Stop using a pick altogether...

[TLerch]

Hi Armando,
i alternate between thumb and index and then thumb and second, but not always sometimes depending on the line I play thumb index second and sometimes I sweep backwards usually with index. there is no set pattern, just what works in the moment and lets not forget a few hammer on and pull offs to keep the whole thing flowing.
hope that helps, at this tempo its kinda hard to see whats going on here is another short vid that might be a little clearer

all the best
Tim

[armando]

Thanks for replying Tim. Essentially you and I pick the same way for single note soloing. After watching the Sylvain Courtney videos, I'm experimenting with just alt im, the drop off in speed is quiet evident but not using nails may be a huge factor as flesh has more resistance. Have you tried doing this Tim?

[Guitnoir]

Brian Setzer uses a flat pick for most things. When he Travis-picks, he tucks the flat pick against his palm with his index finger and uses p, m, and a. I tried this. Switching back and forth is easy. I like the control and suppleness I get using my fingers, but need a pick for single notes and rhythmic chording. I think I may switch to a thumbpick. I hold my thumbpick against my folded index finger and I can do downstrokes effectively without the thumbpick slipping. I am going to have to work on my alternate picking.

[johnny67]

I used a guitar pick for 30 years. Then with the help of the internet i saw what was being done without the use of the guitar pick. I have been NOT using a guitar pick for around 2 years now. And i may put out some original music this year or sooner.

It is like too awesome of a difference.


But it is difficulty to get very good.


And good day to everyone.

[kris]

what about articulation?
I think with the pick articulation is more "clean".
anyway I like to play fingerstyle on my nylon strings guitar.

[eh6794]

I threw my pics away about 6 months ago. Its great for playing the bass with the thumb while chords with the other fingers.

I bike ride about 100 miles a week, and my finger tips usually tingle, so I have a hard time making my four fingers work flamenco style.

I like the sound better and I can do a lot more. I've noticed that my rhythm doesn't lag behind as much anymore. Im getting much better as the months progress

[henryrobinett]

I can't do with my fingers what I do with a pick. For me plucking the string is stronger and clearer with a pick. But I've always ALSO used my fingers. I started out playing classical guitar, and while I gave it up overall, I've always used the fingers for plucking strings and basic pima stuff. Periodically I've worked really hard to try and get pima caught up with my picking. I guess I didn't try hard enough or the road was too long a arduous. I wish I was better at it, but the pick on single string always sounds better to me. There are a very few people I've heard who can do as well. But it CAN be done.

[ronjazz]

From personal experience, I can see no reason not to do both. Mastering the RH fingerstyle is an enormous amount of work, but getting a plectrum style together is much easier, so to the 2-3 hours daily you need for fingerstyle (which trains the left hand as well) you'll need to add a well-thought-out 30-45 minutes for plectrum technique. One of the biggest problems is how to get the pick into the right position coming from fingerstyle, but creating a little rig on the guitar to hold the pick in a ready position isn't a huge problem at all with some imagination.

[coolvinny]

Well...there are only so many hours one can practice so I'm not sure how practical it is for a non-pro to try to master both pick and fingerstyle...

I used to hate using a pick. Fingerstyle was always more natural for me. When I was a lousy blues hack, I actually played a few gigs fingerstyle because I grew so frustrated with the pick.

But then I really put the work in and figured out this pick thing (which took a lot of practice), and now I much prefer a pick and I pretty much never play fingerstyle unless perhaps comping in a bossa feel.

I think there's a reason you see virtually all jazz pros using a pick as their primary style.

[Cunamara]

I guess I am a hybrid style player. I use fingerstyle for bossa and chord melody and a lot of comping but I need the pick for getting a good tone for improv lines. Often, I use both for Ballads.

Lately I like the tone I get with my fingers using a sloppy classical technique better than my tone with a pick. This more or less coincided with switching from a mini humbucker to a Classic 57. I find that short nails sound much better, aiming for the later Joe Pass sound (check the "Joe Pass 1992" videos on YouTube).

[Cunamara]

I struggled with single line playing fingerstyle. The exercises in Gene Bertoncini's book "Approaching the Guitar" got me able to do i-m alternation very comfortably. I have almost completely stopped using a pick for my archtop and play fingerstyle on nylon string.

[Cunamara]

From personal experience, I can see no reason not to do both. Mastering the RH fingerstyle is an enormous amount of work, but getting a plectrum style together is much easier, so to the 2-3 hours daily you need for fingerstyle (which trains the left hand as well) you'll need to add a well-thought-out 30-45 minutes for plectrum technique. One of the biggest problems is how to get the pick into the right position coming from fingerstyle, but creating a little rig on the guitar to hold the pick in a ready position isn't a huge problem at all with some imagination.

I discovered craft glue dots. Tiny little sticky blobs that will hold and release a pick really well.

[Robertkoa]

It can work really well if you just use a bastardized classical right hand with rest strokes up near the neck pickup where the strings are more pliable.

Calluses will develop just on flesh of fingers
I have fooled around with this but NOT going to spend 2 to 5 years to see if I can attain the freedom I finally have with the pick.

What you don't see most Flamenco or Classical Players doing much is rest strokes across the strings in rhythmic arpeggios like can be done with a pick.

There are some advantages to fingers only
but very few "blue prints" for it- guys that are already playing lead lines like Martino/Benson with fingers ?

Most of the "fingers only" guys who play Jazz play Solo Jazz and don't rip up lead lines in Group Playing...

I imagine in 10 years we will see some 20 year olds who started on 7 String when they were 10...playing amazing fingerstyle and
maybe Metal and Jazz Shredding Flamenco Style fingers only.

But numerically there are very few guys that can play and improvise virtuoso lines ( not just speed but intervals/melodic rhythms
shapes etc ) using fingers only compared to the many that can with a pick.

One tip that will help- I am a Pick Player for advanced lead lines but IF you slightly rest the very base of your thumb against the Guitar it can still finger pick ( Travis Picking etc.) but allows for rest strokes like a Flamenco Player with Fingers I and M index and middle ..hand is angled like Segovia but not floating like Segovia..you can play fast this way then you have to figure out and practice across strings for Arpeggios and wide interval stuff...I already do that with the pick...and have not seen even the Flamenco Players rest stroke in tight rhythms across the strings at higher Tempos...there probably is somewhere but it's rare...
This is redundant but trying to be clear-