Mark Hanson/Travis Picking

[Wooly]

So I picked up the two Mark Hanson books, "Contemporary Travis Picking" and "The Art Of Solo Fingerpicking".

In both books, it recommends that you don't use a thumb pick and shows you the proper hand position without one. In order to get the true Travis boom chick / thump with the heel of the hand muting the bottom strings, how else could one possibly do this other than using a thumb pick?

I realize the term "Travis picking" defines alternating bass and covers a wide style of music. My issue is that I am used to using a thumb pick and find a bare thumb cumbersome. I do some songs that are true Travis style (boom chick) but play other styles as well. All with a thumb pick.

Should I get used to using both thumb pick and bare thumb? Is anyone else on this forum able to use either one?

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Wooly

So I picked up the two Mark Hanson books, "Contemporary Travis Picking" and "The Art Of Solo Fingerpicking".

In both books, it recommends that you don't use a thumb pick and shows you the proper hand position without one. In order to get the true Travis boom chick / thump with the heel of the hand muting the bottom strings, how else could one possibly do this other than using a thumb pick?

I realize the term "Travis picking" defines alternating bass and covers a wide style of music. My issue is that I am used to using a thumb pick and find a bare thumb cumbersome. I do some songs that are true Travis style (boom chick) but play other styles as well. All with a thumb pick.

Should I get used to using both thumb pick and bare thumb? Is anyone else on this forum able to use either one?

I do both. I actually only recently began using a thumb pick. There's no reason why you can't use a thumb pick as many great players, like Tommy Emmanuel, do. I think the boom chick thing sounds better with the thumb pick.

I have both those books, I'll have to dig them out and see why they are even going there, lol.

[TimL]

Those are xcellent books. Have had both for years been through both and come back to them repeatedly. I do not use a thumb pick, or finger picks. Years ago I bought both and never felt comfortable using either. I do feel that it is easier to get the same tone volume when doing hammer ons with the bass and melody notes using the pads of my fingers. The angle of attack is why I stayed with my fingers. it's how I learned and it's what I was comfortable with. I do have friends that are like you and go with a thumb pick every time and are not comfortable without one.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Wooly

So I picked up the two Mark Hanson books, "Contemporary Travis Picking" and "The Art Of Solo Fingerpicking".

In both books, it recommends that you don't use a thumb pick and shows you the proper hand position without one. In order to get the true Travis boom chick / thump with the heel of the hand muting the bottom strings, how else could one possibly do this other than using a thumb pick?

I realize the term "Travis picking" defines alternating bass and covers a wide style of music. My issue is that I am used to using a thumb pick and find a bare thumb cumbersome. I do some songs that are true Travis style (boom chick) but play other styles as well. All with a thumb pick.

Should I get used to using both thumb pick and bare thumb? Is anyone else on this forum able to use either one?

You can do it. Just use side of thumb while the palm mutes the strings near the bridge. It won't be a powerful as using a thumbpick but it is still possible.

For example I recorded this some time ago (no thumbpick) and I am muting the bass strings starting around the 30 second mark:

http://dcoombsguitar.com/Guitar%20Mu...p/SweetMan.mp3

[SprintBob]

Originally Posted by Wooly

So I picked up the two Mark Hanson books, "Contemporary Travis Picking" and "The Art Of Solo Fingerpicking".

In both books, it recommends that you don't use a thumb pick and shows you the proper hand position without one. In order to get the true Travis boom chick / thump with the heel of the hand muting the bottom strings, how else could one possibly do this other than using a thumb pick?

I realize the term "Travis picking" defines alternating bass and covers a wide style of music. My issue is that I am used to using a thumb pick and find a bare thumb cumbersome. I do some songs that are true Travis style (boom chick) but play other styles as well. All with a thumb pick.

Should I get used to using both thumb pick and bare thumb? Is anyone else on this forum able to use either one?

In both books, I don't think Mark is telling you to not use a thumb pick but rather why he chooses to not use one. I am a student of his via Skype and I use a thumb pick. In our conversations about this, he has told me that using only his thumb is how he learned so that is what he is comfortable with.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

You can do it. Just use side of thumb while the palm mutes the strings near the bridge. It won't be a powerful as using a thumbpick but it is still possible.

For example I recorded this some time ago (no thumbpick) and I am muting the bass strings starting around the 30 second mark:

http://dcoombsguitar.com/Guitar%20Mu...p/SweetMan.mp3

Very well done, rick-slo! One would definitely do well to take advice from you on guitar playing matters. You obviously know what you are talking about.

Tony

[Wooly]

Originally Posted by SprintBob

In both books, I don't think Mark is telling you to not use a thumb pick but rather why he chooses to not use one. I am a student of his via Skype and I use a thumb pick. In our conversations about this, he has told me that using only his thumb is how he learned so that is what he is comfortable with.

Ahh, OK. Good to know because I do prefer to use a thumb pick. It's what I'm used to plus the better "thump" I get from it when the need arises. Thanks

[Wooly]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

You can do it. Just use side of thumb while the palm mutes the strings near the bridge. It won't be a powerful as using a thumbpick but it is still possible.

For example I recorded this some time ago (no thumbpick) and I am muting the bass strings starting around the 30 second mark:

http://dcoombsguitar.com/Guitar%20Mu...p/SweetMan.mp3

You're playing sounds very good but I think it would take me some time to get used to that method.

[SprintBob]

And there's this alien being with superpowers who uses the initials TE who is a staunch advocate of thumb picks!

[jayhawk]

Its all what you are comfortable with. I use a thumb pick, even on nylon string. I realized it is 'OK' when I saw Pete Huttlinger talking about using a thumb pick taking classical lessons at Berkley.

Jack