Should I use a thumb pick?

[Sugarlander]

Originally Posted by ITArchitect

Amazing. I started playing in a praise band a couple of years ago. I do a mixture of fingerstyle and strumming. Somewhere along the way, I picked up the technique you describe above. I have often thought it is odd, because you have to reorient the index finger on up vs. down. It is encouraging that although it may be unorthodox, someone else actually does it. On my 814, I like the sound of it much better than a pick and it allows me to switch styles easily. Now I don't feel like I have to ditch the technique. I will have to watch my JT video and see if I can spot him doing that. Thanks for the interesting post.

ITArchitect, Yes, I agree. It is an effective stroke to use the index only. I also like to switch back and forth between strumming and fingerpicking. I just love that style/sound. To give yourself another very nice alternate sound, I would really encourage you to also learn the other technique I mentioned. Namely, the ring and middle fingers for down strokes and the index for up strokes. This has several advantages too. You can do a percussive "hit" with the ring and/or middle and then a quick pick with the index; or the strum with the ring and/middle and then a quick pick, or the strum with the ring and/middle and then the upstrum with the index. Using the ring and middle keeps the index more "free" for picking after the strumming.

Give it a try.

[MadeintheUSA]

initially i really hated thumb picks......but like with anything, the more you practice the better you get. my teacher swears by them.....he studied at berkley.....that is more than enough to get me to use them. it allows you to get a sound that you just cant recreate with just your fingers alone.

[Tom S.]

My local store has very limited thumb pick selection and none of the named vaireties. What is a good source for thumb picks?

[Midnight Shadow]

I use a Fred Kelly Slick Pic almost all the time when I am playing. The one problem I have with it is when I am trying to slap, or pull the bass string out, it is very difficult for me to get underneath the string and pull it up without the string sliding off.

Anyone else having this difficulty and if so has anyone come up with a way to reach under the string with the thurbpick on and putt the string without the string sliding off and they you don't get a good slap.

I find it even more of a problem when I am string to slap one bass string after another.
Midnight Shadow