Simultaneous thumb-picking and strumming technique

[agfsteve]

I’ve looked over a couple of old threads on this subject, but haven’t really seen it discussed in detail, so maybe this technique that I am thinking of doesn’t work very well, but I am experimenting with the technique of simultaneous thumb-picking and strumming with the index (or any) finger(s). It is difficult to pick a note with the thumb at the same time as playing a down strum, and very difficult on an up strum, and it is also difficult to play a smooth, flowing bass line in general using this technique without interrupting the rhythm playing with the finger or fingers.

So I'm guessing this technique is not one generally employed because other techniques are better? It would be nice to play (strum) an uninterrupted rhythm sound at the same time as an uninterrupted bass line, but this technique does not seem to work.

[rick-slo]

Mostly it does not sound that good on fingerstyle playing. Muddies things up. Pure strummers don't really gain from it. However if you find some niche that you feel sounds good with it then fine. FWIW I find it easy to the thumb and strum simultaneously on up strums, but somewhat awkward on down strums.

[stanron]

On the basis that when you play the bass note, you want it to stand out, you do one or the other. When you play a bass note you don't strum and when you strum you don't play bass notes. It can take a bit of working out at first but is is simpler than doing both at once and produces a much clearer sound.

[macmanmatty]

I do a rhythm pattern where I strum the bass strings 6-3 with a thumb pick and alternate the treble strings 1 and 2 and sometimes 3 with finger picks. Kinda the opposite of the standard bass strum bass strum beginner rhythm.

[agfsteve]

Thanks for the interesting responses.

I agree with rick-slo that it can muddy up the sound, but I'm hoping that if I practice enough I can clean things up with some accenting of bass notes, etc. I practiced the thumb-pick / upstroke a bit more, and I can see that it's not as difficult as I thought after all (like most techniques, after a while).

I also agree with stanron that you want the bass notes to stand out, but if the accenting can be done (with practice), then I think the benefit of simultaneous thumb-picking and strumming is that it sounds smoother than picking with the thumb followed by the separate finger strum, and is less choppier than any other approach (e.g. actual finger-picking) other than pure strumming.

If you think of a bass player and a rhythm guitarist playing together, they both play (produce sound) at the same time, obviously, so that is the kind of sound that I am going for: a bass playing over the top of a strumming rhythm guitar.

[TallDrink]

I often use my thumb to pick the bass, but instead of strumming, I pick three strings at a time with three other fingers.
The effect is very akin to strumming.

[agfsteve]

Originally Posted by TallDrink

I often use my thumb to pick the bass, but instead of strumming, I pick three strings at a time with three other fingers.
The effect is very akin to strumming.

That technique certainly has its place, but it does not produce the full, flowing sound of strumming, or at least it doesn't when I do it, LOL.

A pick with the thumb, and a finger roll that starts at the same time as the thumb pick would be closer to a rhythm guitar's down strum over a bass player, but it is very hard to pull off the reverse finger roll (for the up strum) at the same time as another thumb pick.