Switching between thumb & thumb pick

[Wooly]

Just curious as to if anyone switches between bare thumb and thumb pick depending on the sound desired for a particular song or do you strictly stick to either one for all your playing?

I was a thumb pick only user but I'm trying to learn a slap/flick technique as used in John Mayer's "Stop This Train" (Not easy by the way) and using a thumb pick does not work for this method as far as I can tell so far. So maybe I'll get used to both depending??

[callouses]

edit was mine, I totally misread your question, sorry

[Luke_]

I use thumb pick for everything except soft/slow songs....

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Wooly

Just curious as to if anyone switches between bare thumb and thumb pick depending on the sound desired for a particular song or do you strictly stick to either one for all your playing?

Hi Wooly...

Tommy Emmanuel switches between bare thumb, thumb pick, dobro pick, and flat pick effortlessly and without comment.

I use a bare thumb except for a couple songs where I want a bit of emphasis on a palm muted thumbed bass line.

[Wooly]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Tommy Emmanuel switches between bare thumb, thumb pick, dobro pick, and flat pick effortlessly and without comment.

I use a bare thumb except for a couple songs where I want a bit of emphasis on a palm muted thumbed bass line.

Good. So I will try to get used to doing both. As you, I use the thumb pick for the same reason along with everything else I play. I just started using my bare thumb and it feels a little awkward but I'd really like to learn this slap/flick technique.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Wooly

Good. So I will try to get used to doing both. As you, I use the thumb pick for the same reason along with everything else I play. I just started using my bare thumb and it feels a little awkward but I'd really like to learn this slap/flick technique.

Hi Wooly...

I usually do not use a thumb pick. And I don't flick anything with or without one.

My thumb extends in a relaxed manner, and I just draw it across the appropriate string at the right time.

Mayer is not flicking, hooking or slapping the thumb.

He is dropping the 'ham' of the palm just below the thumb onto the 6th string as he drops the thumb onto the bass string and creating the percussiveness (enhanced by the pickup). He then hits the new note on the beat, drops on the off-beat, and repeats the process throughout the song.

I've seen live videos and sometimes he just drops the pad of the thumb onto the bass string as the song progresses (which has a much lighter effect), but then he reverts to dropping the 'meat' of the palm onto the 6th string.

His thumb always tracks with the bass sting/note, whereas his palm always drops onto the bottom string(s).

Hope this helps...

[jthorpe]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Tommy Emmanuel switches between bare thumb, thumb pick, dobro pick, and flat pick effortlessly and without comment.

Ok... So at risk of sounding like a fool What is a dobro pick?

Oh and in answer to the OP I use a thumbpick for anything that required a palm muted bass, anything that needs a louder prominent bass and anything where the original player used a thumbpick (at least at first anyway). For softer bass attack I use bare thumb (I have no fingernails) and I also flatpick some things (that require strumming extensively perhaps with some fast single note runs) - I come from an electric guitar background so flatpicking and hybrid picking isn't too tough (I cannot flatpick like bluegrass players - I'm learning though).

There are no rules here - do what you gotta do to get the sound you want/need

Most of all, good luck!!

[wcap]

I'm mostly a fingerstyle/classical player, and I play using nails using more or less classical guitar right hand technique (on all guitars), though I flatpick and strum too. I have not, as yet, used a thumb pick on guitar (no particular reason - I just haven't - but I can see it could be really useful for some things), but it is the standard thing I do on 5-string banjo.

When first learning an instrument, or a playing style, these kinds of transitions can seem hard. Even just switching between classical guitars and steel string guitars was a little tough for me at first because the attack and playing feel is different. But over time switching back and forth between/among instruments and playing styles can become pretty effortless and automatic.

Learning multiple playing styles (and multiple instruments) can be pretty useful (and fun too). With each playing style (or instrument) you learn new things, which often can be transferred (at least partially) to the other playing styles (or instruments), thus enhancing your playing of those as well. For example, decades of playing 5-string banjo gave me right hand abilities that have really had a huge influence on my guitar playing (which mostly got developed later). Mandolin playing in the past helped me learn flatpicking on guitar. And my fingerstyle and classical guitar playing has led to some new (for me anyway) playing styles on banjo - basically fingerstyle banjo played with nails and no picks, which I think can give a lovely sound!

Explore and master playing with and without thumbpicks. You'll end up a better, more versatile all around guitar player.

[815C]

I use both thumb and thumb pick depending on the sound I'm going after.

[john57classic]

I also do both. Generally anytime I'm playing the muted type thumping bass lines ala Chet et al I always use a thumb pick. The shape and size of my hand just doesn't let me do this effectively when using a bare thumb/thumbnail. I also tend to use a Tpick a lot when accompanying vocals if playing finger style. I like the definition for clearly outlining the chord harmony with the bass notes.

[JonPR]

I use thumbnail (it's long enough even when resting hand on bridge). Could never get comfortable with a thumbpick.

[Cypress Knee]

I use a thumb pick. As I have aged it seems that the left quarter of my right thumbnail grows faster than the rest of the nail. I am ok for a day or two, then suddenly I will start hooking the bass strings with the corner of my thumbnail. It is very annoying no matter when it happens and the only remedy is an immediate clip or file of that corner nail.

[pf400]

I take the thumbpick off for certain songs such as Dust in the Wind and Greensleeves, and some slower songs. This is because I want to accentuate the melody over the bass lines, and another reason being that I can get too much pick noise sometimes when using a thumbpick. Also, playing some tunes sound best using just the flesh of the thumb....where a very soft bass tone is in order. Once I learned to cut the thumbpick down to size I found that I had no difficulty in switching between thumbpick and bare thumb even from song to song.