Bare Fingers only (no picks) fingerstyle max tone quality potential?

[Lamenramen]

Hi, I wonder if I am just going to one of these people who can only play fingerstyle with no picks no nails just my bare five fingers.

I have noticed though that using bare fingers the tone of various guitars seems to all sound similar (within reason). What I am saying is that using a pick I feel that is where you can hear differences in tone, but if using bare fingers it seems that the nuances of tone seem reduced. True or false?

Do I need to force myself to use a thumb pick to maximize the sound quality coming from my guitars?

[Boozehound]

I use bare fingers as well, but I can hear a difference across different instruments. I find that the instruments that sound best fingerpicked for me don't strum well.

My fingerstyle instruments need to be extremely bright and articulate with lots of sustain and plenty of volume. Smaller bodies tend to work better for me.

Currently my SCGC 000 12 Fret Cocobolo is the best fingerstyle guitar (for me) that I have played. I don't care for the sound when strummed or flatpicked though.

[cliff_the_stiff]

Check out the youtube- Mark Knopfler on guitars.
He largely plays without a plectrum or thumbpick.
I find plucking the strings above the bridge side of the soundhole gets me closer to the most balanced tone from a guitar.
I think a pick certainly improves volume, but I still hear tonewood differences when playing with my fingers alone.

[stephenT]

Not in my experience. Going between my three main acoustics I definitely hear the nuances of the individual guitars. My struggle has been getting the sound I was looking for while recording playing w/ flesh and nail. The Roswell Mini K47 mic was the fix for that.

Another issue for me was my nails which was solved by a nice glass nail file. Couldn't believe what a difference that made for the articulation and sound. I'd recommend a glass nail file to all who play flash and nail.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Lamenramen

Hi, I wonder if I am just going to one of these people who can only play fingerstyle with no picks no nails just my bare five fingers.

I have noticed though that using bare fingers the tone of various guitars seems to all sound similar (within reason). What I am saying is that using a pick I feel that is where you can hear differences in tone, but if using bare fingers it seems that the nuances of tone seem reduced. True or false?

Do I need to force myself to use a thumb pick to maximize the sound quality coming from my guitars?

Hi L-men

I don't have a problem distinguishing the tone from my three main acoustics (I play all flesh, NO thumbpick). I've been an all-flesh player for over 55 years. I've still taught a large number of advances finger stylers who use both nails and thumbpicks.

Nor do I have issues with the tone of my guitars strummed. I strum with the backs of nails 2-3 going downward, and upward with the lower tip of my thumb-nail (I'll post a video I made about that).

Three types of strumming for finger stylers video…


I don't think that using all-flesh eliminates nuances…but differences in the tone of all flesh versus using nails or flat picks is going to produce different tone therefore different nuances.

Remember, you are listening to your guitars from behind the instrument not out in front of it. I love having other players play my instruments so I get to hear their 'outside' voice.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

I'm a flesh only player too. There is noticeable difference in my guitars too. i actually get the best high-end articulation from my maple J200.

[rmp]

I'm flesh only guy too but I've been getting a bit into thumb picks last couple-a months

For me, sometimes, they work better than no pick, sometimes, bare flesh is best. On stuff where bass notes need to pop out, for me, they are just the thing... but --not always... know what I'm sayin? LOL!

[cliff_the_stiff]

Originally Posted by Brooklyn Bob

I'm a flesh only player too. There is noticeable difference in my guitars too. i actually get the best high-end articulation from my maple J200.

My friends J-200 is a joy to play. I think Jumbos make Great finger style guitars.

[rmp]

Originally Posted by cliff_the_stiff

My friends J-200 is a joy to play. I think Jumbos make Great finger style guitars.

I can't argue there. I love mine... Does anything, and does it well.

[Mandobart]

I'm another "flesh only" fingerstyle player. But I can hear a very big difference when picking my HD-28 with round core phosphor bronze vs my Eastman archtop with aluminum bronze vs my Altamira D20 with silver plated copper strings vs my 6 string banjitar.....

These also sound very different from each other when flatpicking each with the same pick.

If your guitars all sound the same to you maybe they are all very similar guitars with very similar strings?

[Bob from Brooklyn]

I prefer light vs. medium strings when fingerpicking. I can do either but I feel like I get a better 'bounce' with the lights.

[jaan]

When fingerpicking, I do use both thumbpicks and metal fingerpicks. I find I like the picks for their clarity; I don't like how I sound with just flesh.

[DukeX]

I also play all flesh and have no issues getting various tones out of each of my four acoustics.

[Birdbrain]

But I never will. When I let them grow, they tear.

I'm also interested in fingerstyle. My adaptation is to play plugged in, mostly. With the amp volume set low and the amp behind me, I still get the sensation that the sound is coming from my guitar. Just louder, and I have a means to dial back in the treble I've been missing. I'm doing this right now, in fact.

[BluesBelly]

In Larry’s great strumming demo video above he mentioned “I can control it better”.
I also feel bare flesh and strings give me the most control of all aspects involved in fingerstyle playing and strumming.
Bare fingers on strings can create all fashion of personality but it takes a bunch of practice and experience to understand how and when to integrate those into ones playing.

It’s important to try all aspects of playing in order to experience the nuances of each so that the player can choose which path to follow. I think a player naturally gravitates to the method of playing that best suits him/her and as such has a much better chance of success in musical endeavors.

Blues