Strumming without a pick, just fingers

[geronimotwo]

for strumming i tend to use my index nail as a pick, while backing it with my thumb for stiffness. people would likely think that i am using a pick from the position of my hand. the last gig i did was 4 hours, and i must have trimmed my nails a little too short, as i wore down the index nail to the finger. i didn't notice it much that night, but it has been really annoying this past week, as i am trying to avoid strumming to allow it to grow back. does anyone use nailpolish, or something else to harden their nails?

[flagstaffcharli]

I do it when I'm fingerpicking and need to switch to strumming.

Downstrokes = brushing down with the fingernails. Upstrokes = Thumbnail. There's a little more wrist involved than when I use a flatpick. I think a lot of uke players use a similar technique.

I also use a banjo-ish technique where I do the brush downstrokes strokes with the back of my fingernails, but also pick a bass part with the thumb and add banjo rolls with my fingers.

[Ruston]

I did a youtube search a while back on strumming with fingers and the video lesson that stuck with me used the nails of the second and third finger on a downward strum and the index finger on an upward strum. It has worked well for me. My brother uses the thumb and index finger pinched together "invisible pick" approach with good results.
Whatever approach (or approaches) you choose, it will take a bit of practice before it becomes smooth and natural.

[frankhond]

Try Fred Kelly slick pick on your thumb. They come in both heavy and medium and work very well for strumming. They also have this regular pick that attaches to your thumb, havent tried it tho. put a finger pick on index and you can strum like Rev Gary Davis.

Naked thumb can strum down with enough nail. Keep thumb straight and 90 degrees to string to activate nail and get brighter tone. Use middle or index for upstroke. Important to relax finger joints. Fingertip should be 90 degrees to string during entire upstroke. Think bowing strings like on a cello.

[HHP]

There are some things that a true flatpick will do for you. It will give great volume, especially when backing other musicians. It will allow much more interesting connective note runs between chords and you can play a D-U-D-U pattern easily on a single string. Rolls will tend to have better uniform volume than fingers. Repetitive single note triplets, as in Celtic tunes, are much easier with a pick. If you want to move between single note lead lines and rhythm, the pick would be better. If you don't want any of these things, no need to learn to use a pick.

[Minotaur]

Originally Posted by geronimotwo

for strumming i tend to use my index nail as a pick, while backing it with my thumb for stiffness. people would likely think that i am using a pick from the position of my hand. the last gig i did was 4 hours, and i must have trimmed my nails a little too short, as i wore down the index nail to the finger. i didn't notice it much that night, but it has been really annoying this past week, as i am trying to avoid strumming to allow it to grow back. does anyone use nailpolish, or something else to harden their nails?

That's how the guitar player in the YT vid of the Portuguese Obladi Oblada looked. When I enlarged the video to full screen I saw he didn't have a pick.

I'm going to let my nails grow some, and if that doesn't work I can get acrylics. I'm told that they are indeed harder than human nails and will work for this purpose. They can be cut and shaped to anything you want or need, utilitarian or cosmetic.

Originally Posted by flagstaffcharli

I do it when I'm fingerpicking and need to switch to strumming.

Downstrokes = brushing down with the fingernails. Upstrokes = Thumbnail. There's a little more wrist involved than when I use a flatpick. I think a lot of uke players use a similar technique.

I've seen uke players do that.

Originally Posted by Ruston

My brother uses the thumb and index finger pinched together "invisible pick" approach with good results.
Whatever approach (or approaches) you choose, it will take a bit of practice before it becomes smooth and natural.

That's what I noticed in the video I keep refering to. That's really what I'd like to do. Letting my nails grow a bit, or using acrylics will also allow for the occasional finger picking in a song, like a walk down or small riff.

Originally Posted by frankhond

Try Fred Kelly slick pick on your thumb. They come in both heavy and medium and work very well for strumming. They also have this regular pick that attaches to your thumb, havent tried it tho. put a finger pick on index and you can strum like Rev Gary Davis.

Oh so they do make a medium gauge thumb pick. I haven't been to any store except GC wher I got my heavy gauges, and on-line it's hard to tell. I'm going to check my local music shops now. Well, any excuse to go is a good excuse.

Naked thumb can strum down with enough nail. Keep thumb straight and 90 degrees to string to activate nail and get brighter tone. Use middle or index for upstroke. Important to relax finger joints. Fingertip should be 90 degrees to string during entire upstroke. Think bowing strings like on a cello.

Thanks. Will try. In fact, will try all the tips (no pun intended *facepalm* )

Originally Posted by HHP

There are some things that a true flatpick will do for you. It will give great volume, especially when backing other musicians. It will allow much more interesting connective note runs between chords and you can play a D-U-D-U pattern easily on a single string. Rolls will tend to have better uniform volume than fingers. Repetitive single note triplets, as in Celtic tunes, are much easier with a pick. If you want to move between single note lead lines and rhythm, the pick would be better. If you don't want any of these things, no need to learn to use a pick.

I don't play with anyone else (yet) or do leads or solos "Check out Guitar George, he knows all the chords, but he's strictly rhythm, he don't make it cry or sing". That's me.

[Minotaur]

Well it looks like I am going pickless. I got a couple of Dunlop .73 mm textured picks. Nope, can't hold them either. I have no idea why I cannot hold a pick anymore. Meh, they were only .35 each and I got 6, $2.23 with tax. So I'll pass up 1 Starbucks coffee.

Soooo... I tried the pinched-thumb-and-index-finger-as-if-holding-a-pick technique and it was great! Then I tried the back-of-the-hand-with-the-nails technique and it was great! I had more control, my strumming was more consistent and it was easier than I thought. I need to practice and refine it not to mention let my nails grow or get acrylics so if I have to pick strings I can, but this is now how I roll.