Home › Forums › Guitar Techniques and General Discussions › Plectrum use!
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February 12, 2021 at 1:16 pm #234696
Hey all at Active Melody,Hope you are all ok during these trying times 🙁
I have always been a finger picker,I even strum guitar with my thumb. lol.
I have tried using a plectrum on many occassions but it always feels so cumbersome in my hand,just
feels as though its not meant to be there,Can I get over this or am I stuck?
Never felt comfotable with a plectrum atall..
Any suggestions greatly received. 😀
TIA
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February 12, 2021 at 1:53 pm #234698
Most players who start with a pick have trouble learning to play fingerstyle. You have the opposite problem. You should ask yourself “What things could I do with a pick that I can’t do with my fingers?”. One clue is that there are no heavy metal shredders that play fingerstyle. But does that matter to you? Many famous guitarists only play fingerstyle.
Like you, I started off playing fingerstyle. After about 6 months or so, I decided there were some things I wanted to do that required a pick. Yes, it felt weird to hold a pick. It tried to twist around in my grip, so that I was hitting the strings with the edge of the pick instead of the tip. So I found some picks that had a textured grip, and they didn’t twist in my sweaty grip. I also found that you need a range of pick thicknesses. I use larger but thinner picks for funk, and very thick ones for high speed runs. Do a search on Youtube for how to hold a guitar pick, and you will see lots of different ways to hold a pick.
Sunjamr Steve
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February 12, 2021 at 3:15 pm #234705
Hi Macca, I have had the identical problem that you describe – for many years, decades.
It’s only last couple of years i’ve started using a pick on electric guitar, and that’s only to attempt some faster runs. I prefer the tone i get from the flesh of my thumb on the strings, for melody as well as chords, but it’s tough to get really fast lead runs.I’d suggest you try using a pick occasionally, just work on a single run with the pick, and gradually over time increase speed, and then start adding other runs with the pick; many of my recordings i use my thumb and then pick up the plectrum from my desk for a fast run, then drop it again.
So just get used to using the pick a little at a time.
ps, my problem was never the pick itself, it was the alternate picking that made me stumble, still does.
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February 12, 2021 at 3:40 pm #234711
I’m beginning to think now( after 5 years trying to learn)that the thickness of the pick is more important issue of playing with a pick, what I thought was a good choice when I started playing acoustic cos its way to paper thin and what I thought was a good sturdy pick is now too hard, while it adds vol to the strings it does noting to give feel of the strings..
So, seeing as I’ve got my smart head on tonight, I would say ditch the pick and keep playing finger style. Im wishing I had shunned all advice and went finger style of playing...Billy..
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February 12, 2021 at 9:00 pm #234722
If playing with your thumb works for you, nothing says that you have to start using a pick. Below are 4 great examples of great players not using a pick and they aren’t/were not hindered by their use of the fingers and/or thumb
You may not be familiar with Snowy White but he’s been a sideman for many singers & groups including Pink Floyd. If you are good enough to backup David Gilmour, you have to be great player
I included a video about his 57 Les Paul Goldtop that was his only guitar for 30 years and one that he owned until sending it to auction in 2015
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February 12, 2021 at 10:24 pm #234733
Thanks for those vids, GnLguy.
As a long-time thumb only player, it’s always great to see others doing it too. Another great to add to this list is Jeff Beck.But, I am finding some advantages and progress as i learn to use the pick; especially when I want to throw in a fast run.
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February 12, 2021 at 10:36 pm #234734
Thanks for those vids, GnLguy.
As a long-time thumb only player, it’s always great to see others doing it too. Another great to add to this list is Jeff Beck.But, I am finding some advantages and progress as i learn to use the pick; especially when I want to throw in a fast run.
Jeff Beck!!! one of my favorites – how could have omitted him LOL
I should have stuck with it but at one point, I was developing a bit of a faux alternating picking – I was using my thumb for the down stroke and index finger for the up stroke. At the time, I was gaining quite a bit of speed with it but life, family & career all raised their hands at the same time for attention and my guitar went into its case for quite a while.
May have to revisit that process…..
Palming a flatpick or tucking it between 2 fingers to switch from pick to fingers and vice versa is another skill that I’d like to develop as well. I’ve not played electric now since April and I’m only doing fingerpicking on my acoustic – may have to add my electric back into my practice schedule again soon.
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February 13, 2021 at 12:33 am #234743
Go with what you enjoy . Iv gone from finger picking to plectrum to hybrid picking ( fingers and pick ) . Now back to flat pick. Don’t be afraid to try other things but at the end of the stick with what you enjoy the best .
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February 13, 2021 at 1:08 am #234746
Many thanks Guys,your advice is much appreciated,Loved the videos GnLguy 🙂
I will probably introduce a little plectrum use in my daily routine and hope this frees me
from the block I am currently experiencing. 😀 It’s so easy to get disheartened when things don’t go your way. hehe
tnx again. -
February 13, 2021 at 4:41 am #234758
Thanks GnL, for reminding me of Snowy White, I hadn’t heard of him in years. He is a classic example of the player’s guitarist, a consummate professional and a thoroughly nice guy.
Richard
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February 13, 2021 at 8:15 am #234772
Thanks GnL, for reminding me of Snowy White, I hadn’t heard of him in years. He is a classic example of the player’s guitarist, a consummate professional and a thoroughly nice guy.
Richard
Interesting that you said that Snowy was a consummate professional. It is so evident in his playing – he’s one that discovered that “less is more”, that you don’t have to play thousands of notes to sound good or to make a statement
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March 6, 2021 at 3:32 pm #240813
Great discussion! Albert King didn’t use a pick and you can’t get a more badass tone than he did!
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