Use thumbpick or flat pick?

Use thumbpick or flat pick?

I've been playing jazz chord melodies out of books and trying
finger-picking styles along with vocals for a couple of years, and have
gotten used to using a thumbpick along with my fingers for all of my
playing. I experimented a bit with flat picks but find them awkward and
difficult to control. Some instruction books seem to call for using a
flat pick exclusively. Should I try to switch over to a flat pick or
just try to do the lessons with the thumbpick and fingers? I just tried
to use the thumbpick like a flatpick with some success. Thanks for your
advice. Mike

Re: Use thumbpick or flat pick?

tenplay wrote:
> I've been playing jazz chord melodies out of books and trying
> finger-picking styles along with vocals for a couple of years, and have
> gotten used to using a thumbpick along with my fingers for all of my
> playing. I experimented a bit with flat picks but find them awkward and
> difficult to control. Some instruction books seem to call for using a
> flat pick exclusively. Should I try to switch over to a flat pick or
> just try to do the lessons with the thumbpick and fingers? I just tried
> to use the thumbpick like a flatpick with some success. Thanks for your
> advice. Mike


I'd keep using the thumbpick.

--
Stephen
Ballina, Australia

Re: Use thumbpick or flat pick?


"Stephen Calder" <calder9@in,com .au> wrote in message
news:47eda3ff$1@news.mel.dft,com .au...
> tenplay wrote:
>> I've been playing jazz chord melodies out of books and trying
>> finger-picking styles along with vocals for a couple of years, and have
>> gotten used to using a thumbpick along with my fingers for all of my
>> playing. I experimented a bit with flat picks but find them awkward and
>> difficult to control. Some instruction books seem to call for using a
>> flat pick exclusively. Should I try to switch over to a flat pick or
>> just try to do the lessons with the thumbpick and fingers? I just tried
>> to use the thumbpick like a flatpick with some success. Thanks for your
>> advice. Mike
>
> I'd keep using the thumbpick.

Still better than the "nose pick" :)
--
Reverend Fuzzy
Panama City, FL

<This message protected by LumpyFilter 1.0.7>
< Copyright (C) 2008, MSB Data Systems >

Re: Use thumbpick or flat pick?

tenplay <tenplay@mail,com > wrote:
> I've been playing jazz chord melodies out of books and trying
> finger-picking styles along with vocals for a couple of years, and
> have gotten used to using a thumbpick along with my fingers for all
> of my playing. I experimented a bit with flat picks but find them
> awkward and difficult to control. Some instruction books seem to
> call for using a flat pick exclusively. Should I try to switch over
> to a flat pick or just try to do the lessons with the thumbpick and
> fingers? I just tried to use the thumbpick like a flatpick with some
> success. Thanks for your advice. Mike

Don't ditch the thumbpick, but learn to use the flatpick too.
The more tools that you have in your bag of tricks, the better. Then
you have a choice, and you choose what gives you the best sound and vibe
for a particular song.

Re: Use thumbpick or flat pick?

tenplay wrote:
> I've been playing jazz chord melodies out of books and trying
> finger-picking styles...

> ...Should I try to switch over
> to a flat pick or just try to do
> the lessons with the thumbpick and
> fingers?

Joe Pass - Flatpick, fingers, flatpick + fingers

Mark Knopfler - Exclusive fingers (I don't think pick?)

Wes Montgomery - Almost exclusively thumb

George Benson - Mostly flatpick

Tommy Emmanuel - Exclusively thumbpick (I think)

John Pizzarelli (Bucky's son) - All fingers while he
sings, then he pulls a pick out of his mouth and
solos lines with that.

Jimmy Page - Flatpick, fingers, hand palm, violin bow

Jimi Hendrix - Occasional teeth

SRV - Usually flatpick, occasional stage floor, boot heel

Pete Townshend - Who caught that SG
he threw off stage at Woodstock?

Me - Exclusively fingers, always. Even for mandolin,
5 string banjo, tele pickin.

What are YOU comfortable with?


Lumpy

In Your Ears for 40 Years
www .LumpyMusic,com

Re: Use thumbpick or flat pick?

