#1
|
|||
|
|||
Strumming without a pick
Out of respect for my fifty-year-old dreadnought, plus ageing fretting hand, I am using extra light PB strings. I find that strumming with my index finger gets me close to the sound I am striving for: Dylan's early acoustic albums.
Does anyone out there share my experience, or am I just weird? |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Yup. I'm primarily a bare finger picker. I leave the index fingernail just enough length to strum with without catching it on a string while I'm bare finger picking.
|
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Sure, I've always done it, I make a crude pick out of my fingernails and thumbnail. It actually gives me an extra thing I can do because I can "flick" my fingers downward in a staccato motion.
|
#4
|
|||
|
|||
You are not alone. While recording a recent song I couldn't avoid the pick noise so I strummed with my index finger and by golly there was no pick clatter. Nice warm recording sound.
|
#5
|
|||
|
|||
I play with a pick, but there are times when it sounds best to tuck the pick up between the thumb and index finger so it doesn't actually touch the strings. Weird but true.
|
#6
|
|||
|
|||
For many years I used an extremely light jazz pick, sometimes as thin as .34mm, in order to get that sound, striking the strings mostly with finger and thumb with just a sliver of pick augmenting the strum. However, in the past year or two I've been bruising under the nail of my index finger when I do this while jamming, especially at jams where i'll play for several hours. This has caused me to experiment more with thick, stiff picks while trying to get the same sound as a bare-finger strum.
I haven't really succeeded in this, but I've discovered some new sounds that I'm exploring successfully. Meanwhile, it's nice to be able to play in all-day jams without injuring my finger.
__________________
1 dreadnought, 1 auditorium, 1 concert, and 2 travel guitars. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
|
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
I tend to both Travis pick and flatpick on some pieces. It's fun. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Yes, I'm one. I don't just use the nail though. I will also use the skin up to (and sometimes past) the first knuckle for a different, percussive sound (this will be painful if you don't have a callous). I will also use the index finger for rapid up/down strumming. I will also use it for strums while using my thumb to pick bass notes.
In short, I beat the hell out of my index on some tunes. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
If I am playing rythm chords I typically don't use a pick. I will use my finger nails on the down beat and my thumb nail on the up beat.
__________________
2007 Indiana Scout 2018 Indiana Madison Quilt Elite 2018 Takamine GJ72CE 12-String 2019 Takamine GD93 2022 Takamine GJ72CE 6-String 2022 Cort GA-QF CBB 1963 Gibson SG 2016 Kala uke Dean A style mandolin. (Year unknown) Lotus L80 (1984ish) Plus a few lower end I have had for years |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
I use a pick and also am a flesh only finger picker. Lately I've become fascinated with the style used by Rodney Crowell here:
|
#12
|
|||
|
|||
Whatever works for you and allows you to be satisfied, is perfect!
__________________
McCollum Grand Auditorum Euro Spruce/Brazilian PRS Hollowbody Spruce PRS SC58 Giffin Vikta Gibson Custom Shop ES 335 '59 Historic RI ‘91 Les Paul Standard ‘52 AVRI Tele - Richie Baxt build Fender American Deluxe Tele Fender Fat Strat |
#13
|
|||
|
|||
I’ve had people give me grief for not using a pick, but to me, a pick sounds like a baseball card clacking against bicycle wheel spokes (if kids still do that
I use the fingernail on the downstroke; thumbnail on the upstroke thing that rstaight describes. |
#14
|
|||
|
|||
What a wonderful song. Thanks for introducing me to Rodney Crowell.
|
#15
|
|||
|
|||
I like strumming with with my fingers and just a little bit of my fingernail mixed in instead of using a pick. Listen to the counterpoint rhythm guitar in this song that I just wrote and recorded...
|