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generally, when is fingerpicking preferred over a pick, or the other way around?
i generally play in a solo setting so i'm partial to fingers, but i don't want to neglect any necessary pick practice.
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It's a personal preference. Many chord-melody players go fingerstyle or hybrid. I've always been a hybrid picker ... comes with my tele chicken pickin' background.
"Neglect any necessary pick practice"? Not really sure what that means.
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I say stick with your fingers if that's what your used to. If you want to use a pick I would definately check out hybrid picking, a mix of pick and fingers.
MW
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i'm pretty much a hybrid guy. i often debate putting the pick down for good, but my soft skin and day job (i'm an art teacher, who probably has to wash his hands 15-20 times a day, often softening up that skin further) get in the way...
as for necessary pick practice, i don't think wes missed out on too much.
it depends on what kind of guitar player you want to be.
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Hi Guys, Some interesting comments! Like everyone that's posted so far, my feelings are that it's totally a personal thing. I believe that everyone has a musical soul and they are all different. I love and enjoy all kinds of guitar music (and music in general, too), but fingerstyle works best for me. Truth is that all forms of playing are compromises and maybe the trick is to find the method that provides the least negative aspect to your playing. Good luck in your quest to discover what works best for you. Best regards, Mike Michael Joyce
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I play solo fingerstyle - just the fleshy parts of the finger, no fingernails.
Comping gets the finger style treatment as well.
If I want to play just lead over comping, then I use a pick for speed and accuracy.
I haven't mastered the hybrid technique, though, but that's because I won't practice it enough.
I've come to the conclusion that if I absolutely had to play guitar one way and one way only, I'd throw everything else away and just play fingerstyle acoustic.
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I am a jazz trumpet player that is moving into guitar for contempotrary worship group playing. It is nice to hear as my jazz linear approach via trumpet and "fingerstyle" is accepted when many ask, why not use a pick...I do not have the answer...now I do. Thank you all
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Hi, all!
When I was younger I used to long for being a fast picking guitarrist but I really don't care right now.
When I'm not at home and want to improvise soloing and there's no pick around I only have a problem in fingerpicking when playing 16s notes but I use to amend the problem by playing hammer-ons and pull-offs.
I admit I feel more confortable with a pick when soloing but not when it comes to strumming chords or when playing them alternatiting strings. Then I prefer fingers.
I think it's good to play both ways. That lets you play more varied things.
Just my opinion.
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Hey Everyone,
Cool comments, wicked forum.
After 20 years of alternating between pick and fingers, I decided to take the leap and play fingerstyle exclusively. Great decision. Yes, you do lose speed and accuracy on single strings, but with three fingers instead of one pick, there's more possibilities playing across the strings. For example, doing a three finger, p-m-i roll to play an arpeggio- or sweeping arpeggios with the thumb, Wes style. I play acoustic and I get way more warmth, timber, and dynamics playing with fingers; the pick sounds tinny. Most importantly though, I swing harder and play more in the pocket with my fingers. It seems that the pick introduces this slight delay which puts me off the beat whereas with fingers I can dig right in. That's been the biggest difference.
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As always, I strongly vote for playing with fingers only, just enough nail on I-M-A, and a little longer, contoured thumbnail. I don't see any reduction of speed or accuracy and you never need to look for a pick, or drop one.
Does involve ongoing nail maintainance though.
Sailor
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I am a fingers only player on solo stuff, and I have acrylic overlays (no fake nail, just the resin) on my right hand, as my natural nails are too brittle. For rock/pop and jazz ensemble stuff I mix hybrid with pick only playing regularly.
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I play a hybrid style pretty much all the time, even in rock settings. But I'm a southpaw who plays right-handed and I've always considered my right-hand technique to be my weak point.
Doug
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Geez, I'm in a quandary about this. I'm strictly fingers when playing solo, but I sometimes go to a pick in a group. It depends on how much attack I want when playing solos since I get a much stronger attack with a pick. Maybe I need to do more hybrid, but I haven't really gotten comfortable with it.
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If you have the time to maintain proficiency, use both. Some tunes are better played/comped with fingers others with a pick, some folks use a hybrid. I couldn't imagine trying to play Charlie Christian with fingers nor would I try a pick to play Earl Klugh or Joe Pass.
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If you listen to Segovia or Julian Bream you realize that it can all be done with just fingers, and meticulously maintained nails. Nothing is too hard or fast...
Just a comfort preference I think.
Sailor
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When I get a tenth as good as either of those two, I will toss the pick.
tom
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No choice for me.
I used to play only with fingers, but I must now learn to play with a pick.
Finger 2 and 3 bad injured in a motorbike accident 
. I can't flex them properly anymore , just about 40° angle. I keep on trying , because it is an excellent exercise to maintan what I could save with therapy, but it makes me a lot of pain. It doesn't matter.
On the other side, Django Reinhardt was not so bad with a right hand in a very bad shape 
.
And the sound has more power with pick.
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Hey, manu68! I'm sorry about your accident. Sometimes I have thought of what would happen if I ever had an accident and lost the capacity of moving any finger or lost one or two of them. It makes me feel sad. Luckily you still can play with a pick.
Take care.
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