, seem to be the keys here. Since I've just started down this path again, take anything I say with a grain of salt. By the way, I am using Dunlop plastic thumb picks of various lengths, and shifting a bit between the Dunlop and National metal fingerpicks. I assume they ones I am using, which are all more than 40 years old, are essentially the same as what is available now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 I know the type you're speaking about, Nick... I wasn't too mad on them, when I decided to get thumbpicks I ordered about a dozen different types, then of the ones I thought were possibles I then ordered a few different thickness's. In the end the one I've returned to again & again is the Fred Kelly Slick Picks... the dunlops felt like too thick a loop for my comfort, the slicks have a slightly narrower loop without being too narrow and I found them comfy and usable. A few others were quite cool too but I was tending to prefer the others, the ones I wasn't so keen on I gave them away to other players / colleagues to try out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dchristo Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 these Herco picks are easy to use [ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 these Herco picks are easy to use [ That's the ones I had tried, I wasn't too into them to be honest, I much preferred the slick picks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dchristo Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 PM, I use the herco heavy when I play my electrics. I have made these to use for my acoustic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 i agree with PM if anyones considering thumb picks , the fred kelly ones with the thin pick part i like ..., they make me less shite than the rest :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 these Herco picks are easy to use [ This, or... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 PM, I use the herco heavy when I play my electrics. I have made these to use for my acoustic ....this. The particular pick I was looking for was a "standard" pick with a metal bracket riveted to it. I tried these particular herco's as well...didn't really exite me either. I have taken to finding some particular thick thumbpickes that feel good strapped on the thumb, and sanding down the tips to resemble a more traditional pick. I might add that I ain't all that good at "fingerpicking", but I do play with my nails, and mostly, the nail on my index finger. It don't last long, either. I use the occasional 'modified' thumbpick both as an alternative, and a back-up. I hold it as PM suggest in his post, and slide it up and down the thumb as I prefer. The idea, (sorta) is I can use either my fingernail, or the pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darylcobb Posted January 23, 2021 Share Posted January 23, 2021 (edited) "Gripless" Is A No Grip Guitar Pick System that Solves dropping issues. For Thumb & Finger picking and strumming. Doesn't catch on the upstroke. Really helps those guitar players like me who struggle with hand pain. But it is great for those with arthritis, hand injuries, disabilities, hand pain, hand problems from tendonitis or carpal tunnel. It's comfortable and comes with standard sized guitar picks. (.50mm, .63mm. .73mm, .83mm and .93mm) No other thumb pick or finger pick does that. It's nice to have this choice. Edited January 23, 2021 by darylcobb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpbiii Posted January 24, 2021 Share Posted January 24, 2021 Hey, I can be very boring on this subject. This is because I have aspired to several different flatpicking and fingerpicking genres, and I have always wanted to mix them on the fly. I flatpick and play lead and rhythm in bluegrass -- flatpicking bluegrass (fiddle tunes) often involves a lot of fast eighth notes played fast and loud. That requires alternating up/down strokes. I also play bluegrass banjo with a thumb pick and two metal fingerpicks -- Scruggs style banjo uses a lot of syncopated triplets -- one finger or thumb on each note, so you can go fast. This same technique with a flatpick on guitar is called crosspicking, and the flatpick has to do all three eighth notes on different strings. That is VERY HARD to do fast. I use the same fingerpick setup on ragtime/gospel guitar. Bluegrass rhythm is almost aerobic, trying to pull that off with a free thumbpick would be really challenging for that. Well I have a pretty good solution. Here is what it involves. It starts out with a BLACK MOUNTAIN thumbpick -- Herco or Bumble Bee and several others will do, but I like that spring. A major problem is that the flatpick shape, thickness, and composition is a big deal. I solve that by clipping the end off the thumbpick and installing the pick of my choice with double sticky tape. Easy, stable, and even easily changed. The one you see uses a 1.4 tortoise -- I have a few of those carved from old hair brushes, combs, and mirrors, but a new bluechip would certainly work. For flatpicking and heavy BG rhythm, I use the position in the middle picture. The fingerpicks are curled out of the way, and the flatpick is gripped in the usual way between the thumb and index finger. For me it works pretty much as well as if I had no fingerpicks. Now I can play ordinary full up BG rhythm and flatpick (I can't really flatpick cleanly beyond maybe 110) and then step up and play a ragtime lead break and some really fast crosspicking using three fingers. Of course it works for folk finger style, which it is where it all started. W finally have on-line bluegrass jamming going on line -- I'll use it in one of those jams and collect a video. I am still a modest player -- just a more flexible one. Let's pick, -Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.