Lumpy expounded in news:655vlfF2e4ebsU1@mid.individual,net :

> tenplay wrote:
>> I've been playing jazz chord melodies out of books and trying
>> finger-picking styles...
>
>> ...Should I try to switch over
>> to a flat pick or just try to do
>> the lessons with the thumbpick and
>> fingers?
>
> Joe Pass - Flatpick, fingers, flatpick + fingers
>
> Mark Knopfler - Exclusive fingers (I don't think pick?)

Certainly at the concerts I have attended, he's
never used a pick.

> Pete Townshend - Who caught that SG
> he threw off stage at Woodstock?

The Who? Who's Who? Who's on first.

> Me - Exclusively fingers, always. Even for mandolin,
> 5 string banjo, tele pickin.
>
> What are YOU comfortable with?
>
> Lumpy

Me, fingerpick acoustic & flat pick electrics (mostly).

Snark.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http :// www .teranews,com

Re: Use thumbpick or flat pick?


"Lumpy" <lumpy@digitalcartography,com > wrote in message
news:655vlfF2e4ebsU1@mid.individual,net ...
> tenplay wrote:
>> I've been playing jazz chord melodies out of books and trying
>> finger-picking styles...
>
>> ...Should I try to switch over
>> to a flat pick or just try to do
>> the lessons with the thumbpick and
>> fingers?
>
> Joe Pass - Flatpick, fingers, flatpick + fingers
>
> Mark Knopfler - Exclusive fingers (I don't think pick?)
>
> Wes Montgomery - Almost exclusively thumb
>
> George Benson - Mostly flatpick
>
> Tommy Emmanuel - Exclusively thumbpick (I think)
>
> John Pizzarelli (Bucky's son) - All fingers while he
> sings, then he pulls a pick out of his mouth and
> solos lines with that.
>
> Jimmy Page - Flatpick, fingers, hand palm, violin bow
>
> Jimi Hendrix - Occasional teeth
>
> SRV - Usually flatpick, occasional stage floor, boot heel
>
> Pete Townshend - Who caught that SG
> he threw off stage at Woodstock?
>
> Me - Exclusively fingers, always. Even for mandolin,
> 5 string banjo, tele pickin.
>
> What are YOU comfortable with?
>
>
> Lumpy

Jeff Beck ~ chalked fingers, or was the powder?

Re: Use thumbpick or flat pick?


"M.Butzin" <mfbutzin@NOSPAMdotnet> wrote in message
news:4ZkHj.6338$6H.312@newssvr22.news.prodigy,net ...
>
> "Lumpy" <lumpy@digitalcartography,com > wrote in message
> news:655vlfF2e4ebsU1@mid.individual,net ...
>> tenplay wrote:
>>> I've been playing jazz chord melodies out of books and trying
>>> finger-picking styles...
>>
>>> ...Should I try to switch over
>>> to a flat pick or just try to do
>>> the lessons with the thumbpick and
>>> fingers?
>>
>> Joe Pass - Flatpick, fingers, flatpick + fingers
>>
>> Mark Knopfler - Exclusive fingers (I don't think pick?)
>>
>> Wes Montgomery - Almost exclusively thumb
>>
>> George Benson - Mostly flatpick
>>
>> Tommy Emmanuel - Exclusively thumbpick (I think)
>>
>> John Pizzarelli (Bucky's son) - All fingers while he
>> sings, then he pulls a pick out of his mouth and
>> solos lines with that.
>>
>> Jimmy Page - Flatpick, fingers, hand palm, violin bow
>>
>> Jimi Hendrix - Occasional teeth
>>
>> SRV - Usually flatpick, occasional stage floor, boot heel
>>
>> Pete Townshend - Who caught that SG
>> he threw off stage at Woodstock?
>>
>> Me - Exclusively fingers, always. Even for mandolin,
>> 5 string banjo, tele pickin.
>>
>> What are YOU comfortable with?
>>
>>
>> Lumpy
>
> Jeff Beck ~ chalked fingers, or was the powder?

flatpick, classical fingerstyle, thumbpick fingers, thumb pick- index seems
to work best for fiddle tunes. I cant seem to deal with fingerpicks.

Bob

Re: Use thumbpick or flat pick?

tenplay <tenplay@mail,com > wrote in message
news:ashHj.23390$EA.16635@fe087.usenetserver,com ...

> I've been playing jazz chord melodies out of books and trying
> finger-picking styles along with vocals for a couple of years, and have
> gotten used to using a thumbpick along with my fingers for all of my
> playing. I experimented a bit with flat picks but find them awkward and
> difficult to control. Some instruction books seem to call for using a
> flat pick exclusively. Should I try to switch over to a flat pick or
> just try to do the lessons with the thumbpick and fingers? I just tried
> to use the thumbpick like a flatpick with some success. Thanks for your
> advice. Mike

Chet Atkins, for one, played mostly with a thumbpick and fingers, as I
recollect. It's an effective technique, if one is completely comfortable
with it; a primary plus is that one can easily accentuate the bass notes
with a thumpick. This was of course essential to the Atkins sound, since he
regularly enjoyed playing Travis style, employing a powerful alternating
bass line.

My personal preference is to use my fingers exclusively--I never use a pick
under any circumstances. To achieve a flatpicking sound, for example, I
squeeze my index finger and thumb together, then use the nails on each
finger to attack the strings--striking both downstrokes and upstrokes
alternately when necessary.

My SoundClick page of solo, acoustic, instrumental guitar compositions.
http :// www .soundclick,com /bands/default.cfm?bandID=817226&content=music

Re: Use thumbpick or flat pick?


"Inyo" <inyo@altavista,com > wrote in message news:fsm283$o2n$1@aioe.org...
> tenplay <tenplay@mail,com > wrote in message
> news:ashHj.23390$EA.16635@fe087.usenetserver,com ...
>
>> I've been playing jazz chord melodies out of books and trying
>> finger-picking styles along with vocals for a couple of years, and have
>> gotten used to using a thumbpick along with my fingers for all of my
>> playing. I experimented a bit with flat picks but find them awkward and
>> difficult to control. Some instruction books seem to call for using a
>> flat pick exclusively. Should I try to switch over to a flat pick or
>> just try to do the lessons with the thumbpick and fingers? I just tried
>> to use the thumbpick like a flatpick with some success. Thanks for your
>> advice. Mike
>
> Chet Atkins, for one, played mostly with a thumbpick and fingers, as I
> recollect. It's an effective technique, if one is completely comfortable
> with it; a primary plus is that one can easily accentuate the bass notes
> with a thumpick. This was of course essential to the Atkins sound, since
> he
> regularly enjoyed playing Travis style, employing a powerful alternating
> bass line.
>
> My personal preference is to use my fingers exclusively--I never use a
> pick
> under any circumstances. To achieve a flatpicking sound, for example, I
> squeeze my index finger and thumb together, then use the nails on each
> finger to attack the strings--striking both downstrokes and upstrokes
> alternately when necessary.
>
> My SoundClick page of solo, acoustic, instrumental guitar compositions.
> http :// www .soundclick,com /bands/default.cfm?bandID�7226&content=music
>
>

Isnt that kind of bulky?

Re: Use thumbpick or flat pick?

tenplay wrote:
> I've been playing jazz chord melodies out of books and trying
> finger-picking styles along with vocals for a couple of years, and have
> gotten used to using a thumbpick along with my fingers for all of my
> playing. I experimented a bit with flat picks but find them awkward and
> difficult to control. Some instruction books seem to call for using a
> flat pick exclusively. Should I try to switch over to a flat pick or
> just try to do the lessons with the thumbpick and fingers? I just tried
> to use the thumbpick like a flatpick with some success. Thanks for your
> advice. Mike

How about using the thumbpick grasped between the thumb and index finger
like a flat pick for single-note picking, the fingers for strumming, and
the thumbpick and fingers for everything else? Probably takes some
getting used to but it seems it can be an effective way of playing
everything while staying with the basic thumbpick and fingers way of
playing. Does anyone well-known use it? I'd like to see how it is done
by a pro.

Re: Use thumbpick or flat pick?

tenplay wrote:

> How about using the thumbpick grasped between the thumb and index
> finger like a flat pick for single-note picking, the fingers for
> strumming, and the thumbpick and fingers for everything else? Probably
> takes some getting used to but it seems it can be an
> effective way of playing everything while staying with the basic
> thumbpick and fingers way of playing. Does anyone well-known use it?
> I'd like to see how it is done by a pro.

I would guess that the vast majority of thumbpick
users do exactly what you describe.

Tommy E comes to mind if you want to see an example.


Lumpy

In Your Ears for 40 Years
www .LumpyMusic,com